My husband loves the Andy Griffith Show--you know, the old black and white ones with Barney Fife. They teach such wonderful values as honesty, fair dealing and hard work. He says, "You can raise your kids on Andy!"
One of our favorite episodes features the backwoods character Ernest T. Bass, who has come down from the mountains and wants Andy to help him get an education so he can court his "true love, Rowena," since Rowena wants to marry a man with an education. Andy's girlfriend, Helen, is the local school teacher. She tries to teach Ernest T. a few basic facts so they can send him back up the mountain and get rid of him, but in the process Ernest T. develops a crush on Helen and attempts to court her instead. As usual, Andy comes to the rescue to try and solve the problem. "You've got to make up your mind, Ernest T. I thought you loved Rowena," he says. Ernest T. replies, "I do. I do love Rowena. But I love Helen, too. Why, I'm just split right down the middle twix them two loves!"
Every time we see it, we just laugh and joke about being "split right down the middle twix them two loves." But it reminds me that we as Christians are sometimes the same way. We really do love God--we want to serve Him, live a life pleasing to Him. But if we're really honest, we love the world, too. There are things we do, places we go, decisions we make, words and attitudes we express that don't belong in the life of a person who is truly committed to God--things we should let go of, but just haven't been able to yet. We hold on to God with one hand and the world with the other, and we're torn between two loves.
There is an old hymn with these words:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.*
What are you holding on to that keeps you from being completely sold out to God? Look to Jesus, my friend! The more you focus on Him, the easier it is to let go.
Becky
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*The Heavenly Vision, by H.H. Lemmel, 1922