See To It…

I work in a very busy medical clinic and for the entire Covid pandemic I have met people who have been misinformed, are fearful and unprepared to endure the many struggles of Covid and associated health issues. Jesus encourages us to not be fearful, afraid or timid in living life, for He is always with us, He knows what is happening and uses all things for our good and to build His kingdom (Romans 8:28). I do not need to know what the future will bring because I do trust Jesus for my future.

In Matthew chapter 24 we read that as Jesus left the temple, He walked up into the hills overlooking Jerusalem, sat down and began to teach. It was here that Jesus spoke about the end of time and the destruction of Jerusalem.

Jesus said, “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matthew 24:4). Jesus said, “See that you are not frightened” (Matthew 24:6). Jesus said, “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

These three directives apply to every person who follows Jesus.

First, “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matthew 24:4). There will always be people who intentionally mislead us. The responsibility for being misled falls on ourselves. With the end of the pandemic, I have learned one very important lesson. I do not trust our government for accurate information or to do the “right” thing. Our government mislead and deceived us, spending needless billions of dollars and costing the lives of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Americans.

How can we see to it that no one misleads us? Be responsible, use discernment, plan, and prepare (as we should always be doing) and stop listening to the numerous radio and television programs that mislead you with false and unverified information, using extreme examples to cause fear and panic. If you cannot break away from the 24-hour channels, at least use three sources for confirmation of key facts.

Being misled is a choice one makes when one chooses to ignore the signs, symptoms, available information, experience, common sense and taking personal responsibility.

Second, “See that you are not frightened” (Matthew 24:6). Fear pops up in our lives like weeds in our lawn. Fear can motivate us to be more cautious, safe, thoughtful, and intentional.

Conversely, fear can cause people to panic, hoard, steal, abuse others and to lose out on happy and productive lives. When fear takes over, common sense, wisdom and compassion take a back seat.

In context, Jesus said, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars.

See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end” (Matthew 24:5-6).

“The end” isn’t here yet, but it is coming. Now is not the time to panic but to know what Jesus said. Do you know what Jesus said about the end? Are you planning and preparing?

Third, “but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

Endure means to “carry on through hardship” and “to suffer patiently without yielding.” Do you know anyone who likes to “endure” and “carry on through hardship”? We humans attempt to escape by any means possible from our difficulties and suffering, but there is no escape. The only difference among us is how we choose to “endure” our suffering.

What has helped me to endure is to know what the Bible says about suffering.

Too, I like to research and read history. Those who lived before us had much greater difficulties than we have. We have been blessed. Consider the many things others experienced and how they “endured” and continued to live valued and productive lives. Not many years ago it was common for parents to have ten kids with only three or four surviving the varied illnesses and accidents of youth.

Most never had access to medicine and hospitals and they not only endured, they thrived.

Others survived war, depressions, diseases of all kinds, malnutrition and famine, floods, bankruptcy, earthquakes, civil war.

Human nature has endured because of God’s plan. As Jesus said, “…all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs” (Matthew 24:8).

Reading and learning about others has helped me to see my difficulties and troubles with a different perspective – troubles are a part of life, we read, “Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7).

Learn more of what Jesus said to you so that no one misleads and frightens you.

Learn what Jesus said to you so that you can endure to the end. Read what Jesus said.

Clayton P. Adams, West Memphis, AR email: claytonpadamslll@gmail.com.

Clayton Adams

Time in the Word