Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 1-012 (Practical Christian Living)

PLEASE PASS THE SALT

by Ron Clarke

Are you superstitious? There are some people who, whenever they spill salt at the table, are careful to throw some over their shoulder to keep off bad luck. For the same reason others do not walk under ladders (although this may have a practical application), do not start journeys on Friday the 13th, look for their future in tea leaves or on the palm of a hand. My aunt, whenever she ventured into the country, searched eagerly for a black and white cow lest some disaster should overtake her. As a child I can remember that it was considered bad luck to step on the lines between paving stones. Today, many rely on fortune telling or astrology star guides to plan, not only their day, but their whole future.

This latter group obviously take these predictions seriously, but the mildly superstitious – the throwing salt, Friday the 13th, black and white cow variety – perform these little idiotic acts not really believing that they have any foundation in truth. If it’s all in fun then there is no harm done. And that’s the point. If they take it even half seriously and are careful never to do any of these ‘unlucky’ things, then I would have to wonder what kind of God they believe in.

I would have no faith in a God who, because I spilled some salt, would send upon me some dreadful trouble. Or would bring disaster upon me because I failed to spot a black and white cow in time or started a journey on Friday 13th. That kind of fear is not of my God. But we are told to fear God, fear Him but not to be afraid of Him. Is there a difference? Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’ (Exodus 20:20).

Throughout the Bible we find this phrase, ‘Do not be afraid.’ God isn’t trying to scare us. As we are tested in life he is showing us his mighty power as the true God so that we will obey him. If we will do this, he will make his power available to us. The ‘fear’ that God talks about is a fear to sin and that is how we are to fear God, to fear lest we grieve him by our wrong doing.

It is a sad commentary of life that so many people who are searching for true meaning are led, not to a loving heavenly Father, but instead to the occult, psychics and fortune tellers. Our weekly magazines and daily tabloids feed this void in their lives. As salt spillers, Friday travellers and line-steppers ad nauseam we have a responsibility to present the beautiful alternative.

Bible reading: Isaiah 47:1-15.

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This is from a series of messages of encouragement, now in its sixth year, originating from the Derwent Valley, near Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, by Pastor Ron Clarke JP (Mark 16:15) <> http://www.pastornet.net.au/word4week