When it's all madness...

This morning, as I sat waiting for my colleagues at an outdoor event, a young mad man came around the loud speakers blaring Hiplife tracks from the late '90s and early 2000's. He made me sad, he seemed to be in the flow, really enjoying the sounds like some really cool artiste getting ready for his big show. He'd occasionally look at the speakers from a distance as if he were verifying that they played the quality of sound he wanted to hear. Then he'll continue pacing around and nodding to the beat. Ocassionally he'd pick up little pieces of litter from the pavement in front of us and throw them into the hedge by us or actually do a few seconds of dancing as if practicing his stage moves. I was sad, that a young man so full of potential, as all young people are, was lost in this imaginary world and was now getting ready for this big on stage performance in a world that did not exist.

Then it also dawned on me, we all get into moments of madness sometimes. Where we all create this make believe world of comfort and security so we can do what we want our way. You know those times where we create our own rules because God's rules are not the reality we want to be in. However unlike our young mad man here who would not be in this state willingly, we consciously make choices that keep us there. I mean who doesn't want to be the 'rockstar' who calls the shots? Who doesn't want to have their own way? Who doesn't want to disobey God every once in a while. I know I do...

But then as the Teacher said in the book of Ecclesiastics, it's all vanity. And in this scenario, it's all madness. We never really get our way, no matter how right, entitled or okay it seems in the end. We know the truth, and we know it's in obedience to the Word of God.

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
(Proverbs 14:12, NLT)

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
(John 8:32, NIV)

Oh Lord, please open our eyes to the truth of our situation and set us free us from the madness of our rebellion. Help us acknowledge the reality of our circumstance and not the glamour of our self-gratifying 'insane' moments. Help us honour You in obedience to Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray with gratitude for Your grace and mercy. Amen.

The next time I feel like running my own 'show', I'll remember this young lost man...

And you? What about you?