Hello friends! C'est moi!
Yes I am back to blog once again. This blog is one of an unprocessed thought so I am going to process it as I write which is irrelevant to you seeing as how I have a delete button and can correct any errors or contradictions of said thought... Moving on, I do not think that this blog will be very humorous considering it's one that will be based on a very important lesson that we as Christs Disciples should not only know and understand but also live up to in our daily lives. (I will, however, try my very best to include witty banter, scatological humor, and/or cheesy tasteless jokes that only appeal to the very intellectual minds of this generation.) So lets dig in.
Growing up in Edmonton, Alberta (The city I moved away from recently.) you learn a few things about walking around after dusk on the north side.
Rule #1: Never look at some one in the eyes for more than a
second. (If at all)
Rule #2: Be confident in walking, not cocky, confident.
Rule #3: Don't smile.
Rule #4: Do not plug both ears with headphones.
Rule #5: Make a getaway plan every 50 yards or so.
Rule #6: Be ready for a fight.
Rule #7: Do your best NOT to walk around north side Edmonton
After dusk.
These rules may seem extreme or whatever but they are indeed rules that helped me to survive most of my journeys through the streets of Edmonton. What I want to talk about is Rule #6, "Be ready for a fight".
You see, as you may know from previous blogs that I have the night shift at one of the local pizza joints in the small city I live in. You may also have read that when I get off work I have a decent walk of 30 minutes to home; During this time I follow these guidelines 'just in case' something happens (I have even carried a small knife on the weekends). However lately the Lord has been really pressing on my spirit about peace. During the first instance when he spoke this to me I considered the word and my actions and brushed it off with " Well Lord I am peaceful; I don't start fights on my walks or mean mug people. I'm just prepared in case someone comes along and wants to fight me, rob me, or whatever." That was all I had to say or hear about that.
Weeks went by and this continued. God's pressing will on my soul to be at peace with man, my stubborn knowing that it was okay and I was in the clear. This battle with God is a continual one in not only my life but also in... well yours. As human beings we are prone to think that we know, understand, and have the answer to all; in so thinking this we inevitably drown out the voice of the King (God, Jesus, The Christ, Truth, which ever you prefer.) with our own excuses, reasons, and good doings. All the while God is not asking us what we think; He is trying desperately to tell us what his will is for us.
Anyways, I was one day walking to work in the afternoon minding my own business and listening to my Ipod. When a sign for a church across the street caught my eye. On it was the usual Christian message trying to coax the world into leading better lives, but the words were more then words to me on this day.
It read "You can not shake hands with a clenched fist."
As if God had said the words into my ears a thousand times and finally broke through my pride. All this time I had been walking around trying to protect myself thinking that I was at peace and it was the world who was waging war; when really it was me waiting to brawl, waiting for the moment to unleash myself. How can I be a man of peace if I believe that everything is a fight? How can I show people love if I believe that they only hate? How can I meet some one and shake their hand if I have first ready to hit them?
My heart was finally turned.
The next night, at my youth group, I stood worshiping in a crowd of people. Dancing and singing, laughing and praying, loving God. I noticed a few songs in that during my salvation and joy my hands were in a different position then usual. I asked the Lord " Why are my hands like this?" His answer came quickly "You are going to war." A glory bellowed through my soul as I realized that my left hand sat near my waist gripped as if holding a shield; however confusion struck as my right hand maintained its upright position as per usual. "Lord, where is my sword?" I inquired with a great wonder as to how to fight with no weapon. "I am your weapon son, I am your strength, worship my name and the battle will be won."
My lesson was finally learned.
So this is my message, my blog, my exhortation which ever you wish to name it. Peace is not something that we can achieve by not fighting or yelling. It is indeed not something we can achieve by apathy. Peace is unattainable by man, for all we wish to do is war with each other; whether it be in arguments, talents, knowledge, sarcasm or yes physical fighting. Peace is only attainable by He who is peaceful, our Christ. With Him and Him alone will we truly begin to understand what it is to be at peace with one another. So do not look to find error in your fellow human beings, because if you are listening to that still small voice, you will only find the errors in yourself.
Now as for witty banter, scatological humor and cheesy tasteless jokes that only appeal to the very intellectual minds of this generation...
1 Samuel 24:3 "He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself."
... I think that about sums up all three.
No comments:
Post a Comment