BUSY HERE AND THERE

Richard Kirkland

The interesting story of 1 Kings 20 provides an important lesson for us. The setting of this text is during the reign of King Ahab of Israel. Ahab was a wicked king. But God was going to use him anyway to destroy King Ben-hadad of Aram who was even more wicked than Ahab. The time came and the opportunity for Ben-hadad to die. But rather than kill him, Ahab made a covenant with him and let him go. God was not pleased.

"Now God spoke to a certain prophet and told him how to take the message of His displeasure to the king. The prophet disguised himself as a soldier who had been given a captured enemy soldier to guard. “As the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, "Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, "Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver. While your servant was busy here and there he was gone.‟ And the king of Israel said to him, „So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.‟ Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets. He said to him, "Thus says the LORD, “Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.”‟ (1 Kings 20:39-42).

The prophet uses an expression that, although not uncommon today, speaks to a very disturbing problem among Christians today. He said, “While your servant was busy here and there he was gone.” We are busy people. We have many concerns that distract us from the service we know we ought to give to God. We don‟t give enough though to the consequences of our inattention. While we are busy here and there with urgent matters that are not important, we are allowing the most important and significant matters to be neglected and unattended to.

While we are “busy here and there” we are losing our souls! Think about it, is it important for us to be involved in every social activity in our communities? Is it necessary that we attend the next music concert or college/professional ballgame? Is it necessary for us to work that second job just to have a little extra to spend on more entertainment, a bigger house or nicer car? Is it needful for our churches to embrace whatever the newest fad or crave is in religion? All of these things, while maybe not sinful or wrong in and of themselves, become wrong when they distract us from the most important responsibility God has given to each of us—the responsibility of caring for our soul making absolutely sure that we are saved.

It is time to be honest with ourselves. Are we doing our best? Are we being diligent to guard the soul that God has given to us for safekeeping? Or, are we distracted and occupied with trivial matters? God will hold us accountable. If we are too “busy here and there” to care for our souls, God will say that we are just too busy to go to Heaven!