Don’t be a VIP!
The world makes much of VIPs (very important persons) – sometimes rightly. But there are other kinds of VIP. Christians should resolve not to be a:
Very indolent person
One major problem for teachers is students who have a slothful attitude. We should never be indolent in our daily work or service for the Lord. Laziness is certainly not an edifying trait. ‘Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord’ (Romans 12:11).
We need to heed Solomon’s advice: ‘Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise’ (Proverbs 6:6). A lazy student will not do well in an examination, neither will a lazy Christian succeed in life.
Very impatient person
Someone once prayed, ‘Lord, give me patience – and I want it now’!Psalm 27:14 says, ‘Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord ‘.
Impatience has brought many problems in its wake. The building of the golden calf in Exodus 32 was largely due to impatience (Exodus 32:1). King Saul impatiently offered sacrifice when the prophet Samuel delayed his coming.
But Jeremiah says, ‘It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord’ (Lamentations 3:26).
Very indignant person
Anger is only one letter short of ‘danger’! Those who fly into a rage seldom make good landings. You have no doubt had meetings with indignant people before, and did not think them the best experiences in your life!
A furious man or woman often does something that he or she later regrets. ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath’ (Ephesians 4:26).
Very irresponsible person
Life is full of duties and commitments. Christians are to be faithful stewards of the manifold grace of God. ‘As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
‘If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ’ (1 Peter 4:10-11).
One memorable event for the writer, during 2009, was a visit to Corinth and seeing there the Roman bema or judgement seat. This is alluded to in 2 Corinthians 5:10, where Paul says, ‘We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad’.
Very indifferent person
Apathy is worse than antipathy. Are we indifferent to the work of the gospel, the study of God’s Word, the fellowship of saints, and the reverential worship of the triune God?
There are two common problems in this world – ignorance and nonchalance: ‘I do not know’ and ‘I do not care’. There are also three kinds of people – those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened!
Have fervent love and strong spiritual convictions in the work of God.
Very indiscreet person
We need discretion or wisdom in this world of trickery and falsehood. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding’ (Proverbs 9:10).
There are seminaries and theologians who deny such clear and vital biblical truths as the virgin birth of Christ, Genesis’ literal account of creation, the physical resurrection of Christ, and the universal flood during Noah’s time. One archbishop even teaches that hell is just a figment of the imagination to frighten us into believing in God.
There are many who endorse homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle, while others promote abortion and euthanasia in the name of ‘helping the sick’. Yet all such fly in the face of God’s holy Word.
But ‘when wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee’ (Proverbs 2:10-11).
Let us resolve, then, to trust and obey God; and to remember that the most important person in the whole universe is Jesus Christ.
Jack Sin
