What Makes You Mad?

It’s been a long day at work and you’re ready to get home but, you’re hungry. So, you go to McDonalds and sit in a long line, waiting to order your food. You finally arrive at the first window and pay for your order. Then, you pull up to the second window and receive your food. After pulling off, you discover they messed up the order. Now you’re mad and you either decide to go back and get what you ordered, or you speed off, go home and you’re mad for the rest of the night.

Have you been in this scenario?

Chances are, in some way, YES! But every time I’ve been in this spot, it doesn’t feel good. Furthermore, I’ve made aggressive moves on the road and I was impatient with my kids. How about you?

The truth is, we can be mad about the silliest things on a daily basis. In fact, most weeks, this happens at least once to us. It’s easy to find ourselves worked up about a McDonald’s drive-thru, work issues, our sport teams, politics, our neighbor’s uncut yard and more. But in the end, do any of these things matter?

Some may argue yes, but in the scope of eternity, they don’t!

This is why the enemy loves to make us fester about the trivial and in the meantime not be focused on the vital! In fact, it’s my belief that right now, this is happening at a high rate as in general, people are waisting energy over nonsense and therefore, not investing in the essential.

These are things like family bonding, being there for friends, loving God, loving people, and shining through Jesus as the light of the world. When we live with eternal purpose, we’ll live on purpose! Meaning, we’ll be focused to overcome the trite and the distractions. We’ll overcome the insignificant things to value the most important things, which give the greatest return both now and for eternity.

“21. keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22. And on some have compassion, making a distinction.”

Jude 21-22

Notice, we must keep ourselves in the love and mercy of God to then, have compassion toward others and make a difference. This right here, sums up everything.

What matters most is our walk with God and then our impact on others to receive Him. I say it this way, Love God, Love People!

With this in mind, what makes you mad?

For me, I’m focusing on getting mad about the right things and then let the other things fall to the side.

So, the right things to get mad about are, people dying and going to eternity without Jesus. Children being victims of sex trafficking. Drugs being given and sold to children and to adults. Families falling apart. Porn being easily accessed for kids and adults. The poor getting poorer. Violent crimes rising. Churches shutting down. Christians debating over style, groups and personal preference. Racism existing in the church. People going hungry. Suicides climbing. Christians refusing to change, give, worship and serve. And so much more!

These are issues we should be mad about.

Because Jesus Himself got mad and it changed the church.

“When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.”

John 2:15

After this event, kids praised Jesus and people were healed. Notice these results and how it impacted people for eternity.

This is exactly what God wants to do today.

He wants us to focus on what matters most, so that we make a difference in what matters most to Him.

Think of it this way, are the things I’m mad about, the things that God is mad about? If not, I encourage you to refocus.

It’s time for us to burn with passion for God and His kingdom! It’s time we get mad about the right things and let the other stuff fall to the side. It’s time we make a difference in the lives of those around us because, what we do now, will echo in eternity!

So, what makes you mad?

I pray we all become a flaming fire (see Psalms 104:4) for Jesus and make a difference for eternity!

Have a great week and get mad about the right things!!

PD