You Don’t Mess Around With . . .
April 1st, 1972 is probably not a date that you would remember well, but on that day, Jim Croce released his song, “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim.” The song tells the story of a pool hustler named Jim who hustled one too many people and ultimately received his comeuppance. In the chorus, Croce sings, “You don’t tug on Superman’s cape. You don’t spit into the wind. You don’t pull the mask off the ol’ Lone Ranger, and you don’t mess around with Jim.” It is this comical list of things that made the song famous. It rose to number eight on the billboards. Are there some things that you “don’t mess around with” in relationship to God?
Don’t mess around with faith in God! Psalm 14:1 declares, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” Why is that? The Psalmist says in the rest of the verse, “They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.” Their motives are focused on evil, and therefore they don’t believe. Belief in God interferes with their plans.
Don’t mess around with God’s Son! Hebrews 1:2 says, God “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” That means that there is only one way to the Father, and that is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Salvation comes through no other (Acts 4:12).
Don’t mess around with obedience! One may believe in God, accept Jesus as God’s Son, but then neglect to obey God’s word. Jesus only saves those who obey Him. Hebrews 5:9 says, “He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”
There are many things that a person may do in this life, but don’t mess around with these.
God bless you, and I love you.
Kevin Cauley