A Sword for Evil, Not Each Other

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.
I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

Matthew 10:34

Sigh.

These words of Jesus are hard to swallow. Following Christ will cause conflict with others who don't believe. I may not like it, but it's true. I've experienced it enough to know I should expect it and not take it too personally. People thought me a wacko for calling a reading curriculum "evil." Peers in high school called me "religious" and "square." My own brothers respect me, but think me a bit radical. It's okay. Jesus reminds me no one is attacking me. They're reacting to my God.

I can take some fall out from those who may not understand my faith. But what really hurts my heart is when those who DO BELIEVE are at war. We nitpick over gray areas in scripture, making judgment calls on the spiritual health of our brothers and sisters without considering what God has called them to do. We hold others to the standards God has impressed on us, thinking less of them of they don't follow. Is it too far fetched to think God has differing relationships with His children? Isn't it possible He requires different things of different people?

The fire rises in my belly when I hear believers criticizing Christians they don't agree with. Who are we to know what God has placed in another person's heart? Quick to criticize each other's thinking and behavior, we reveal Pharisee attitudes which slow God's work.

And I must admit I am guilty. Sigh. Lord Jesus, clean my yucky heart.

Our fight is not with flesh and blood . . .

Jesus didn't bring a sword for us to fight with other believers. He brought weapons for us to fend off the enemy, the devil who seeks to destroy us, the forces of evil vying for our very souls. When we turn on each other, it only brings destruction and hampers the Body's display of a gracious, merciful God.

Join more In "Other" Words participants at Esthermay's blog, The Heart of a Pastor's Wife.

Quick Takes--Take Two

It's time again for Quick Takes Friday. Yee haw! Be sure to visit Jennifer F. at Conversion Diary to read the quick takes of others. Here goes nothin'....

(1) This meme was great to link to. I had more visitors last Friday than ever before. Thanks, Jennifer!

(2) I recently stumbled across a website that calls itself the church for those disenchanted with organized religion. I'm not sure what to think of that, I mean, isn't it basically the same thing, just online? They are "organized", coming to the same place, taught by the same teacher. But the differences are disturbing. An online community can be encouraging (I've experienced it myself in the blogosphere), but the lack of accountability and service to one another concerns me. Can we learn to be Christlike when the element of service is removed? Can we learn unity without working through disagreements and being forced to get along? Can we learn to love others without actually loving them in person? How can an online community allow for that?

I understand the appeal. It would be convenient. It could be motivating. Mostly it would be safe. There would be no one to open up to and share real struggles with. But does He want us keeping the lessons we learn to ourselves? Don't we gain as much from rubbing shoulders with each other, experiencing life with each other, as we do from listening to (or reading) an inspirational message? If we don't allow ourselves some vulnerability with actual, real life people, we deprive ourselves (and others!) of the gift of Christian fellowship and the valuable lessons of community.

(3) I had lunch yesterday with someone who took a trip to South Africa a few weeks before the election. She told me when people discovered she and her husband were Americans they would ask them who would be our next president, "the black man or the old man?" These people sincerely felt the outcome of the election was important to their welfare. She was struck by the power and responsibility of our nation to people around the world.

(4) For the first time ever, all of our kids will NOT be joining us for Thanksgiving. Our oldest will spend the day driving to another state to audition for a drum and bugle corp over the weekend. At first I was horrified, but after the initial shock wore off, I realized I'm proud of him. It takes guts to do what he's doing and pursue his dream. I'm impressed with his passion and fortitude at only 18 years of age. Go get 'em, Keygan.

(5) I have felt acutely this week the extravagance of God. I have been blessed beyond measure. Friends have been unbelievably supportive. I have physically felt prayers. I can see how all things are working together for my good and am so excited I could hardly sit still telling someone about it. It makes me want to shake people and say, "Hey, He can do this for you too. Follow His lead. Wait for His timing. Trust Him even when you don't understand and it doesn't make sense." It brings me to tears, knowing how small and unremarkable I am, yet receiving His lavish love. Who am I, Lord?

(6) I read a blog post this week of a woman telling the story of her four-year-old daughter coming to the understanding herself of her need for a Savior. Nothing seemed terribly out of the ordinary, until I got to the comments--over 300 of them! Many of them were posted by atheists, followers of Richard Dawkins, charging the woman with child abuse for teaching her daughter she was a sinner. Vile, hurtful, hateful accusations were flung at her and one said he had notified child protective services. I was shocked at the vehement response. From reading a few other posts I understood the woman held beliefs I did not necessarily espouse, or rather, expressed them in a different way than I would, but wow, what an onslaught of venom.

It seems Richard Dawkins has spawned a new generation of atheists, those who are working to "evangelize" others to their way of thinking. It sure puts an interesting spin on evangelism and makes me wonder if this is how Christians have made others feel for generations.

(7) How did I go a whole week without posting? Why do creativity and thinking power ebb and flow? What must a person do to keep firing on all pistons? I heard yesterday on the news ginkgo is NOT the answer. I'm sure more sleep would help. If only I could figure out how to make that happen...Anyway, I got one post in this week. Maybe next week I'll be "on".

Have a great weekend, friends!

Trying to prime the pump

The week we've been back since our vacation has felt unnatural, lacking purpose and motivation. I've felt so out of it and have had a hard time getting back into the swing of things. I suppose it didn't help we had one laundry catch up day before the Independence Day holiday and family gatherings and such, but I have felt restless and anxious without reason. It kept me up last night until 2:30.

And today we went to church. I scanned the crowd and saw the familiar faces, the steady, loving influence that is my church family. I couldn't help but smile as we sang praise songs. I was greeted with many hugs and closed the place down having great conversations with wonderful people. I was safe. I was comfortable. I was home. And now I am rejuvenated and ready to get back to my routine. God's Spirit filled me up. It was exactly the boost I needed to get on with life again. Aaaaahhhhh. . . .

As I walked away refreshed and grateful, I couldn't help but think of some of you, my blogging friends, who have struggled in this area. Some of you don't feel fulfilled or connected at all in your churches. You go to honor God, period. Or week after week you visit another church, trying to find the right fit, desperately seeking the refuge I get every Sunday. I wished I could give you the shot I got today and help you see what a blessing a church family can be.

And it made me wonder what makes the difference? How can I be so enriched by my church life and others, just as devout as I, come away lacking? I know when we first moved to this church, I went through some years of feeling unknown and unconnected, and found excuses why I couldn't go (motherhood offered lots of them). But today it occurred to me perhaps what really bothered me so many years ago was a feeling of being unneeded. Is that what gets to us when we struggle not only in church but also in relationships? Do we "not get anything out of it" because we don't feel needed?

Which takes me to, yes, you guessed it, another question. Does being a good friend, a good member of the body of Christ involve making others feel needed? How can I do that? What can I do to jump start others to a wonderful church life?




Photo Credit: chadrogers