Paying A Price
"If you reject God's teaching, you will pay the price; if you obey his commands, you will be rewarded." (CEV)
Do you ever question this Proverb? Are things so different in our time than when Solomon wrote it? Does it look like the world at large is paying a price? Do you feel rewarded when you are obedient to God's commands? When the world laughs and points its finger at you when you stand up for something? Recently I read an article about Dan Cathey the President of Chick-fil-A and he had voiced his belief against gay marriage. My first thought in reading the article was that it was unbelievable that this reporter had singled out a Christian Business Owner who closes his business on Sunday and asks his opinion of something that is against Christian beliefs. Doesn't take a physic to know what the answer would be, but equally surprising was the backlash against it. One comment I noted on the article was from a guy who wanted everyone to boycott the chain and then have protestors line up to stop any who didn't wish to boycott, entrance into the restaurant. Instead of using their own dollars to make a statement, they wanted to force me into making a statement with them. Now anyone familiar with the restaurant, knows of it's core Christian beliefs and when looking at this situation, it doesn't seem that this proverb makes much sense. So why does it say we will be rewarded when it's obvious that their is a price to pay for following?
I don't understand God's timing but I know that eventually those who reject God will pay a price just as those who obey will be rewarded. But what about today? Is their reward for obedience? I think so! Just as I think their is a price for disobedience. I can give many examples but I will use a personal one. God desires for us to abstain from sexual relations prior to marriage. As a young girl on the run from God, I thought that was an archaic command and didn't apply to me. I did what I wanted and became pregnant. While I believed and still believe, that my daughter is a gift from God, I still had to struggle as a single parent. I felt the rejection of her father, when he decided we were not what he wanted, I felt the pain of working three jobs to provide for my child and then having her refer the babysitter to me. It was a price that I paid for not heeding God's word. On the flip side, when I am obedient, there is such peace. Knowing that I am in right relationship with makes life's circumstances easier to bear.
Going back to Chick-fil-A, years ago I remember reading an article about Truett Cathy, the founder of the chain and his response to mall officials who didn't want to allow him to open his restaurants in the mall, unless he agreed to have them open on Sunday. He refused! They were worried that he would go out of business and therefore leave them with an opening that would be an eyesore. I don't remember the exact words but it went something along the lines that if during a specific time frame, he didn't succeed, he would pull out. Most know the story but Chick-fil-a did more business in 6 days than the others did when opened all week. That is a reward. Is that always the reward - I don't know but it's a reward for believing that God will honor those who HONOR him.
Created 10 months ago
