On Beds and Boredom

Follow the Leader is a simple game with simple rules - one person is in charge and everyone else must do as they do or is out.  You can change leaders at any given moment.  Young children love to play this game until they make the discovery that it is more fun to lead than to follow.  Admittedly, there are always going to be the few that are too afraid to lead and so remain ever faithful followers.  This is not really due so much to faithfulness though as is is fear: fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of getting lost, fear of leading others into disaster, etc.  Yes, I'm referencing to adult children.

It is a more personal profitable thing to be leader.  The problem is, to where exactly are you leading others?  What may seem a logical and exponentially profitable path can actually be one that leads to destruction-just ask Wall Street.  Seldom does anyone look deep inside at motive anymore.  Rather we are told to do what "feels" right.

In the book of John chapter 21 God allows us to see what happens when we simply do what feels best.  Jesus had been crucified and had even already risen from the dead.  The disciples had witnessed this, but at this particular point in time were perhaps a little bored.  Jesus hadn't given them any real instructions as to "where do we go from here?"  So Peter pipes up and makes this remark, "I am going fishing."  (vs. 3 NKJV)  The others with him said, "We are going with you also." (vs. 3 NKJV)  Now there is nothing wrong with them going fishing.  It was their means of making a living after all.  However, they were only doing it because they didn't know what else to do.  That doesn't make it wrong, per se, but what if they had sought out Jesus?  We find out in the next few sentences. 

Starting at the end of verse 3: "They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.  But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?"  They answered Him, "No."  And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some."  So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.  Therefore the disciple whom Jesus loved (John calls himself this rather than printing his own name) said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" (NKJV) 

Yes, there was absolutely nothing wrong with them fishing, but if they had sought Jesus on it to begin with, they wouldn't have wasted their entire evening.

We tend to waste time a lot.  We have been looking at bedroom sets to purchase.  I found one at a remarkable sale price and was ever so tempted to snatch it up.  However, I know that the feeling of losing something before it is ever attained does not come from God.  It comes from my flesh wanting what it wants right now!!  So I took the ad and the two coupons I had toward purchase to my sweet patient husband.  The sale and coupons would allow the purchaser to obtain this particular set that originally ran for $3549.97 for a mere $1623.97, which is a savings of $1926.  We'd save more than we'd spend.  Sounds terrific, doesn't it?  The more I thought about it, the more I wanted that set. 
Last evening we went to two more furniture stores.  We found a set that would do, but found a lingerie cabinet that I adored.  It was on clearance for less than half price as you could only get the floor sample.  My husband turned to the salesman and asked, "Do you know what will happen to me if I don't take this home with us?"  That was a spirit jolter for me.  It took a few seconds, but I finally looked the salesman in the eye and said, "Truth is, absolutely nothing would happen to him.  I would be a little disappointed, but I would get over it."  Long story short, due to some flaws that were "unfixable" we left it behind.

I admit that I still would love to have a lingerie cabinet like that one; so much so that I looked that exact one up on line.  I found it in my favorite wood - oak- but you can only purchase it on line.  There was a full bedroom set to match it that I fell in love with!!  Now I had to do more soul searching to do.  So I actually made a wise decision - I prayed.  It was difficult at first, but since my husband desires me to take the lead on choice of sets, I want to do so wisely.  I told God that if He didn't want us to get that set it would be hard for my flesh to deal with, but that was okay.  We don't even really need a set.  Ours is simply old and looks pretty beat up, but it is functional.  I want what He knows is best for us.  It is a lot of money any way you look at it and I want us to be wise stewards. 

After praying I showed the computer screen to my husband.  He thought it great, but always wants to actually see items before purchase.  He may want me to be leader in choice of design, but he also wants to be certain it is a quality product.  I have found from past experience that when I trust God, He always makes things work out better than I ever dreamed, therefore, I choose to lead by following Him and listening to the man he placed in my life as head of our spiritual life together. 

Yes, Follow the Leader is fun, but as Christians we are both leader and follower.  We lead best when we follow Jesus.  Just as the disciples learned in the passage above, when we follow His lead, we receive more than enough to share.  I look forward to whatever it is He has planned for us in this seemingly simple area of bedroom furniture and am glad He has helped me realize I was headed for "whinyville" if I didn't keep my eyes on following Him.