The song says, “Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.”[1] But then the song suggests that we take a break.
If we are trying to make our way in this world, and if it is so intensive that we must exhaust every resource (everything we’ve got), should I really “take a break”? Even on my down time, which every body, mind, and soul needs, I still need to be aware that I could be headed the wrong way. I still need to be concerned whether I am on the right path.
As the song proceeds to show, our culture is not too concerned with staying on the right path. The ultimate goal is being happy and one way is to escape your troubles. As we look elsewhere in our culture we see the growing opinion that being happy involves following your own version of what is right. Even some people who choose to live by Biblically conservative guidelines are now refusing to say that that way is THE right way. Instead we are told to be tolerant of alternative lifestyles.
I’m not focusing here on the modern push by the LGBT community. The lack of care for the right way has always existed in this world. Jesus pointed out the two ways (to destruction and to life, Matthew 7:13-14). Jeremiah wrote, “Ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it…But they said, ‘We will not walk in it’” (Jeremiah 6:16) Elijah asked, “How long will you falter between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21). Joshua called for Israel to choose between the way of the world and the way of God (Joshua 24:15).
This need to choose must be emphasized again today. Drifting along on the current of life one may enjoy the pleasures along the way but he misses the greater joys that are upstream!
We tend to do a great deal of research when we feel a huge decision is at stake. What we plan to get out of life is the biggest decision of all. What we plan to get out of life will impact our choice of career, our relationships, our spending, our recreation, our clothing, our TV watching, our hobbies, and everything else, large and small.
Then all those smaller choices reinforce the overarching one regarding what we are getting out of life. Our sense of who we are is defined by what we are striving to attain. If we are just drifting along with everyone else, satisfied with what comes our way by following the world, we will identify with that world.
That means we have not chosen God.
That means we have not evaluated where our life is taking us. Not just asked, “Am I happy with this?” and saying, “Yeah, it’s ok.” But actually discerning whether the goal of the life one is living is the best goal, the right goal. This is a decision that ideally is made before we decide on career, mate, home, etc.
But if you are past those decision points, it is still not too late to effect a change in course. You still can decide what ethics you work by, what demeanor you show your spouse/family/friends, and what influence you will be in your community.
More importantly, you still must decide how you will relate to the Eternal God. How will you live spiritually? Will you ignore it or become educated about it? Will you seek to grow spiritually or be satisfied with a gamble for your soul?
We all need to find our way. We each need to evaluate the eternal value of the life we have chosen. If you don’t know your Bible, let us help you discover the path the Lord has laid out for you.
[1] Where Everybody Knows Your Name (theme song from TV show, Cheers), http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/televisiontvthemelyrics-80s90s/cheers.htm