Is There a Third Option?

In my 63 years of life, I have often wondered about the choices people make relating to the others in their life. When it comes to relationships, the girls seem to want the guys who are the “bad” boys in society. As a person who worked in the health care industry, I wondered why most STNA’s portrayed themselves as being in tune to the “wild” life and weren’t the traditional warm and compassionate nursing type. Instead of Florence Nightengale it’s something totally different. The people chosen to build the society of today don’t want much to do with the Spirit of Christ. They are like lions and bears that make it their business to devour as much flesh as possible. Not in the way that Jesus conquers the flesh, instead they are rather hateful and mean-spirited. I always felt that they would be happiest to see me armed to the teeth with weapons and rebellion. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” Matthew 27:21-22

Being socially integrated with the Romans was never the third option. In my situation, there is no middle ground there is not that third option. Either I choose Jesus, or I throw myself into the fires that are barbecuing human flesh. Those are the fires of resistance to the new social order, fires of lethal drug use, fires of constant clashes with the human robots, and every type of fire that brings death and destruction. I’ve come to learn that I am not a candidate to be integrated into the new social order. That is not a third option. Jesus is my choice. Elijah talks to me about this, “Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.” 1 Kings 18:21-22

Although the thoughts that come to us or the feelings that we experience make us feel really terrible, we have this encouragement from Paul, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9