Choosing Dust Over Diamonds?

It is quite accusing to hear something like that, especially if you are a Christian, you don’t want to do throw God’s words behind you. Unfortunately that happens more often than we’d like to admit.
Just as children can’t possibly understand every aspect of their parents’ life (going to work every day, not letting them touch the fire etc.), the same way, we as children of God, simply do not understand why God chooses to act in a certain manner. Our thoughts are so far from His!

When the child insists in touching the hot stove, you can’t let him do it because you know how bad will hurt. The same way, God knows how bad sin hurts even if it comes in attractive package: a bigger amount of money, a bigger house, a promotion, a beautiful woman, a handsome man etc.

Let’s say you have a bucket full of soil, you need it to plant your new palm tree. Suppose God comes and tells you:"Empty your bucket because I want to fill it with diamonds.""Diamonds" you think; they are valuable…oh but you also need some soil for your palm tree. After pondering a bit… you decide to keep half of the soil in your bucket so that the other half can be filled with diamonds.

Well, you’d wonder if a man is in his right mind to do such a thing! What leads to such unproductive and unpractical conduct? Obviously, he doesn’t know that with a single diamond he can buy a whole garden of palm trees. The lack of knowledge, simply not realizing the value of what he is being offered makes him act so foolish.

But do you think that story is so alien from your or my life? We have all rejected things that we considered to be of no value. For example, what quantities of diamonds can prolong your life even by a single day? There are valuable things, yes, life itself is far more precious than diamonds. But so many times we fail to see life in its perspective, especially from its undying perspective. It is then when we throw the words of life, the words of God behind us.

What exactly leads to such conduct? God describes this situation, making it clear to His people. Let’s see things from God’s perspective: "But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.

When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.

You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.
You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son.

These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.

Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue." Psalms 50:17-22

Consequences

There was a man who thought that there is no hell…that until his own daughter was raped and killed. It is only then when he said that there must be a hell for such murderers.

"But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death." Proverbs 8:36

Yes, we all know death is real…the physical one at least, but there is a place called hell and it was meant for Satan and his angels. Yet the people who refuse God’s remedy for sin (Jesus Christ), simply refuse life and consciously or not, they choose hell.

No one spoke more about hell than Jesus Christ. He wants us to know that just as all His prophecies came true, the same way, all the truth will be exposed one day…including hell. God takes sin extremely seriously and so should we.

Yet, we are to follow God not for fear of hell, but for the amazing love He has for us. Jesus Christ is the Only way to life, He is the very essence of Truth and He is The Life itself. Therefore just like in the example with the soil and diamonds, until you realize that in Jesus there are hidden all the treasures, all science and all love, until you taste how good God is, you can’t come to really know the real life you are called to embrace. Taste God and only afterwards make your choice!