We live in a world that enjoys unprecedented ease of access to information.  At a moment’s notice, we can summon forth the entirety of The Gettysburg Address on a smartphone or Tablet PC also while catching up on the latest news and weather.  The internet savvy person can accomplish in a day’s time what would have taken his or her ancestor months or years to accomplish, and we are so accustomed to this that we often times don’t even realize the speed at which we are living.

With this kind of access to information and ideas, we often find ourselves more confused and less clear about what’s really important instead of the other way around.  Everyone has an opinion and with the explosion of social media, all of our opinions and ideas can be readily seen and heard (the irony of this statement is not lost on me, I assure you) be they good, bad or indifferent.

The problem is, no matter how politically incorrect it is to say it, there is a lot of garbage and noise out there from a lot of well meaning people.  I’m reasonably certain that most of the people that promote self-help, coaching and therapy would not tell us that their advice is going to send people to hell but in many cases, that’s exactly what it’s doing.

We all have a sin problem.  I don’t care who you are or where come from.  If you were born into the race of Adam (the human race) then you have inherited a fallible, self-driven, sin prone nature.  This sin problem is a death sentence.  Not just physically but spiritually as well.  Without a solution to the problem of sin, no amount of therapy, self-help or coaching is going to ultimately reclaim your life.

Only one person can do that.  There’s only been one human being who had the capability to defeat sin and death and reclaim humanity for God the Father.  That person was Jesus Christ, and until we submit our lost, sinful selves to His precious redeeming blood we are without hope.

I want you to look down, right now.  Look at your feet and where they are taking you in the life that you are leading.  Whose footprints are you following?  Who made the path that you now find yourself on?  Is it a Godly path, trod by our Savior and leading to Glory?  Or is it the road to hell, paved with good intentions and good advice?

By all means, improve yourself.  Learn all you can and gain as much knowledge and wisdom as you possibly can.  Be wise and not foolish.  But in doing so, make sure that you have the assurance that you have come under the blood of Jesus Christ.  Make sure that you know Him in a personal way and are daily walking in His footsteps and only His footsteps.

He is the Master Carpenter, the only true builder of people*.  We provide the material (ourselves) and He does the construction.  Let Him build you as you walk His path.  Remember friend, all other roads lead to destruction.

*I have to credit Pastor Alan Daniels for the idea of Jesus Christ as a Carpenter of human beings.  What a fantastic viewpoint.