17-19 Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites. 20-21But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him. (Philippians 3:17-21 – The Message)
We need to be aware of those who choose the easy path, as those people are trying to get us to go along with them. Easy path seems to be more appealing but it is a dead-end. We may not realize it is a dead-end at the beginning, as walking along an easy path is so enjoyable and we have a lot pleasure. Gamblers are so excited when they win the first game. It is this excitement that entice them into continuous gambling. Even when they lose their first game, they can’t forget about the excitement of winning. They long for that excitement and keep playing, until they meet the dead-end. They have lost all the money and need to stop. To some extreme cases, they choose to borrow money and continue to gamble. They allow their desires to overrule their rational thinking and lose control. I hope we don’t need to lose everything in order to realize a dead-end. God gives us wisdom to discern. He also gives us power to win over our worldly desires and be able to focus on walking along with Him. There is far more to life for us. Can you see it?
“There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them.”
