Key Bible Verse: "So why do you call me 'Lord' when you won't obey me?" (Luke 6:46). Bonus Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1-23

"In a minute that man will demand to see your passport," I said. "When you fail to produce one, those soldiers will point their machine guns at you. At that point I'm going to step away from you."

"Dr. Rutland," he begged pitifully, "please!"

"I told you to put your passport in your pocket," I said.

"But I thought it would be safer up there," he moaned.

"Yes, but you did not do what you were told. Now you would be safer up there."

At that moment the sullen captain muttered, "Pasaporte."

His voice shaking, my young friend said, "I don't have it," and gestured toward the decrepit bus. When I saw three Uzis trained on him, I quickly stepped away.

We had to get the goats off the roof of the bus, drag his suitcase down, and locate his passport. The passengers cursed us as we repacked his suitcase, lifted it back up, and replaced the goats. We finally rolled out of the outpost at five o'clock. What should have taken 15 minutes took nearly two hours. The soldiers and people were angry; so was I. Why? Because of three fatal words: "But I thought … " Ingenuity has its place, but the greater virtue is obedience—prompt, complete, exactly as told.

—Mark Rutland in Character Matters

My Response: A divine directive to which my response has been partial or delayed is …

Thought to Apply: An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.—ELBERT HUBBARD (editor)

Adapted from Character Matters (Charisma, 2003) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Help me, Lord, to realize that your commands are loving safeguards, not arbitrary restrictions.

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