Three psychiatric patients are eager to be released from the hospital, but
the doctor has an examination of their judgment skills that must be passed in
order for them to go home. One by one he takes them to the edge of a swimming
pool without water and tells them to jump in or not. Take the risk or not. He
shows them that the pool has no water, but he doesn’t tell them because they
must choose on their own.
The first patient looks at the pool and jumps in without hesitation, hurting his
ankle. The doctor tells him, “Sir, you failed the examination, and therefore you
must stay another year before the next testing.” The patient left very sad.
The second patient walks up to the pool’s edge, thinks about it, then jumps in.
He hurts his shoulder. Again the doctor says, “Sir, you failed the exam and must
stay another year.” This patient also leaves sad and discouraged.
The third patient walks up to the pool’s edge, thinks for awhile, shakes his
head and says, “No ways I’m jumping in.” The doctor jumped up with joy and said,
“Sir, you have great judgment skills and therefore you are released from this
psychiatric hospital.” The patient jumped for joy in excitement. Then the doctor
asked the happy patient, “What made you decide not to jump into the pool?” To
which the patient answered, “Oh, that’s easy. I don’t know how to swim!”
They are now proud that they can turn away from God and get clear of the restraints of religion; but that very thing shall slay them, the remembrance of it shall cut them to the heart.
Secondly, They are now proud of their own security and sensuality; but the ease of the simple (so the margin reads it) shall slay them; the more secure they are the more certain and the more dreadful will their destruction be,
And the prosperity of fools shall help to destroy them, by puffing them up with pride, gluing their hearts to the world, furnishing them with fuel for their lusts, and hardening their hearts in their evil ways.
Let me give you two symptoms of complacency:
1. Satisfaction with the way things are.
2. Rejection of things as they might be.
Revelation 3:14-16
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and
true witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: I know your
deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. So because you are lukewarm and
neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
The middle ground is actually the lowest ground.
Do you see that? Jesus says I would rather have you hot or cold but I can’t stand lukewarm.
I would rather have you love or hate but I can’t stand indifference. Jesus hates the middle
ground.
Eagle’s nest illustration:
ยท Though many of us have seen pictures of a huge eagle’s nest high in the
branches of a tree or in the crag of a cliff, few of us have gotten a glimpse
inside. When a mother eagle builds her nest she starts with thorns, broken
branches, sharp rocks, and a number of other items that seem entirely unsuitable
for the project. But then she lines the nest with a thick padding of wool,
feathers, and fur from animals she has killed, making it soft and comfortable
for the eggs. By the time the growing birds reach flying age, the comfort of the
nest and the luxury of free meals make them quite reluctant to leave. That’s
when the mother eagle begins "stirring up the nest." With her strong talons she
begins pulling up the thick carpet of fur and feathers, bringing the sharp rocks
and branches to the surface. As more of the bedding gets plucked up, the nest
becomes more uncomfortable for the young eagles. The mother prompts the growing eagles to leave their once-comfortable nest and move on to more mature behavior.
Romans 9:13 says? It says:
“Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
This is God speaking. God says He loved Jacob but when it comes to Esau – He
says he hated him. Why? What’s the reason? You have to go back into Genesis to find the answer. The answer is found in last part Genesis 25. TELL THE STORY.
Esau was indifferent about his birthright – he was complacent about God’s will
for his life. He was born for a purpose. God had a plan for his life.
But guess what – God has a purpose for your life. God has a plan for your life. How are you treating it? There are people in this world that God wants to touch – and you know what – you are the only one who can do it.
