Leading Them Back

It may seem hard to believe, but the United States average high-school dropout rate is 25%.  1 in 4 students decide to leave before they finish.   The question is… what is happening to stop this trend?  What are schools doing to pursue those that want to call it quits?

The church faces a similar situation.  People coming to the end of their faith and deciding that they just want to walk away from a God who seemingly doesn’t care.  So what’s being done?  What is the family of God supposed to do when one of their own drifts away?  Pursue.  Lovingly… and with great passion… go after those that have lost their way.  Scripture tells us in Matthew 18:12 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”  We are to go after the lost…the disillusioned…the confused…the broken…and the hurt.  They may be looking to drop out… and it’s that very time that God commands us to step in.  Sometimes all someone needs is the reassurance that things will get better…and that God still cares.  Know someone who’s walked away?  Today…without hesitation…start the process of leading them back.   Both of you will be better for it. 

Front

“They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.”  Romans 1:25

     Back when I was in elementary school, one of the most coveted positions in the classroom was line leader.  Everybody wanted it.  Few got the chance.  It was the coolest job there was.  As you walked, the class walked.  If you stopped at the water fountain, all 24 of your friends did too.  Being first had power.  Head of the line meant something.

Being first was important.  

It still is.  Only now, it isn’t walking in the front of the line... it’s putting the most important thing first in your mind and heart.  We don’t have to wait for a teacher to assign it... we get to pick it ourselves!  We get to decide what leads out in our lives everyday...

Number one matters.

True commitment requires sacrifice.   When it comes to what leads our lives, this couldn’t be more true.  In order for us to commit to making God first... to lead us... to guide us... to light the way...  something/someone that isn’t God needs to be moved from the number one spot and either made to be number 2 or 3... or lower. 

Maybe money’s been your idol for awhile... directing your thoughts and actions.  Perhaps it’s ego... or family... or power... or success... or maybe for you it’s that guilt you’ve started to focus all of your attention on.  Something has been in God’s place in your life and it needs to be given it’s proper position.  I believe that if we are going to change this world for Christ... to reach our God-Potential... to fully commit to God’s plan... we need to make and keep Him first. 

God’s opinion matters... Not the opinion of those who didn’t sacrifice themselves so that I could live eternally.

God’s words are true... Not the words of those who have ulterior motives or are trying to manipulate me

God’s values are perfect... Not the values of a world who couldn’t care less about my morality or thought life.

God’s place is first... Not behind something that fades, rusts, leaves, betrays, confuses, or abandons me.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn once said, ““We always pay dearly for chasing after what is cheap.”  I agree with that... time to move the cheap stuff out of the way and replace it with some One priceless.