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Many of us are familiar with the phrase "jumping on the bandwagon". Over the years it has come to mean jumping into whatever happens to be the popular thing at the moment. Several years ago for everyone wanting to lose weight it was the Atkins diet. If you wanted to lose weight that was the sure fire way to do it. Then it became the South Beach Diet. Then something else but always something new something better or something more improved.
Worshipping God is no different. A few years ago the "Brownsville Revival" was all the rage. If you hadn't been to Brownsville well there's no way you could have truly experienced God's power. Remember the Jesus Freaks of the early 70's? They were convinced they had the answers to what God wanted from them. Cult leaders are very convincing about getting people to jump on their bandwagons by getting people to believe they have the answers. These are just a few examples of people jumping on bandwagons but there are many, many more of many, many sizes.
When the natural disasters happen everyone jumps on the bandwagon to help out the victims of a tsunami or hurricane or wildfire or flood. Churches which haven't had $100 in a mission fund in 20 years suddenly takes up $1000 offering and starts delivering items to areas hard hit. Red Cross and Salvation Army start begging for money to help the victims and suddenly the churches are contributing to those funds. Everyone wants to do a fundraiser to help the victims of a disaster. Everyone bonds together on another bandwagon to help people hundreds or thousands of miles away they have never met.
Have you ever thought about what happens with someone jumps on a bandwagon? Have you considered what happens to those in the neighborhood or family who choose not to be a part of it? Many times they are left behind and forgotten. Local charities are forgotten in the bigger need but the local folks need the guidance and care as much as the person thousands of miles away.
Bandwagons can be good things but they can also lead to destruction. It can become a case of publicity. for example if Church XYZ announces they have raised $4000 to benefit the victims of the flash flood then Church ABC doesn't want to be outdone so they start raising money and announce they contributed $5000 to benefit the victims. Who truly benefits? Is it the victims? No its the organizations who they contribute the money to where overhead expenses come out before anything is distributed to victims. Yes their heart was in the right place but how many could that $4000 have fed at the local soup kitchen that struggles day by day just to feed the homeless? An organization with less overhead and more ability to help those in need. Yes it may not be in the area where the disaster hit but are those people who are our neighbors any less deserving of our help as well? Big business jump on the bandwagons in big disasters just to say "Look what we have done" but won't contribute to smaller organizations because they can't benefit from it..
When someone jumps on a bandwagon that promises eternal life and end up in a commune as a personal slave to the leader obviously they hadn't checked out the bandwagon thoroughly before jumping on. They may jump on a bandwagon of hype and be taken for all their money and worldly possessions. What about those who jump on the bandwagon of believing the spirit of God is only moving in one place or another. They have to get to where the "revival" spirit is in order to feel God and his power.
Check out the bandwagon. Carefully look it over, consider it asking yourself is this where I really want to go? Is this what is right? Have you considered asking God is this something you want me to become involved in. All these things are important and above all check the driver of the bandwagon as well as its destination so you will know if that is one you want to jump on or even tag around with or if it is one you should avoid at all costs.