Christianity Is Inconvenient
Michael Harthorne with NEWSER writes:
It seems millennials are waging a new generational war—and the enemy is Cap'n Crunch. The Washington Post reports the sale of breakfast cereals in the US is down nearly 30% over the past 15 years. Part of that is growing preferences for things like smoothies and protein bars, according to the New York Times. But nearly 40% of millennials in a recent survey said eating cereal was "inconvenient ... because they had to clean up after eating it."
It should be no surprise that along with cereal sales, Christianity is in decline in America today. That’s because Christianity is a religion of inconvenience. It calls us to “take up our cross” and follow Jesus in selfless service (Matthew 16:24). It calls us to not only clean up after ourselves, but to be willing to help others do the same.
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
There is no other religion as inconvenient as the one modeled by Christ.
Not-So-Sudden Sudden Disaster
“According to the Associated Press,” reports Craig Larson, “on December 14, 1996, a 763-foot grain freighter, the Bright Field, was heading down the Mississippi at New Orleans, Louisiana, when it lost control, veered toward the shore, and crashed into a riverside shopping mall."
On hundred sixteen people were injured, parts of the wharf were demolished, as well as significant damage incurred to neighboring shops, restaurants, and hotels.
Says Larson:
After investigating the accident for a year, the Coast Guard reported that the freighter had lost control because the engine had shut down. The engine had shut down because of low oil pressure. The oil pressure was low because of a clogged oil filter. Ant the oil filter was clogged because the ships crew had failed to maintain the engine properly.
Larson concludes, “Sudden disasters frequently have a long history behind them”
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7).
“Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15, NLT).
“Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys” (Proverbs 18:9, ESV).
“The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor” (Proverbs 12:24, ESV).
Barnacle Bill and Other Users
Remember Bluto's theme song from the old Popeye cartoons, Barnacle Bill the Sailor. Like the Bluto character himself, old Barnacle Bill is anything but an affectioned character. After all, consider the barnacle:
Barnacles will attach themselves to anything, including ships, the wood pilings of wharves, and even whales. Once they affix themselves to something, they stay there for the rest of their lives and can be extremely difficult to remove. Barnacles that attach themselves to ship hulls impede water flow and may increase the ship's fuel cost by as much as 40 percent.
Barnacles are freeloaders, stowaways, hitch hikers, users. They latch on and create drag.
We've all experienced the drag of the barnacles in our lives. These are lazy people who attached themselves to us at the hip, waiting for us to do all their work for them. When such people are allowed to "stick around," they become harder and harder to get rid of. Like the barnacle, they may never go away.
Be proactive by speaking the truth in love. Words, like "Get a job!" or "No, I will not do for you what you can do for yourself," will help to keep the hull of your ship skimming along smoothly.
"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "'If a man will not work, he shall not eat.' We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).