October 23 – Choose Life
Dear Marisa,
«For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.»
(Romans 8:6)
If you were given the choice between life and death, which would you choose? The answer seems obvious. But, in reality, it’s not.
You see, choosing death doesn’t necessarily mean jumping from the nearest cliff. It’s much more subtle than that.
The Bible says death is being carnally minded, being entangled in this present worldly realm. The Bible also tells us what life is. «My son, attend to my words,» says Proverbs 4:20-22, «…for they are life!»
To be worldly-minded is death. To be Word-minded is life.
In Luke 10, there’s a story that illustrates this principle extremely well. It’s the story of Mary and Martha. You probably remember it. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him teach while Martha was bustling around in the kitchen cooking dinner for everyone.
Finally Martha couldn’t stand it anymore. She came to Jesus and said, «Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work myself? Tell her to help me!» Jesus answered, «Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her» (Luke 10:41-42).
Mary had set everything else aside, so she could hear the Word. But Martha had let the seemingly important business of living take priority over the Word. She’d chosen death, not life.
You see how easy it is to slip into that?
«But Brother Copeland,» you say, «if I didn’t spend all my time taking care of the business of living, my life would fall apart!»
Oh, really? Martha probably thought that too. She probably thought if she didn’t cook dinner for all those folks, they’d go hungry. But they wouldn’t have. Jesus had miraculously fed multitudes before and He could have done it again in Martha’s home. She could have plopped herself down at Jesus’ feet, and they could have had a banquet at God’s expense!
Don’t make the mistake that Martha did. Don’t get so entangled in the business of living that you choose death by default. Decide to put the Word first place. Choose life!
