“Nevertheless, each one should retain the
place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called
him. This is the rule I lay down in all
the churches. Was a man already
circumcised when he was called? He
should not become uncircumcised. Was a
man uncircumcised when he was called? He
should not be circumcised. Circumcision
is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.
Keeping God’s commands is what counts.
Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called
him. Were you a slave when you were
called? Don’t let it trouble you --
although if you can gain your freedom, do so.
For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s
freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s
slave. You were bought at a price; do
not become slaves of men. Brothers, each
man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.”
(1 Corinthians 7:17-24)
Can you think of ways in which you wish your
life was different? Oh, I’m not talking
about sins that you wish you didn’t struggle with, I’m talking about
circumstances beyond your control that you wish were different.
I know some women who wish they were
men. They see the opportunities that men
have and don’t see that women have the same opportunities. I also know some men who wish they were women
-- for the same reason. The old proverb
is true, “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”
Perhaps there are other times in history that
you wish you had been born. Perhaps
there are other places in the world in which you wish you had been raised. Would you like to change your ethnic
background? Perhaps you’d like to be
Jewish, or American Indian, or a part of some other ethnic group to which you
do not now belong.
Paul’s point in today’s passage from Corinthians
is to take advantage of the opportunities God has given you, rather than
spending your life wishing things were different. The “if only” syndrome rarely helps us
accomplish more for the Lord. We do
accomplish what God wants when we set about to do His will where He has put us
and with the resources He has given us.
His, by Grace,
Steve
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