Parallel Two: Both require a thorough investigation.
Have you noticed that pretty much every food item in the grocery store has something positive marked on the packaging? It doesn't matter if the product is really good for you or not, you'll usually find either what it doesn't have or the single healthy thing it does have marked in some bright colors close to the brand name or title. You don't fall for this, do you? You don't buy the honey buns because it states that it has low sodium or the chocolate chip cookies because it contains 4 grams of protein? My personal favorite is shortening, which is another name for lard, taking shots at butter. You probably didn't realize that there was an enormous food fight going on at your local grocery store, did you? But there is. All of them are competing against each other. If you stop in one of the aisles and listen real close you might be able to hear the gossiping, backstabbing and bickering going on between them, especially between the brand names and generic products. I can't even write what's going on between them on any given day. It's gruesome. This is the very reason, I refuse to take my kids there with me. My wife doesn't realize that I'm just doing it to protect them.
The other thing I noticed is that most products get a facelift every couple months. I'm sure you've seen your favorite cereal box change from time to time with the familiar "New look, same great taste" printed on the front. Did you ever wonder why they do this? Why they spend so much money on changing their look and marketing, especially the products that everyone has at least one of in their pantry, that have been around forever? It's because they know we like new and improved, from our cars to the new marshmallow in Lucky Charms, history and our debt records show that we'll buy it.
Since receiving the report regarding my cholesterol, I've found myself paying much closer attention to the nutrition facts of the foods that I purchase. No longer do I fall for the sly embellishments and twisted half-truths of the brightly colored packaging that somehow slithered their way into my shopping cart on more than one occasion. But have I been paying close enough attention to my spiritual shopping cart and what I've been filling it with? What does it look like at check-out at the end of each day? Is it empty or full, and if it's full, what is it filled with?
What are we filled with? Are we paying close enough attention to what we're throwing into our cart, into our spirit? Are there certain things that we need to stop throwing in? Do you find yourself approaching the check-out line over and over again with the same junk? With the same flashy items that promise so much, but deliver so little?
In the words of Jesus, "Please put it back."
I think what's happening is we forget that each day is a gift. We get so used to our surroundings and what's given and been given to us that we take it all for granted. The hours become days, and the days become weeks and so on. We come hungry, but we get sidetracked, distracted, and start grabbing whatever we're craving at the moment. Because we haven't filled up on anything healthy, we're too weak to pass the sparkle and half-truths on the shelves.
What are you filling yourself with this hour? This day? Are you paying close enough attention to what you're reading, seeing, digesting and giving. We have to get out of the daze and start living like today really does matter, like it really does count. We have to live like today may be the most important day of our lives. If we start walking down the aisles of life with that kind of mindset, the shelves and what's on them will look a little different. We'll investigate more thoroughly what we're picking,choosing and throwing into our carts, into our spirits. It's not too late to put everything back to start again.
Acts 7:31 (Amplified Bible)
31When Moses saw it, he was astonished and marveled at the sight; but when he went close to investigate, there came to him the voice of the Lord, saying...
Have you noticed that pretty much every food item in the grocery store has something positive marked on the packaging? It doesn't matter if the product is really good for you or not, you'll usually find either what it doesn't have or the single healthy thing it does have marked in some bright colors close to the brand name or title. You don't fall for this, do you? You don't buy the honey buns because it states that it has low sodium or the chocolate chip cookies because it contains 4 grams of protein? My personal favorite is shortening, which is another name for lard, taking shots at butter. You probably didn't realize that there was an enormous food fight going on at your local grocery store, did you? But there is. All of them are competing against each other. If you stop in one of the aisles and listen real close you might be able to hear the gossiping, backstabbing and bickering going on between them, especially between the brand names and generic products. I can't even write what's going on between them on any given day. It's gruesome. This is the very reason, I refuse to take my kids there with me. My wife doesn't realize that I'm just doing it to protect them.
The other thing I noticed is that most products get a facelift every couple months. I'm sure you've seen your favorite cereal box change from time to time with the familiar "New look, same great taste" printed on the front. Did you ever wonder why they do this? Why they spend so much money on changing their look and marketing, especially the products that everyone has at least one of in their pantry, that have been around forever? It's because they know we like new and improved, from our cars to the new marshmallow in Lucky Charms, history and our debt records show that we'll buy it.
Since receiving the report regarding my cholesterol, I've found myself paying much closer attention to the nutrition facts of the foods that I purchase. No longer do I fall for the sly embellishments and twisted half-truths of the brightly colored packaging that somehow slithered their way into my shopping cart on more than one occasion. But have I been paying close enough attention to my spiritual shopping cart and what I've been filling it with? What does it look like at check-out at the end of each day? Is it empty or full, and if it's full, what is it filled with?
What are we filled with? Are we paying close enough attention to what we're throwing into our cart, into our spirit? Are there certain things that we need to stop throwing in? Do you find yourself approaching the check-out line over and over again with the same junk? With the same flashy items that promise so much, but deliver so little?
In the words of Jesus, "Please put it back."
I think what's happening is we forget that each day is a gift. We get so used to our surroundings and what's given and been given to us that we take it all for granted. The hours become days, and the days become weeks and so on. We come hungry, but we get sidetracked, distracted, and start grabbing whatever we're craving at the moment. Because we haven't filled up on anything healthy, we're too weak to pass the sparkle and half-truths on the shelves.
What are you filling yourself with this hour? This day? Are you paying close enough attention to what you're reading, seeing, digesting and giving. We have to get out of the daze and start living like today really does matter, like it really does count. We have to live like today may be the most important day of our lives. If we start walking down the aisles of life with that kind of mindset, the shelves and what's on them will look a little different. We'll investigate more thoroughly what we're picking,choosing and throwing into our carts, into our spirits. It's not too late to put everything back to start again.
Acts 7:31 (Amplified Bible)
31When Moses saw it, he was astonished and marveled at the sight; but when he went close to investigate, there came to him the voice of the Lord, saying...
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