by Bob Watson
Synopsis: Understanding God’s plan for our life is not difficult, as illustrated in the life of one of His humble servants. The real challenge is doing His will.
On a chilly day in January of this year, I stood by the graveside of a dear friend of mine. I had the honor of performing the graveside portion of his funeral. Brother Don Gregg was a simple man, but he certainly was not a simpleton. He was a humble man. God lifts those who are humble (Jas. 4:10). The choices he made in his life were not complicated. Don used his free-moral agency, which God has granted to all humanity, to make wise choices in his life. Often, many people complicate and clutter their lives by making poor choices. The consequences of their choices lead to complicated lives. They often wonder, “How did my life get so tangled up?” I wonder what prescription my dear brother would offer people in order to live an uncomplicated life.
I am confident that this would be the first piece of advice that my Christian friend would offer. We all must choose whom we will serve. Joshua of old challenged the people of his day by saying, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . .” (Josh. 24:15). We all must make a choice about whom we will serve. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters, “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24). Many years ago, my dear friend heard the gospel message and believed it (Rom. 10:17). He believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:35-38), repented of his sins (Acts 17:30), confessed his faith in Jesus (Matt. 10:32), and was baptized for the remission of his sins (Acts 2:38). He also made the choice to live as a Christian all the remaining days of his life. We often sing the hymn, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus. Following Jesus, following God, and letting our lives be guided by the Holy Spirit inspired word is a choice (2 Pet. 1:19-21). My friend fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7). His formula was not a complicated one.
My friend took to heart the words of Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” He was a blue-collar worker, an electrician by trade, working well into his eighties. Unfortunately, today we see many folks who can work, but refuse to work. Some live off the government subsidies, even when they could hold a job . They should recall Paul’s admonition, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). Work is good for us all. Idleness hinders advancement in life. The Scriptures repeatedly warn against laziness (Prov. 6:6-11; 12:27; 13:4; 15:19; 19:15; 20:4; 21:25-26; 22:13; 24:30-34; 26:13-16). Parents should drill into their children the necessity of establishing an excellent work ethic in their lives. It will serve them well. This part of his formula certainly is not complicated.
My friend let the Lord build his house (Ps. 127), and enjoyed the fruit of that decision in his life (Ps. 128). Husbands and wives need to follow God’s pattern for the family (Eph. 5:22-33). Likewise, children need to be in obedience to their parents (Eph. 6:1-2). Fathers should not provoke their children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). A marriage built on biblical principles will not only last, it will be pleasing to our heavenly Father (Rom. 7:1-2). People complicate their lives by rejecting God’s pattern for their family. Unscriptural marriage, divorce, and remarriage muddies the water. God’s prescription is not really all that complicated (Matt. 19:3-10).
I must ask myself, “What am I contributing to the local body of Christ?” Am I really helping the work of the Lord where I worship? My friend was an active member of the congregation. He was one of our song leaders (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). When asked to do so, he would deliver invitations and spiritual talks. He ministered to saints who were in need. He welcomed families into his home for social gatherings, and opened his home to strangers (Heb. 13:2). During gospel meetings, he hosted visiting preachers and their families. He was a light in the community (Matt. 5:16). He was solid in the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). He knew the Bible and stood up for what it taught (1 Tim. 4:13). He never tried to shirk his responsibilities in spiritual matters, but could always be counted on to do his part (Eph. 4:16). None of these actions was complicated. They were things that a Christian should do.
While it is not an exhaustive list, these are some areas where we can uncomplicate our lives. These represent some of the admirable areas in the life of my friend that seemed to stand out so vividly. There are many more issues we could tackle, but this point is clear: God’s instructions from Scripture are not difficult to understand. The British author, G.K. Chesterton, once said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” Understanding what one must do to please God is not difficult; rather, making the difficult choices in life (by doing the right thing) is the challenge. We must have the courage to make tough decisions in our lives. Some folks create a mess of their lives because they have made choices that make life complicated. When in reality, understanding God’s will is not complicated. Finally, the apostle Paul counseled, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:15-17).
Chesterton, G.K. Quote taken from “Part One: The Homelessness of Man-Section Five: The Unfinished Temple-Paragraph 3” of What’s Wrong with the World. New York, Sheed and Ward, 1956. Gutenberg.org
