THE VENEER OF GIVING EXCUSES…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. This is a start of a series on EXCUSES. (Next: EVEN THE BEST)
TEXT: WITH ONE CONSENT…
Luke 14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
Living beneath our Privilege?
Ever heard the story of the married couple that saved their money for several years. Then they liquidated everything they owned for money to move to the United States for the dream of hope in the Land of Liberty. They were poor and had limited funds.
One day the man purchased two tickets on a beautiful cruise liner. Soon the date arrived and they loaded their luggage. They paid a little extra for more luggage and they boarded the ship. They were very social and enjoyed being with the other people. But at meal time the couple disappeared and returned to their room. They opened the extra boxes and pulled out peanut butter and crackers, dried meat and cans of food and they ate in their room. They had planned and rationed the food to last for the three week cruise. So they would eat their food in the room and later return to the group.
The last night of the cruise the captain talked to the sweet couple. Why haven’t you dined with us this whole trip? We had daily feast. We had steak, shrimp, lobster any kind of food you could have desired. Not once have you come to the dining room? Why?
The man explained to the captain we are very poor and the tickets cost almost all the money we had saved. We have a little money for a new start in the USA. We just could not afford to buy the food in the dining room.
I am sorry, we probably broke the rules but we had no money for food and we rationed what food we had and ate in our room for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The captain of the ship bowed his head. The man said I am sorry if we broke the rules, we had no choice. The captain said I want you to be guest at my table this last night of the cruise. Oh, but we can’t afford that? The captain explained in the price of your ticket was every meal was free. You could have dined on the best foods of the world, and you ate peanut butter and crackers and water for twenty days. All the food was included for free in the price of your ticket. THE COUPLE HAD LIVED BENEATH THEIR PRIVILEGE for twenty days. The last night of the cruise the couple were the guest at the captain’s table and ate a meal fit for a king.
EXCUSES COME IN BASICALLY THREE BROAD CLASSIFACATIONS.
Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
1. THE EXCUSES OF MATERIALISM: (I HAVE PURCHASED A PIECE OF GROUND) Materialism is a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality and that all being and processes can be explained as a results of having things. Materialism is a doctrine that only the highest values or objectives lie in material wellbeing. It is the thought that the more you possess the better you are… I DESERVE THIS… I WANT IT NOW… I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT… THE BIGGER YOUR TOYS THE HAPPIER YOU WILL BE???
Can I tell you something if this man bought a piece of land without a legal SURVEY and already walking the property, HE IS A STUPID IDIOT!
2. THE EXCUSES OF BUSINESS/ PLEASURE: (I MADE A MAJOR PURCHASE OF FIVE YOKE OF OXEN) This excuse sounds very good at first. I have some activity I must engage in for my livelihood. There is an immediate task I must perform, this is serious and will require my time and effort? Once again this sounds like a valid excuse to me? IT IS A FAÇADE… A FRONT, A FALSE APPEARANCE, CHARADE OF AN EXCUSE. The Oxen were used two fold. They were used as work and for pleasure.
PLEASURE: want to, desire, for the 5 senses, gratification, amusement, brings joy or fun. The individual would hook up the oxen to the wagon and go for a Sunday ride or to run into town.
Once again the FAÇADE IS GOOD… but look below the surface.
You know what a PIN-HOOKER IS? He is outside stock sales and tries to get to you to sell you a sick cow
Or buy from you below the value? Could the ox be crippled, blind?
If this individual bought five yoke of oxen before seeing them or proving them his elevator is slow and does not go to the top floor? HIS EXCUSE SOUNDS GOOD TO HIM, BUT NOT TO THE MASTER.
3. THE EXCUSES OF RELATIONSHIPS/ SCHEDULES: (I HAVE MARRIED A WIFE) Many years I accepted this excuse as a valid acceptable class of excuses. THIS VENEER, this thin layer that looks superior is glued to an inferior layer. This may just be cosmetically for looks. Most excuses are VERY DECEPTIVE and ATTRACTIVE on the outside, but INWARDLY COVER attitude problems. Just change your schedule?
THERE IS A CLOAK WE CAN WEAR OF EXCUSES, YOU GET SO GOOD YOU WEAR EXCUSES. THE OFFERING OF EXCUSES BECOMES HABITUAL, ADDICTIVE, AND CONTAGEOUS.
Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse.
HABITUAL: regularly, repeatedly, practice, re-enforced, frequent,
ADDICTIVE: chronic, compulsive, psychological need, strongly inclined to do,
CONTAGIOUS: transmissible, catching, pestilent, infectious, pass it on…
Practice makes perfect… THE MORE YOU MAKE EXCUSES THE CHANCES ARE THE MORE YOU WILL GIVE MORE AND MORE EXCUSES. SO YOU WANT TO INSPECT YOUR FIELD? Are you obliged to go look?
I will send my regrets? Please excuse me? Please have me excused? Consider my excuse is acceptable?
THE TROUBLE WITH THE OFFERING OF EXCUSES IS WE CAN DEVELOP THE ATTITUDE THAT MY EXCUSES ARE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD? DO WE TEND TO FORGET THAT EXCUSES HAVE CONSEQUENCES?
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
We have no acceptable excuses. Let us be very honest with ourselves? Could we become so good at making excuses for our behavior and bad attitudes that we ARE FINDING A STRONG DELUSION AND WE WILL BELIEVE OUR OWN LIES AND BE DAMNED?
CONCLUSION: I was watching a news program as one interviewed GARTH BROOKS. They asked Garth: You have made it big. How does it feel to be a recognized star on the Grand Ole Opry and known by the Nashville Elite? You are a public figure in the Nashville area. How does that feel?
Garth Brooks said: OZ IS ONLY OZ TO THOSE THAT DO NOT LIVE IN OZ. My friend, no one has ever found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If you can’t be happy here, what makes you think you will be happy over there? QUIT ACCEPTING THE VENEER OR FAÇADE OF MAKING EXCUSES?
AT THE CORONATION OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II in 1952 special invitations were sent there were these words: “ALL EXCUSES CEASE!” There were no RSVP’s, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE THERE.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Will you please tell another of my work? Pass it on? This is a series on excuses. Next: Even the best…
