Target Practice

 

Target Practice

 

The other day, I purchased a used rifle for my son that came with a scope mounted on it, but I also got a better scope that the person threw in as a package deal.  Since the rifle was meant as a surprise, I had to be careful about exposing it before it was time to show my son.

I intended to take off the old scope and replace it with the better scope, then go to a target range to sight it in.  I talked with a friend who agreed to take me to a target range so that I could sight it in.

The morning came when I was supposed to meet him to sight in the gun, but I still hadn't changed out the scopes on the rifle.  I got the rifle and two scopes down in the floor and began to perform surgery.  It wasn't pretty.  I ran into problem after problem as the screws that held the old scope secure had seized fast, not wanting to budge.  After much sweat and frustration, I was finally able to get the old scope removed from the scope mounts on the rifle.

I looked at the clock and saw that I was running out of time.  I feverishly jammed the better scope into the scope mounts and began to screw it down.  I ran into a similar problem with the screws being ornery once again.  After much sweat equity, I was finally able to get the scope bolted onto the scope mounts.  I double checked to make sure that the mounts were secure.  I tightened them several times to ensure that they were tight before I placed the gun in the gun carrier and into the back of my SUV.

I met my friend who had me follow him to the target range.  We got out, loaded the gun and fired at the target.  The first bullet was low and to the right.  We made the adjustments on the scope and fired again.  Low and to the right still.  Again we adjusted.

I fired again.  High and to the right was the third bullet.  We adjusted the scope and fired again.  This time the bullet was high and to the left.  Again, we adjusted the scope, got set and fired.  This time we didn't even hit the paper.  Now my friend takes over and shoots.  High and to the right was the outcome.  We adjusted and he fired again.  Low and to the left was the hole in the paper.

Finally, we looked again at the scope and jiggled it.  We were surprised to find that the scope mounts that held the scope on the rifle were loose and the entire scope wiggled on top of the rifle.  Hmmmmmm.  We cinched the screws down tightly on the scope mounts so that it was secure on the rifle, then started over.  It took quite a few more rounds before we finally were able to hit the bulls-eye consistently at 100 yards.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:36-40; ""Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"  Jesus replied, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.""

When we try to live our lives on our own terms and by our own personal rules for success, we are like the scope that isn't secured.  We will try to hit the target and score a bulls-eye with our life and all of our efforts to be successful.  Unfortunately, we will spray bullets all over the place in random fashion, never truly hitting the mark.

It's only through having our lives firmly secured to Christ and allow Him to give our lives direction and purpose that we can hit the mark.  He wants us to be anchored to Him with our all and allow Him to impact our lives to the fullest measure.  He will change our hearts so that we can love God and love our neighbor and truly reflect God's love into the world.  He can work within us to help us become the people that He wants us to be: people whose lives hit the mark for Christ.

So how about you?  Does your scope need to be secured to the foundation of Christ?  Are you allowing Him to adjust your life so that you are on target?  He will do it if you only humble yourself before Him and allow Him to have His way in your life.