MAKING EXCUSES

MAKING EXCUSES

Luke 14:16-20

16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

This is a parable. In it Jesus seems to be showing three hindrances to following Him.

PROPERTY

A piece of ground requires our time and energy. Even a small well kept lawn cries out for care. Larger estates invade our thinking. Perhaps there is oil or gold to be found underneath it. Perhaps the highway department or some supermarket will need it and pay me much more than it is commonly worth. If it is a truly large estate it can totally define us, like the King Ranch, it makes us who we are. We can become a proud land owner without any time for God.

THE BUSINESS OF LIFE

Commerce demanded that one must go to prove a yoke of oxen. Anyone who owns a business, especially a small business owner, knows the demands of enterprise. It takes commitment and determination to be an involved Christian. Service clubs, charities and other appendages of business life also require our time and demand to be placed before the Lord in our priority.

FAMILY

“I’ve married a wife!” Many jokes have been made about this excuse but family also requires maintenance, time and energy. Good marital relationships require effort. Children must be provided for, constantly instructed and corrected. Little league baseball, pee-wee football, little dribblers basketball and soccer takes our time and our treasure and threatens our sanity. Scouts, clubs and societies demand another piece of us as well.

Beware lest those things that will surely pass away keep you from those things that surely will never pass away.

Dear Lord, please signal me when the cares of this life threaten to silence your voice to my soul. AMEN