What’s the right thing to serve on Thanksgiving? Now, if you don’t overthink this, you’ll likely respond “turkey”. While turkey is what tradition indicates for many families in the Unites States, the truth is, when you invite guests into your home, sharing whatever you have is the right thing to serve. Practicing hospitality is godly. Hospitality serves the Lord while serving His people and we always find joy in our Lord’s company and service. On the other hand, following tradition for the sake of tradition can actually leave us stressed out. We may tell ourselves we’re going to get different results next time, but still stick to the only behavior we’ve ever known. Paul was discouraged to find the wisest of Greeks worshiping idols, not because it ever brought them true joy or satisfaction, but because that’s all they’ve ever known. So, Paul tells them about the true God.
God’s desire and plan for us is to live in constant joy and satisfaction. And most of us routinely engage in a variety of things which are “supposed” to bring us joy and satisfaction. But, since we’re accustomed to being in the presence of people who traditionally do the same things we do, we would not normally see our behavior as idolatry. The truth is that anything we put before God and godly living is an idol. Have you ever said or even thought “I’m going to spend more time with God as soon as…”? Every time we say “as soon as” in this context, we’re guilty of idolatry.
Are you spending hours each year planning structured holiday gatherings? Are you spending extra hours at the office planning that next promotion? Are you running the kids to soccer practice instead of youth group? Tradition tells us these are the “right” things to do. However, only God’s right is right. His great commission assigns us to move others to the center of His kingdom and this takes time. The more time you give generously to God, the less time you have for distractions from your God-given assignment. God is calling us to lay down our traditional thoughts under Him instead of placing them ahead of Him. God’s plan for us is abundant in real joy. And He doesn’t want to see His kids settle for artificial or intermittent joy.
What idols are Jesus calling you to lay down? How will you live with Jesus from now on?
God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Acts 17:27-28 NIV
