Avoiding Pitfalls of Familiarity by Mark T. Barclay

Author:Mark T. Barclay
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Family & Relationships, Interpersonal Relations
ISBN: 9780944802045
Publisher: Mark Barclay Publications
Published: 1992-11-21T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

LIFE’S EXAMPLES

NEW CAR EXAMPLE

Let me give you another example—a new car. Many of us have the privilege from time to time to buy a new automobile or at least a fresh, used automobile. When you first buy that automobile, you check it out really well. When you go to that dealer, you're in the Suspicion Zone. You don't know who he is; you don't trust him. You haven't built a relationship with him, perhaps.

You want to know about this car. Who owned it before, if anyone? What kind of warranty does it have? What kind of tires are these? Can you open the hood? What kind of engine is under here? Is this leather or vinyl on these seats? What kind of fuel mileage does it get?

These are all questions that you ask, trying to get your suspicions soothed and taken care of so that you can feel confident about owning and driving this vehicle. After you purchase it, you take very good care of it. You like it. You cherish it. Some of you even drive in front of store windows looking at its reflection, saying to yourself how well you look in it and how glad you are you made the purchase.

You're so proud of this new vehicle, but you know, if you're not careful, you'll fall into that excessive Familiarity Zone. You'll begin to grumble and complain about the very thing that you believed God for, the very thing that you cherished the gift that came to you. You'll even make negative comments about its manufacturer. You'll wish you didn't have it.

Your eyes will be drawn to another vehicle. You'll already be meditating about a replacement but have feelings that you're bound by the one that you have. When you first had it, it was spic and span. You would hardly let anyone touch it. You kept all of the raindrops polished off it and all the tires clean.

Now you just drive it, and many times it's dirty. You even leave drive-in food and drinks on the interior. Somehow I can't help but think that God admires us when we live and walk in confidence and take care of things. I believe that God has trouble with us and we're not so pleasing to Him when He sees us abusing and grumbling about the very things that we once asked for and that became our blessing and that we were thrilled about.

EMPLOYMENT EXAMPLE

As a pastor and a Christian leader, I've watched many people come into the church without employment, hurting financially, fighting poverty and lack. We pray with them and believe with them to get jobs. I've seen many of these people fill out their applications and fast and pray and ask God for employment that they might take care of their families. I've watched God move and supply these jobs.

I've watched other men leave jobs and start their own businesses, advancing in life, becoming their own employers, their own bosses, starting their own companies. I've

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.