One day a prophet came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord:
When your ancestors were slaves of the king of Egypt, I came and showed them who I am. Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests. I wanted them to offer sacrifices and burn incense to me and to find out from me what I want my people to do. I commanded everyone to bring their sacrifices here where I live, and I allowed you and your family to keep those that were not offered to me on the altar.
But you honor your sons instead of me! You don’t respect the sacrifices and offerings that are brought to me, and you’ve all gotten fat from eating the best parts.
I am the Lord, the God of Israel. I promised to always let your family serve me as priests, but now I tell you that I cannot do this any longer! I honor anyone who honors me, but I put a curse on anyone who hates me.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In 1978, country music singer Kenny Rogers recorded a song called “The Gambler”. The chorus said in part:
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,Those words could apply to a lot of real-life situations, it seems. At one time or another, many of us will find ourselves figuring out whether we should stick it out, walk away… or run like the wind! Maybe it’s a personal relationship… or a job that you no longer find tolerable…or maybe you have discovered that chemistry is more than you can manage, so a major in pre-pharmacy is probably not for you! You may be wondering whether God really wants you to share space with your roommate for another semester…or you may be trying to decide whether you are keeping your pet alive for your own selfish reasons rather than because his/her quality of life is still high. You might even be trying to decide whether to retire, hang up the car keys, and/or downsize into a more manageable home or apartment. And in each of these decisions, God can help you to figure out the right answer… if only you will ask – and listen.
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
If you have done all you can in a situation and it doesn’t show any signs of improving, you may be justified in walking away. If you have served on a committee or volunteered for an organization with generosity and a willing spirit, and others are taking advantage of you, it may well be right for you to pull back in your efforts. When you continually give of your time, talents and energy – and maybe even your heart – and you realize you are being disrespected or dishonored, there is no shame in redirecting your attention. Again, God will show you how to proceed. And believe it or not, sticking with something that is not God’s will actually disrespects and dishonors Him!
Again I am reminded of the family that several people and I tried to help when I was teaching kindergarten. After we had given far above and beyond what most would consider reasonable, the father demanded of his caseworker one day… “I need a car.” It broke my heart to learn that a local pediatrician had bought the family bus tickets and sent them packing back to live with family members in Pennsylvania. I wonder to this day what happened to my little Charlie and his younger sister. But I know that we had no choice… the disrespect and dishonor simply could not continue. Not only was it time to “fold ‘em”… it was time to run.
For some of us, the problem these days is not that we are being disrespected… or that our efforts are dishonored. The trouble lies directly with us and how we are treating our Heavenly Father – and others. And that is the heart of this scripture passage. God is blessing us at every turn… and many are taking full advantage of all that He offers and practically thumbing their noses at Him in the process. Rather than thank God for everything He has done for us… and do everything humanly possible to serve and honor Him in return, some of us have essentially said, “Oh… and I’ll take a car, too!” We fall apart at the least little thing and fling our hands to the sky, wailing, “Why me, LORD?” We skate along through life taking risks and dancing as closely to the edge as we dare - while expecting God to always be there to protect us and fix every mess we make.
The truth is that God is not amused… nor does He appreciate disrespect and dishonor. He is loving, compassionate, gracious and merciful - and ready to forgive… to a point. But we cannot continue to reject or scorn His will and His word… and we most certainly cannot expect Him to take care of our every need while we deny Jesus and our Christian discipleship. “Oh, but I would NEVER do that!” you may say. Really? Exactly how long has it been since you did something selfless for another? When was the last time you did something you really didn’t want to do because you felt God was calling you to it? When was the last time that you were unkind to someone or even spoke hatefully to them or about them? Who have you mocked behind their back? What tidbit of gossip did you share? Who did you last criticize… maybe even to their face? How strong is your prayer life? Do you even have one? Are you willing to give to others – or is it all about what’s in it for you?
How often are you doing what you want to do instead of what you know God is asking you to do in Jesus’ name? Where are you spinning your wheels while God tells you…”It’s time to fold ‘em and move along.”? Do you see that this can also be disrespectful and dishonorable toward God? It’s probably time for each and every one of us to have a long, serious conversation with God… to examine our daily living and where we are operating selfishly and with disrespect… and to discover where He really wants us to be spending our time and energy.
The last thing any of us wants is for God to turn His back on us… even for a minute. Won’t you take some time to talk to God and ask Him to show you where you are missing the mark? Ask Him to show you where you need to mend fences, correct course… or even jump ship! I assure you that if God is calling the shots, you will always make the right move.
©2013 Debbie Robus
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