Keeping up, or Not
Scripture Reading — Psalm 1
Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked …
Psalm 1:1
Rhonda has a new boyfriend. He’s funny, charming, and handsome. Her pulse races when he calls; her temperature rises when they touch. It feels wonderful to be with him. She gushes, “It’s like we’ve known each other all our lives.” People who don’t know her are charmed by her infatuation. Her friends are not. They’ve heard all this before. Rhonda always has a new boyfriend. One goes, another comes in an endless parade. Each is the true love of her life. And then they disappear.
Like Rhonda, we want to stay current. We buy a warmup suit, a Prius, or an Xbox 360 to keep pace. Part of us is desperate to be sleek enough or smart enough or charming enough. The present moment urges us, “Do something!” Unsettled, we shift girlfriends or jobs or vehicles or political parties or churches.
Psalm 1 pictures this life of keeping up and its alternative: a life with deep roots. Cultivating spiritual roots gives us the stability of a California redwood. Consider a walk in Redwood National Park. Surrounded by peaceful, elegant giants, we no longer hear NASCAR races, sniff the latest perfume, or eye the latest clothing style. Anchored to one place for a thousand years and more, these ancient trees give life to all that surrounds them.
In a sense, the righteous person must take time to stand still. Spiritual health depends on it!
Lord, we are tempted to chase fancies and fantasies, to buy happiness, and to go with the flow. Would you please make us people of substance? Through Jesus, Amen
About the author — Kevin Adams
Dr. Kevin Adams has served as a church planter/pastor in the Sacramento, California, area since 1991. He and his wife, Gerry, began Granite Springs Church in Lincoln, and this congregation has helped to nourish several other church plants. Kevin also serves as a director of the Sierra Leadership Network, a training program for new church leaders.
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