Whom are you listening to?
On one occasion Paul and some other prisoners were being taken to Rome. They already had a rough sea journey from Jerusalem. They faced some heavy winds and reached a place called ‘Fair havens’ with great difficulty. Now they are waiting to sail to Italy.
By now the sailing was very dangerous and so Paul warned the sailors as recorded in the scripture:
“Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disas- trous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. Since the harbour was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there.2
I see here two dangerous mistakes we often make when dealing with life’s problems.
One is ‘going with the majority’. Look at the above verses, the majority decided that they should sail on.
THE MAJORITY DOES NOT ALWAYS REFLECT GOD’S WILL.
It was the majority that brought Adolf Hitler to power.
It was the majority that formed the “League of Nations” to prevent another deadly war like First World War.
It was the majority that released a murderer called BARABAS and decided to crucify Jesus.
Jesus didn’t go with the “majority”. He always went with what God was saying.
When the majority said the little girl was dead, Jesus said she was sleeping and some laughed at him. But in the end, Jesus was proved right.
The majority wanted him to be king but he chose to go to the Cross because he knew his calling.
ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF THE WORLD.
So don’t go with the flow. don’t go with what the majority says. Go with what God says. Always ask yourself what God is saying in this situation. If God says no, don’t dare to do it even if you are offered the whole world.
The second most dangerous mistake we make is “EXPERT OPINION”.
The verses we read above says the centurion instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot. One translation put it this way. “But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to those things which were spoken by Paul.”
Here are some expert opinions that went awfully wrong:
- Do you know the experts who built the Titanic thought the ship was UNSINKABLE?
- In 1943, then chairman of IBM, Thomas Watson said “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”
- In 1876, Sir William Preece, chief Engineer of the British Post office said “Americans have need of the telephone but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys.”
- How about this: “We don’t like their sound and guitar music is on the way out” – Decca recording Co. rejecting the Beatles 1962.
Question here is “WHOM ARE YOU LISTENING TO?” Majority? Experts? Or God? God has the final word in every situation. One word from God is all you need. Maybe the experts have given up hope in your situation. It could be a doctor’s report, a lawyer’s notice or your boss’s opinion. But do not lose hope and let God say the final word in your situation.
