Challenged To The Core - Del Brixey

Television game shows are famous for having contestants choose what’s behind, “door number one”, “door number two” or “door number three.” You can almost feel the tension as they contemplate their fate. In real life we are faced with the same type of dilemma almost every day, where the outcomes of our choices are far more important than what is behind a “door.” We are torn between our opinions (“door number one”), our spouse’s opinions (“door number two”) and what I am calling the “third door”; which is what God would want us to do. Regardless of how spiritually mature we may think we are, we all have blind spots that can occasionally keep us from seeing the incongruence of our choices; where our stated beliefs are betrayed by the evidence of our actions. Most of us would agree that God wants us to “love our neighbor”, but how many of us really “love” the neighbor next door who is irritating or the guy who “snakes” the last parking spot at the store that we were waiting for. Even though we know what is right, it’s often hard to do the right thing. See if you can relate to the situation that the disciples found themselves in.

“Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here." He replied, "You give them something to eat." They answered, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish--unless we go and buy food for all this crowd." (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each." The disciples did so, and everybody sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” Luke 9:12-17

Sound familiar? You and I may not be faced with feeding five thousand people with a few loaves of bread and a few fish, but our own circumstances might appear just as daunting. Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years about the “third door” in my life. It…

Defies our logic… “Send the crowd away…”

The “third door” defies all the logical responses that we would deem appropriate. The disciples only saw two alternatives to their dilemma; they either had to tell everyone to go home or they would have to order take-out for five thousand people, the later being rather expensive for an unemployed group of guys who had left everything to follow Jesus. However, Jesus challenged them to do the “impossible” with what they already had in their possession. They didn’t have to earn a degree or buy the newest gadget to accomplish their mission. All they had to do was choose the “third door”.

Overshadows our will... “You give them something…”

As adults we have more sophisticated ways of “whining” but it all sounds the same to God, “But I don’t want to…” If we choose the “third door” it means that we are willing submit our will to God’s will. As great or noble as that may sound, it’s still tough for us to do. The submission of our will runs counter to the “boot strap” mentality that our society preaches from the rooftops of every mansion built with the hard earned money of some self-made millionaire or billionaire. Meanwhile God relentlessly whispers in our ear to try the “third door.”

Orders our world... “Have them sit down…”

With all of my organizational skills, I am still an amateur when it comes to “ordering” my world. Try as I may I can never achieve the best balance between work and play, or distinguishing the most important tasks from the cries of the urgent all around me. But when I slow down long enough to ask God to show me his will through the “third door”, everything begins to fall into place. My relationships improve, my attitude is in check and my focus becomes external versus internal. I find that by serving others it gives God a chance to meet my own needs. It’s not that He has trouble meeting my needs it’s that He wants me to get out of the way so that I can see that He is my ultimate provider.

Refreshes our faith… “They all ate and were satisfied…”

At the end of the day, when we have chosen the “third door” there is a peace that overwhelms us. It refreshes our faith that God is in control and that we don’t have to keep all of the plates spinning in the air of our life. Some of those “plates” are destined to hit the floor and break into a million pieces. We may not know why right now or we may not be ready to let them go but at some point we come to realize that it’s okay. God’s will is going to prevail anyway, so why not just sit back and enjoy it?

Can you imagine the look on the disciples faces as the baskets of fish and bread just kept feeding all of the people? There were even leftovers! Now, think about your own life. God wants to do the same thing for you. He wants you to look for the “third door” as you seek answers to the questions that you have in your marriage, in your job and perhaps even in your lack of faith. As you “check your pulse” this week, give yourself permission to take a peek inside. I guarantee that you will be glad that you did because it has worked every time I have tried it in my own life.

Del Brixey
“Third Door, Please!”

CHALLENGED TO THE CORE
P.O. BOX 414
LAKE ARROWHEAD, CA 92352-0414

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