Articles
God's Perfect Word
I had an exceptionally long commute to the office this morning (had to stop for two red lights) so I had the opportunity to listen to two full songs on Sirius-XM.
I wasn't paying that much attention. When I listen to music on the radio, I usually know a few words from the chorus of most songs, and maybe a bit more, but I've never been one who listens for a message or knows the words, I just enjoy the beat. The first one was Neil Young's "Old Man". So I sort of knew the chorus, ...'old man, look at my life, I'm a-lot like you were...'. I actually was thinking, what's he talking about? When the song ended, the next song immediately followed, and boomed out the first words, "What A Drag It Is Getting Old!".. (Rolling Stones)
I could not help but go from what I thought was someone singing about understanding life better as they age and some of the things that go with that, to someone who had yet to experience that. So, hearing the songs back to back got my attention, and I decided to look up the lyrics to both. Neil Young is singing about wanting life-long love and companionship as best I can tell, while the other song is about dreading the responsibilities of life, not wanting to cook for the family or care for the kids, and trying to hide behind drugs to avoid that.
I think they show a stark contrast between two different ways of thinking, and I think we see that in our world today, not just in music, not just between young and old, not just between Republican and Democrat, not just between male and female, not just between parent and child, not just between employer and employee or wife and husband, but in almost everyone and everything.
Obviously, we can't expect young and old to think alike. Being on the "old" end of things myself, so many things in my life have helped shape my understanding of things, and I understand young people don't have that experience yet. Likewise, like it or not, men and women just don't think alike, nor can employees understand often times why there are differences in opinions between them and the employers they work for, when the employers have to manage the big picture not just the individual. When it comes to politics, again, not everybody will have the same thinking, and while we expect division and disagreement in politics, it's sad to see it is often times hate and retribution.
But, all of these things, all of these discussions, are worldly things. They belong to man (mankind) and man's thinking and opinions, and are certainly open to human fallacies. God on the other hand, is different. God is perfect. God's Word is flawless. God's will for us is a requirement by this perfect, flawless, in-fallible Being, and that leaves no room for comment from those of us under His reign. Yet, we see the same type of disagreement, argument, dissension and contrast when looking at religious things that we see in the worldly situations listed above.
You know, God made it simple, mankind makes it hard. God's word is the same for young and old, male and female, rich and poor, husband and wife, American and Russian, no matter who you are or where you may be. It is not open for interpretation, doesn't need improving, can't be modified, and was simply given to be followed by every man and woman in existence for the eternal salvation of their soul. Yet, today, when everybody possesses "the right" (or so they believe) to believe what they want, the Gospel is the target of attack from every direction.
Without a doubt, young people may can teach us older people a few things, especially if they are of a technical nature, and without a doubt the older of us have some knowledge only gained through age that young people ought to listen to. Let us learn to talk, listen, and learn together as we study God's Word. When it comes to the Gospel message, may we help people see clearly the truth, without all the worldly ideas blurring their vision!
