It Makes Perfect Sense - The Christian Online Magazine

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It Makes Perfect Sense

“For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.”

--Psalms 48:14

“People don’t change their lifestyles in a vacuum.” That was the comment I received from a reviewer on a novel I had written about the emptiness of today’s dating scene in which the hero begins with a jump-in-bed-together-ten minutes-after-we-meet mentality and slowly comes to realize how pointless that lifestyle is. The reviewer went on to say that “none of the characters in the book have a faith that explains their behavior.” She’s referring to the hero’s final understanding that the sleeping around scene is degrading and empty and that he wanted more for his life. There was no overt reference to him making this decision because God says sleeping around is a sin nor did he have the benefit of direct intervention from some Godly person out to save his soul. All he had was past experience and a woman that he loved saying she had made a decision not to sleep with anyone until she was married.

I understand the reviewer’s perspective because when reviewing an inspirational novel, one comes to expect overt references to God and His laws. Not only do I understand it, I respect it. I know a lot of people who make decisions based on this very factor—i.e. the whole “What Would Jesus Do” phenomenon. My question, however, is this: Are good decisions and wanting something better for your life the sole, exclusive desire of Christians, or can even those who don’t have an outward showing of their love for God still make good, moral decisions simply because those decisions make sense?

To me, God didn’t give us His laws so that He could catch and punish those who disobey them. Far from it. The God I know is compassionate and kind and wants very much for his children to have a happy, successful, joy-filled life. The problem is if each of us had to begin from scratch trying to figure what makes life work and what doesn’t, we’d all be in serious trouble. Making mistakes, seeing their consequences, and figuring out that they were mistakes on our own could take a very long time. So, what did our loving Father do? He gave us a road map. In the Bible and the Ten Commandments, He laid out in very clear terms the things to do and not to do so that our lives will be easier.

“Your word, O Lord, is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” –Psalm 119:105

I’ve heard for years about the “straight and narrow path.” It always sounded so ominous—especially for one such as myself with less than perfect balance. Straight and narrow. It sounds like those balance beams that I would break my neck trying to walk across. So most people say, “What’s the use? I couldn’t stay on it anyway.” They figure they can find their own way, and they try. What this phrase fails to point out, however, is what is on either side of that straight and narrow path.

Maybe you’ve never stepped off of that path, but I can tell you from my own experience what’s on either side of it—heartache, pain, fear, anger, guilt—in short brambles, cactus, and thorns. Now I don’t know if you hike, but I can tell you with complete certainty that following the straight and narrow path is much easier and safer than going it alone amid the pointy, sticky, dangerous non-path on both sides. Basically, out there, it’s no fun, and no matter how careful you think you are being, sooner or later, you’re going to get hurt if you continue to walk there.

That’s why God gave us the road maps to the “straight and narrow” path. He didn’t want to see us hurt. What He was saying ever-so-gently is: “My child, I have given you free will. You may walk wherever you want, but I love you, so here is a map. Follow it, and you will stay away from the cactus and the thorns.”

While writing my novel, I struggled with the fact that neither of the main characters was outwardly “Christian.” I searched for places to interject Scripture verses or overt morality lessons. What I learned by following how God wanted it written is how very practical God’s laws are. They make sense—whether they are couched in strictly Christian terms or not. As I pointed out to the reviewer:

“Society today says that sleeping around is the norm, that it is satisfying and wonderful. It's not, and I don't think you have to be focused on living your life a certain way because God said to in order to see that. Think about all of the movies you have undoubtedly seen in which guy meets girl, and in minutes they are in bed together, knowing little or nothing about the other person. That's what Hollywood says is love. To me, that's what God says is pointless, degrading, and empty. Of course, that's the definition of sin, but how many teens and 20-somethings will tune completely out at the mere mention of that word? They aren't dumb, just misinformed and determined to find their own way. God and His laws seem more like good ways to prove that they are no longer under their parents' thumb than about making smart life choices. That’s why they need a counter message to Hollywood so badly. They need to know that sex outside of marriage doesn’t work without being hit over the head with the immorality of it. Of course, it’s immoral. It's immoral because it's a sin. It's a sin because it's pointless, degrading, and empty. So why not start at a place they will listen? At pointless, degrading, and empty.”

In short staying on the straight and narrow makes perfect sense. It’s where you walk if you don’t want to be picking thorns and spikes out of yourself with every step you take. If you know someone who is resisting God’s messages (or if you’re resisting it) because of all that would have to be “sacrificed” to follow Him, you might try considering how many thorns you’ve stepped on by being on the broad, crooked, and cactus-strewn path. It’s a choice God allowed us to make, but don’t miss the practicality of choosing His ways over the ways of the world. When you really think about it, following His guidance makes perfect sense.

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