“Your sin will overtake you” (Numbers 32:23).
Sometimes we all make a serious mistake: we sacrifice our principles in order to achieve short-term success. We take short cuts. We go for quick solutions. We attempt to succeed using nothing more than smoke-and-mirrors techniques of persona and motivational speaking. Instead of you doing the difficult, time-consuming work of divine creation Character And doing what is eternal Correct, We succumb to the alluring appeal of things that have more obvious benefits in the short term. But while it is possible to use personality rather than principle (at least some of the time), we should be more attracted to its benefits and joys. Long term reality.
Don’t we understand that the shortcomings and shortcomings of our shortcuts will come back to haunt us? Our sins will surely find us out. No matter what we are doing, if we leave God and His principles out of our calculations, our projects will sooner or later fail. “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD keeps the city, the watchman watches in vain” (Psalm 127:1). God cannot be safely ignored.
It is true that some people are surprisingly astute at getting what they want in the short term, and pay little attention to the principles of long-term reality. And for those who are not naturally as skilled at these things, our bookstores are filled with self-help, psychology, and communication skills. Getting what we want comes down to a relatively simple matter of networking, taking the right steps, communicating effectively and of course, dressing for success. We are very superficial people.
But in the absence of genuine godliness and deep devotion, any success achieved by these techniques will not stand the test of time. God sees behind our personality, and if we know this, most other people know the same. Ultimately the law of the field will apply: We reap what we have sowed. Despite our wishful thinking, there are no shortcuts to any crop.
“In most one-shot or short-term human interactions, you can use personality ethics to make a favorable impression through charm and skill and to pretend to be interested in other people’s hobbies. But ultimately, if there is not deep integrity and fundamental character strength, the challenges of life will expose true motives and human relationship failure will take the place of short-term success” (Stephen R. Covey).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com
