The Shut Down Switch

Have you ever had a disagreement with a child?  They get frustrated because they can't change your mind and make you give them what they want. What is a common go to phrase?  "You hate me!" Why will a child say this, particularly to their parents?  I think it is because they know that it is untrue.  They know that parent loves them and that the accusation will hurt them.  It's one last attempt to manipulate the situation by challenging them, and it means, "I don't want to hear what you have to say."  It's an ultimatum, "agree with me or I won't believe that you love me."  It's a kill switch meant to to shut down the conversation as quickly as possible no matter what damage may occur.  Love protects, however, even when being threatened or resisted.   Love doesn't stand idly by and watch as someone heads for danger.  It doesn't refuse to get involved because someone might reject it.  It springs into action and strives to prevent injury.

Love can be hard work, and loving someone enough to correct, or even just disagree with them can hurt.  Let's look at  another example dealing with children.  Most people would not fault someone for telling a child not to play near a busy road, but if there is something near that road the child wants to play with or on, perhaps the mailbox that looks like a tractor, the child is probably going to protest.  They can't see beyond what they want to the danger it presents.  The child may have several reasons why they think playing near the road is acceptable, but that doesn't make it a good decision.  I have heard it said that hate is not the opposite of love, indifference is.  I don't know if I completely agree with that, but let's see how it plays out for a child in a dangerous situation. Hate and indifference may sometimes have the same result.

Seven year old Suzy is in the backyard and decides to build a village out of sticks.  It's a good creative way to play, the problem is that she chooses to do it on the railroad tracks.  The rails offer extra support for her structures, and she is delighted with her idea.  The next door neighbor sees what she is doing and thinks, "she's gonna get hurt, I can't stand that annoying brat anyway."  That would be hate.  The guy cutting the grass in the neighbors yard sees her and thinks, "that doesn't seem like a good idea, but it's not my problem."  That's indifference.  Her mother has been keeping an eye on her from the kitchen window, giving Suzy freedom to explore within the established boundaries.  Her mother looks up from the kitchen sink where she has been washing the dishes.  She doesn't think; she acts.  As soon as she realizes where Suzy has gone, she drops the plate in her hand and runs to the tracks to remove her daughter from the danger.  She explains the rules about her boundaries once again.  Suzy screams, "you hate me!" as the train comes and crushes her sticks, but she is safe.  Her mom and dad buy supplies that evening to come build a fence around their yard, and Suzy temporarily loses some freedom.  She may not play outside unless her mother can be out with her.  That is love.  

Love cares when a person is headed for destruction.  Love acts to rescue the one who's gone astray. The greatest love that has ever been expressed was when Jesus gave His life to save ours.  "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8.  If we who know the good news, that anyone can be saved by believing in Christ, sit back and refuse to share it, then we are not showing love.  We can't say we love someone but it's not in our place to interfere. Love protects.  We can't let our fear of rejection stop us from sending out the lifeline.  When we point out the dangers of living without Jesus, some will say, "you hate me," but that doesn't make it true.  Act in love anyway.  Those words are meant to hurt because they challenge the love that is known to exist.  They are a tool that the devil will try to use to discourage you from speaking the truth of Jesus' love into someone's life.  "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  Romans 12:21

*Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Ahead of the Rest

This year in Released Time Class there was a kindergarten boy who never seemed to want to listen, always wanted to talk, always wanted to be first in line and refused to hold the door for others.  It was my practice to ask the first child in line to hold the door so that I could stay in the front to guide the class and make sure they didn't run ahead and get lost in the crowd.  This boy would always appear at the front of the line, much to the dismay of others who said he had cut in front of them, but when asked to hold the door he would stubbornly decline.  As I caught on to this I felt the Spirit leading me to use it as a teaching opportunity.  

After the boy would reject the request, I would ask the next child in line to hold the door.  When all the children were through I would call the "door holder," who was now at the end of the line, to come to the very front ahead of the initial student.  Of course this didn't seem fair to the boy who wanted to be first.  I tried, as we walked from the school to the church, to convey the message that Jesus taught in Matthew 19:30 and 20:16, that in the kingdom of heaven the last will be first and the first will be last.  Whether he understood the sermonette or not, after several weeks of being sent back in line he finally decided to hold the door and was invited back to the front when he was finished.  Actually, he soon refused to let others have a turn holding the door and we had to begin a new lesson.  

It can be disheartening how many adult Christians, especially in the United States, want to be first in line but don't want to hold the door for others.  Jesus' disciples had the same attitude at one time.  Luke records in chapter 22 verses 24-27 "A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.  Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.  For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves."   Jesus explained to them that the way to be great in the kingdom of God is to humble one's self and be a servant.  So, why do so many strive to be in control giving orders, or sit back and watch while others serve them?

The disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit when they had this issue of striving for position, though they did have the first hand example of Jesus, the Living Word of God.  Today born again Christians have the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide them, and they have the example of Christ in the Written Word of God.  If each person would do their part and serve in the ways they are called to, while allowing others the same privilege and freedom, the church would be a wonderful place where everyone wants to be.  Unfortunately, too many people seem to be "supervising:" telling everyone else how to do their job, and complaining about what they perceive as doing it the wrong way.  They should be rolling up their sleeves, focusing on their task and encouraging others along the way.  

I believe the key to a healthy church is to stay focused on Christ and follow His example.  It is not about creating and managing programs.  It is not about evaluating the ways that others are serving and trying to help them do it "right."  It's about letting the Spirit of God flow through us to serve those around us whether they be brothers or strangers.  It's about trusting God to orchestrate the body the way He designed it, and allowing individuals to be individuals not robots forced into a man made mold. It's about loving and accepting one another as Christ loves and accepts each of us.  It's also about accepting our place in the body and functioning contentedly in our role.  "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."...  "If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?"  But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body."...  "But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other."  1 Corinthians 12:7,17-20 and 24-25

What can be done to make the body healthy?  What power do I have to change anything?  We all have the same resources.  As children of God we have the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer.    Enabled by the Spirit, we can chose, as individuals, to be examples of Christlike service, and we can pray for each member of the body to function as it should according to God's design and purpose.  Only God can work in each heart to change our focus and transform us.  He can change our attitudes from entitlement to encouragement, our words from complaint to compliment, and our actions from supervisor to servant.  Only Christ can unify us and make us what He gave His life for us to become.  Only through the Holy Spirit living in us can we put aside our personal preferences and grow together in harmony. Will you pray for the church, the family of God?  Will you strive to live as an example to others of what a true servant of Jesus is?  By the power of Christ in me, I will.  

The Christian life is not a competition between individuals.  We were each created uniquely.  We should strive for our personal best and rejoice with others in their achievements.  This is a team effort where every player has the opportunity to use their specific strengths and gifts for corporate victory, and where each person should be fully committed to Jesus.  Let's cheer each other on and serve one another lest anyone grow weary along the way.  "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."  (Hebrews 10:24-25)

*Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.