Ever have a situation arise with someone you deeply love and care for but you cannot do a thing about it? Well, you can but it would harm a relationship and stunt a life lesson that could be learned towards independence. When you see an injustice happen to someone you love, you go into a mode of defense. My wife calls it a “momma bear” mode. I think we men need to coin something cool like “poppa penguin” or something…
Where was I? Oh yeah, I am mad! I am frustrated! I want to give someone a piece of my mind. Yet, that is not how we should act though right? What about righteous anger pastor? We can have that like Jesus and the tables! No, He thought it through and anger spurs that quick momentary reaction. Jesus had arts and crafts time as He made the whips as a distinguished pastor once told me! That was no reaction but a calculated moment of training (that’s long winded for discipline!). Anyway, this person I love is in a situation that some injustice is occurring. Now, before we get carried away with imagery in our minds (no one reading a blog – all 4 of you – has a vivid imagination I hope!) and I want to help in correcting it. Enter the Proverb
My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.
Proverbs 1:10
We are called to live different, act different. We are called to be in but not of this world (Rom 12:2). Given the light of some Supreme Court rulings, everyone should be able to distinguish Christians apart from the world and not in a bad light! When an injustice is done, everything we have in us says to fight back. Everything the Son of God has taught us is the exact opposite. If sinful people entice, tempt, push our buttons, spur us on; we are to not give in to them. We must resist the temptation to respond just how the rest of the world expects us to. Why? Because we are different. We are all called to be holy. How so? Not like our pastor, or small group leader is. Holy like the Lord our God is holy. If we can say Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God responded one time with vengeance, then maybe we have some argument. But He did not. He is the one who can give vengeance (Romans 12:19, Deut 32:35), yet he did not. He showed grace to the guard who lost an ear and begged for forgiveness as one of the last things He spoke. He did not give into “them.”
He spoke. He did not give into “them.”
I hope and pray my loved one may see this. If they do, know that my tongue is throbbing from being bitten. Where I want to come in and rescue, I will restrain. Partially because it is your desire but mostly because my Mom once sent notes with Proverbs that started with “My Son” (if this is the first of the My Son entries, read the introduction to the first one here to better understand that context!).
To the other 4-5 that may read this (who are we kidding, this one was for me!): be different. The world is dark and we are called to be the light. Be the salt that add the flavor of holiness to your dark corner. And do not give into enticement of sinful behavior!
Biblical Bacon 