Thursday, July 31, 2014

Conscience Who?

Everything we read about or see on television is sending a message; we need this, that or the other. Or it is saying that we deserve this, that or the other. The advertisements worldwide are a constant bombardment of someone or a program or a company telling us that we are not complete without their product, their ideal way of living, their resources, their connections to successful people or companies, their smarts, their understandings, and so forth.  Their pleads or challenges press in on us daily and somehow we have become numb to most of its pressure.

As a people here in the United States, it seems we are no longer pressure sensitive. It is as if we are mentally like a sponge allowing any liquid smooth idea, deal, opportunity or product to soak up into our minds and lives; with not a care of how harmful that smooth word or thought or product could truly be to our health and our success in this life.  Why are we as a people so desensitized to so many things? Where is the conscience?  What has happened to the alarm system that should ring loudly in our minds when thoughts and ideas are presented to us that are of questionable value, unclear consequence or untested success?  We just seem to accept so many of the ideas and ways of living that are presented to our culture without any true thought to it. "You must try this! And you will feel great and have more energy, more alertness and more success in your daily living!"  "Come here and win!" "Let us find the woman you have longed to connect with, who will bring back the life in your dreary routine and get you that release you are looking for!" "Join our great program, and gain the bright future you deserve!" 

It is so sad to see all of the ridiculous marketing this country has allowed to infest our minds.  We cannot seem to be people who make decisions for ourselves anymore!  We are urged daily to buy this, get that, learn this, go here, play here, watch this, laugh here, cry here, be scared out of your wits here, eat this, don't eat that.  And no matter how ridiculous it sounds written out like this, we still listen to the callings of all of these marketing pitches-when we watch television or go to the movies.

However, it is not the listening to them that is something to be worried about. It is the lack of listening to our conscience while we are listening to these other things. What do we think it is doing for us to just let others tell us how to live? We all have a precious gift that we were born with; although some of us have a better sensitivity to it than others. Our gift is our conscience. It tells us when we should wait, when we should not adhere to an idea. It tells us when to act and when to protect ourselves. The conscience haunts us positively with thoughts that help us weigh out the pros and cons in a decision.  Why have we denied our conscience access into our minds these days?  I know that we haven't because even in the responses and decisions of highly moral people, there is so much clear influence of silly empty ideas that our culture is continuously screaming into our world.

This culture is going to be what it is going to be as long as the majority of the population are just willing to take others ideas and never think for themselves what is best for them and their families. But we can choose to listen in such a way that could change the culture for the better. We can choose not to live mindlessly by the constant demands of billboards and advertisements, but be attentively listening (or reading, if you want to get technical)! Think of all the positive things that can be with this decision to listen to the conscience! So many mistakes will not be made. So many consequences will be weighed out before action is made. So many friendships will still be in tact. So many marriages, even will stay together. So many families will find that their belongings, when treated with care and respect, are valuable and precious. So many families will find that there are good healthy limits in living and freedom in this life still can be achieved.

I sure hope we see our nation returning to the conscience again. The conscience speaks to us about something even deeper that is everlasting. It speaks to us about who made us initially; that the Maker holds the key to all the success and life and happiness and order and peace and understanding and hope and health, etc., that we will ever need.

Maybe that is why the conscience is not being consulted. Is it that we, who suffer from lack of conscience consultation, do not want to know what the Maker has to say. Maybe it is because we do not want to know that God our Maker has a better more life-giving idea for us. Maybe it is just too hard on our ego to listen to our conscience because it will forever speak to the need for a eternal connection or relationship with God. Clearly, all should admit the Maker gave the conscience its voice in the beginning. And I must say, I know very well that not everyone believes there is a Maker. I know very well that not everyone believes they are made for a purpose by the Living God. But I also know, that no matter what, everyone has a conscience that tells of the deep emptiness that exists in the heart of one who has no connection...no relationship...no love for the Living God. Those who do not know God have an emptiness that screams out or moans from the depth of the conscience. It is because there is no God yet taking up residence in one's life and mind. God, the Creator, promises that He will be with His people, those who believe in His Son Jesus. He promises to be with them everywhere and always by his very own Spirit---the mind of Christ--to help them in living this life on earth. The conscience knows this because it is made by that amazing God of love and power. If people would but listen to that deep aching and emptiness the conscience has revealed and find Christ Jesus as the only One who can and will forever FILL that void.

As I tell myself this, I encourage you as well. We do not need to adhere to all the callings of the people and companies and businesses and philosophies out there. We do not need to try everything before we can be anything or anyone. We need to know who we are at this moment. We need to know what we wish to achieve in this life and then pursue all of these ideas and opportunities with our heads screwed on rightly so as to make the best decisions. More than anything, we always will need the Maker--God the Father. If we haven't spoken with him, the LORD God in heaven and Jesus Christ the Son, we ought to do so, in order to have the clearest understanding of what we need in this life. Yes, I said it. And I mean it. With every fiber in me. We need the Lord God more than even the air we breathe.

The best news of all this is: He, our Lord and Creator, will help us know what we need to pursue, what jobs we need to get, what lifestyle we need to pursue and keep, what lifestyles we need to avoid and reject. He, the Maker and Sustainer--Jesus Christ the Lord and King, will give us the best and fullest life we can ever be offered. Let us start there. Our conscience is telling us that we need to connect ourselves to the Maker. Let us listen to our own God given hard-wiring. Then let us come, as we are, in prayer to the Lord God in heaven and ask Him to shape our story into something great and full of life and purpose.