I’m using a little book called Walk of Repentance for Bible study. This week’s topic is confrontation. Our God and Father, who loves us with all His heart, disciplines us that we might become godly people. For the most part however, we are not happy with it.
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:30)This is a strong verse. Jesus isn’t talking about maiming myself, but He makes it clear that if I have anything in my life that causes me to sin, I need to get rid of it, even if it happens to be my right hand.
For example, years ago I spent all my time painting, going to art shows, sketching, drawing and reading books for artists. Consumed by this passion, I was not taking care of my family as I should. Artistic effort took priority over everything else. Finally, God asked me to cut off this right hand.
That was not a happy time for me. For many years, each time I passed through the art supply section of a store, or walked by an art gallery, my heart burned with longing. I worried that I was “not using my talents” until realizing that the word “talent” in the biblical command to be productive is another word for money and resources. God was not pointing a finger at me to use this passion, but to abandon it.
The Lord got me involved in other things that made use of my spiritual gifts. He showed me the difference between pursuits that are profitable for eternity and selfishly indulgent activities that I enjoyed but that led me away from obedience to Him. As those lessons became part of my thinking, God began showing me a new thing — that I could actually use hobbies and pleasurable activities as ways to meet people and be a witness for Him. The activities were not the problem; it was my motive for doing them.
A couple years ago, I began sensing that I might try to paint again, so took supplies with me on a weekend in the mountains. I did a small painting and was surprised. It turned out very well, but my attitude was, “I can take it or leave it.” God changed my thinking so that this activity no longer had a hold on my heart. Since then, I’ve sketched and done a few pieces but without that selfishness that was so much a part of it in years past.
Life is short. Souls all around are crying out for meaning and a sense of security and purpose. Jesus has given me much to share with them, but self-indulgence is an offensive “member” that not only causes sin but is at the root of it. With all He has given me, I’m useless to God when I use it to serve only me. He demanded that I abandon painting to teach me what it means to cut off my right hand and throw it away, but He also taught me far more.
I now understand how any artistic passion can be a way to connect with others, to have a common interest with them, to be a friend, and to become close enough to share the love of Christ. I know many people who have no desire (yet) to move toward Christianity or a church, but they are warming toward God because God’s people are moving toward them. It only happens when we can recognize the difference between obsession with our passions and letting God use those passions for His purposes.
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Father, this study about Your discipline has me wondering if I’ve another hand to cut off. Is anything I do, even innocent activity, keeping me from full obedience? Like a child, my understanding is limited, but I do know that whatever You ask of me will be for my good and Your glory. Thank You that You see beyond my limited vision. As my loving Father, You care enough about me to remove the things from my life that keep me from being all that I can be. Even better, You can also take the skills and abilities You gave me and use them for Your glory. May I listen and obey, no matter what You ask me to do.
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