This End Up!

“This End Up!” We see those words on boxes and shipping crates. They are cautionary words to protect the valuable cargo inside. Those words clue in whomever is moving or stacking the containers as to the specific way in which they are to be handled. I recently found those words used in a manner that was either being done “tongue in cheek” (used jokingly) or for the purpose of guarding against stupidity. The latter may be a real possibility because too many people today don’t seem to give even the simplest things the thought needed to prevent messing up life. Where did I see those words? They were boldly written near the top of a cold drink cup served at a fast food restaurant. The full warning read: “CAUTION: THIS END UP [followed by an arrow] (When cup contains liquid)”. A necessary warning?

Why is life a mess? Consider the condition of God’s people during the time of Isaiah.

“(16) YOU TURN THINGS UPSIDE DOWN! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, ‘He did not make me’; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, ‘He has no understanding’?” ( Isaiah 29:16 ESV)

When God’s own people have had difficulty keeping things RIGHT SIDE UP, why should we wonder at the world? To safeguard our own life we must heed the warning of the Hebrew writer who exhorted…

“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” ( Hebrews 2:1 ESV)

We need to constantly rely upon the wisdom of God to avoid getting things turned around backward or upside down. By doing so we will not only bring benefit to our own life, but potentially to the lives of those around us as well.

When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, there were many who responded favorably to the message of salvation in Christ. However, Jews who were described as acting out of jealousy ( Acts 17:5) gathered together some wicked men and formed a mob. Setting the city in an uproar they began attacking the house of Jason where Paul and Silas had been. However, not being able to find them we read…

“(6) And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These men WHO HAVE TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN have come here also, (7) and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.’” ( Acts 17:6-7 ESV)

Paul and Silas were noted as having “turned the world upside down” as they had gone about proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus. Perhaps the way we ought to consider it is that Paul and Silas had been attempting to turn the world RIGHT SIDE UP by turning the world to the truth of the sovereignty of Jesus! It is sin and following our own will that gets life turned up side down and only through properly acknowledging Jesus Christ as the King on the throne of our life that we can be again turned RIGHT SIDE UP! By keeping life turned RIGHT SIDE UP it will be possible to keep our cup full of the blessings the Lord desires to bring.

Have a great day MAINTAINING AN UPRIGHT LIFE!
Carl

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