Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

I never really gave it a second thought until just now but the reason He is the head stone of the corner is because the corner is a place of turning.

If you do not turn, you are walking away from the temple. That seems simplistic and pointless but the issue is ongoing if you stop and think about it. The original choice to follow Christ, to be in Christ, is that temple dwelling. If we do not turn, there is no following Christ, no dwelling in Christ, we have gone our own way.

Isaiah 53:6a All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;

Proverbs 14:12, 16:25 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The further you stray from the temple, the closer we come to spiritual death. It is easier to hear the voice within the temple if you abide therein. This is an ongoing process because as we walk we shall come to another corner, another turning point, and a chance to mistakenly not turn and walk our own way.

Choices, it is always about choices. I firmly believe the Lord wants to help us with every choice but do we seek His counsel in every matter? Sadly no. He has given us freedom and in that sense of freedom we trust more in the freedom than we do in the One who won it for us.

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Galatians 5:1, 13 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Matthew 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

In times past I would hear them say to me; ”I love you with the love of the Lord.” When they did, all I could think at that moment was; “If this is how the Lord loves, I don’t want it.”

Words are cheap and meaningless if our actions do not reflect our true heart. Perhaps they do and something is wrong with our heart condition. If so then we have a bigger problem than our choice of words.

Matthew 10:8b freely ye have received, freely give.

If you think these instructions were only given to His disciples, are you not His disciple? What is it that you have received freely that is yours to give? The first thing that comes to mind is the gospel and the offer of salvation. These are but words and without some measure of sincerity in earnest intentions, they will fall on deaf ears.

Matthew 10:11-14 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

There is something special in abiding with strangers that means you have to allow yourself to get entangled with their life. You have to get to know them and allow them to get to know you. You have to show them who you are, not for a moment, but consistently over a longer period of time then a chance encounter.