Avoid the allure of easy things

We love easy things! When Ponzi schemes started doing the rounds and multi-level marketing picked up, many fell victim.

It was easy: we want things easy — what we call the microwave generation.

And that is how man fell. The apple appeared luscious and enticing, too good to let go. Why struggle to observe laws about which tree to eat from and which one not to?

Why not just eat from any tree, anytime, so we do not burden our minds with procedure?

Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness by offering an easy way out. Why stay hungry? Just turn stones into bread. You call yourself the Son of God? Just throw yourself from this height; after all, the angels will rescue you.

How about bowing before me and I will give you all these earthly riches? But Jesus knew there was no easy way out. He had to accomplish the 40-day prayer and fast in order to begin effective ministry.

And again when in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the going got so tough that Jesus sweated blood and pleaded with His Father to take that cup of offering away, there was no easy way.

The way of the cross was the only way. It would later turn out to be a road of anguish and excessive pain, but the only way mankind would experience redemption.

Who are we, therefore, to think we can microwave just about anything? Well, I must confess I am a culprit here.

I needed to replace my passport and when I got to immigration, I found an incredibly long queue that had coiled itself several times.

I joined the queue but got alarmed when I discovered that the line was not moving. I looked for someone who could help me out. Within ten minutes, I had been attended to.

But I felt guilty while passing by the same people who were still stuck at the very spot.

Spiritually, we love short cuts too. We do not want to pray and fast, serve in various ministries, develop a close relationship with God; yet we gladly shout His praises and expect Him to bless us.

We do not want to give but expect to receive. Socially, we are hesitant about investing our time to build relationships but we are the first ones to castigate those we think have ignored us. We never attend family gatherings, visit our sick relatives or those in the village, but expect the entire village to show up for our wedding!

Politically, we want to reap where we have not sown. Or sow with evil intentions and expect to reap big. If you want God to be your loving Father and enjoy a wonderful relationship with Him that will leave you blessed, work hard at this relationship.