Misused Power

II Samuel 11

In the past few weeks something else amazing has happened.  A lot of teenagers have given their lives to the Lord and are letting people know about it.   The fact that so many young people are interested in the things of God tells me they are getting tired of the cheap substitutes the world tries so hard to replace Him with!  A new, hungry generation is rising up!  I wish I’d been more serious (well…serious in the first place) about my walk with the Lord when I was a teenager.  But, you can’t go back…only forward.

Many of today’s youth have received something very valuable from the Lord. For some, it’s this amazing ability to play an instrument. For others, it’s the ability to absolutely electrify a crowd when they step on the field or court. The point is, you may be placed in a position where somebody, possibly many people look up to you! The Lord has given you something called INFLUENCE! You have the ability to make a certain “crowd” follow YOU and your example! How well do you use it? What do you do with that power?

In verse 2 of II Samuel 11, David walked upon the roof of his palace.  The Lord gave him an extreme amount of popularity.  He could do it all!  He could tear up a guitar, he could sing, and he could fight better than Russell Crowe in the movie “Gladiator” (now THAT’s pretty awesome…I hope God has everything recorded on DVD in Heaven so we can watch!…ah, He probably has BluRay!!!)  Anyway, David was ridiculously cool to say the least…people didn‘t just want to be LIKE him, they wanted to BE him!  God literally gave him the highest position in the land…he was KING…people looked up to him, just like many people may look up to you!

In one unguarded moment, David absolutely destroyed his spotless, “man after God’s own heart” reputation.  He saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba taking a bath on her rooftop.  He liked what he saw, summoned her to his palace, and one thing led to another.  She ended up having sex with him for no other reason than the fact that the King was the hottest, richest, coolest, guitar playin’est, smartest, fightinest, baddest dude in the land!  She knew it….EVERYBODY knew it!  David was the star quarterback…Bathsheba was the head cheerleader.  God gave David his amazing abilities, just like He gave you yours!  God raised David up so others looked up to him!  God raised you up so others look at you.  Where did David go wrong?  Well, for just a little while, he put God on the backburner.  Where have you placed Him?  Where does He rank in your life right now?

Every single year I see the same thing happen with at least one teenager.  God gives him or her this amazing talent.  Talent to throw a ball, shoot one through a hoop, or flat out murder one with a bat…and it gets misused.  They use their popularity to be the “life of the party”.  They use it to “get girls.”  They use it to pick on other people that are weaker or not as talented as themselves.  Somehow, they think they have some sort of a license to make fun of others.  They think that THEY have earned their popularity and do not see it as given to them by God…BIG mistake!

Being a teacher, I used to feel sorry for those students that they picked on, or the girl that got sucked in to the “star’s” charm and got used and dumped only to be replaced by the next victim.  I still feel bad for them, but I feel a lot sorrier for the ones who misuse all that power.  I think about the people they could have won to the Lord, those that might have listened to the star athlete tell of how the Lord Jesus can cleanse you of your sins and grant you eternal life.  Instead, I watch their time run out so quickly.  They graduate, the old “glory days” come to an end, and there’s nothing left but the wishing….wishing they could go back.  Back to the days when everyone looked up to them.  Back to the days when people thought they were so cool.  Back to the days when they could have taken their academics seriously and focused on a career.  Back to the days they could have helped others instead of tear them down.

REALIZE that you have been given a little bit of influence for a little bit of time.  Live for Him!  Be like the teenagers Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel chapter 3!  While the rest of the World is bowing down to the gods of alcohol, drugs and pre-marital sex….REFUSE to bow down!  Say “The God that I serve is able to deliver me from all that and use me for His Kingdom, His Purpose, and His Glory!”

Matthew 7:13 and 14:  Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction.  MANY are traveling down that road.  But narrow is the way and strait is the way that leads to life, and FEW there be that find it!

What are you going to do?  Follow the CROWD to destruction? Or, follow JESUS down that narrow way that leads to true life?  I’ve made my choice and I’m NEVER going back!  Make YOUR choice TODAY!

BE one of the FEW!

Realize what you have!

Use it Wisely!

You’ll NEVER regret it!

Later

Adam