The Beauty of Misdirection…

An article I recently read indicated that drinking water when you are thirsty could diminish your longevity.

That statement drew me in.

Based on the headline of this article, perhaps you’ve figured out the misdirection the writer was using (very successfully in my opinion) to attract attention to the article.

The article stated that if we wait until we’re thirsty to drink water, it’s not nearly as healthy for us as it would be if we drank water frequently enough that we are infrequently thirsty.

Jesus also used misdirection when four men lowered a paralytic man through a roof recorded in Mark 2.  Mark 1 records many instances of Jesus healing people.  People were expecting Jesus to heal more people.

Instead, when Jesus saw their faith (yes, the faith of the four who lowered the paralyzed men factored into this according to the passage), He said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

This unexpected proclamation caused an uproar among the religious leaders who accused Jesus of blasphemy for claiming He could forgive when only God could forgive. (Side note, this is another proof of the deity of Christ).

Jesus then proved His ability to heal spiritually by healing the paralyzed man physically.

Is God using misdirection in your life? Is it possible that something is happening in your life that God wants to use in a way different than it may first appear?

·      Perhaps the hard times you are enduring are not just for you to lean on Christ more, but to also reveal where you can help others…Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. I Cor 1:3-4

·      Perhaps the hunger you have for God’s Word is not only helping you meditate on God’s Word, but also moving you toward making disciples who will catch your contagious passion for God’s Word.

·      Perhaps hearing and reading stories about how God is working among the nations is not only to inspire you to pray for missionaries, but also to move you to ask God if there is a mission field He wants you involved in that you’re not already involved in.

So drink water before you’re thirsty for longer life and watch for all the ways God is working in you for better life.