Take This Verse and Shove It
Why is it then when I get angry and want to prove a point, I start looking for the perfect verse in the Bible to back me up? You ever done this?
I have spoken before about how I tend to fight back or get defensive, when in reality, I should probably just close my mouth and walk away. Sometimes I walk away. Many times it does not.
I’ve been in some amazing conversations. Especially over the last year of blogging. I’ve also found myself in some situations that sent me to the bible to prove my point. I am realizing that I never want to do this.
Some may feel that it is the right thing to run to scriptures, find the verses and then respond. I don’t think this is how we should deal with these situations. I think we tend to use the bible as a weapon to combat things, it was never intended to combat. Frankly, the bible was not given to us to learn how to fight. it was given to us to learn how to love. Because it is the greatest story of grace, mercy and love we could ever know and in turn we are asked to exemplify.
I saw this the other day and wrote it down (I wish I could remember where I found it). It is a quick glance at worldly response as compared to a Godly response.
| Worldly Response | Godly Response |
| Self-interest / Entitlement | Selflessness / The last shall be first |
| Idolatry (possessions, people, position first) |
Love God, trust God first |
| Pride | Humility |
| Greed | Giving / Trust |
| Control | Trust / Freedom |
| Revenge | Forgiveness |
| Jealousy | Trusting God’s love |
| Fear | Faith |
| Power | Submission / Lay life down |
| Justice | Grace / Mercy / Forgiveness |
| Religion | Relationship |
| Confusion / Deception (focus is on stuff or inward) |
Seeking God / Confession (focus on God – get in the light) |
| Judgment | Kindness |
| Saving face | Humiliation |
| Guilt / Condemnation | Confession / Accept grace |
| Rejection / Abandonment | God’s unconditional love |
The thing I notice when reading this is that worldly response tends to be violent and Godly response is passive. I don’t think that is a mistake. I think as you read through the Bible that you see an attitude if humility and grace in everything Jesus taught and everything we as Christians are taught to mirror.
I too often have used the scriptures to fight or defend. I no longer want to do this. I want to use them to point people to God. Not to my God. To the one true God.
So, be encouraged.
1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, There is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
25 Brothers, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
thanks brother.
Tyler (Man of Depravity)´s last blog post…5 Questions for 5 Influencers: Carlos Whittaker of Ragamuffin Soul
Great thoughts. I’ve seen something similar to that (the graph thing) before as well. I’m with you.. sometimes I’m way to quick to prove my point, when I should just listen or say nothing at all. I’m might steal this from you…
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This was amazing. I and know it came from a heart of love.
Love you guys (tam) !!!!
♥
Brandy´s last blog post…Better Late Than Never!!
Love this:
9 For God has not destined us for wrath
Brandy´s last blog post…Better Late Than Never!!
Good stuff, Brent. Thanks for that little chart. Might just fit on a pocket card.
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Brent,
Good stuff, though – I’m not sure I’d call our response “passive”. It may “seem” passive, but to LOVE, in the midst of HATE … etc … is far from passive.
Also … I think the context of HOW we use God’s Word to respond is what’s so important. Do we run to the Word so we can win an argument? Or do we go to the Word to re-discover or re-affirm our foundation … to make sure that WE have the answer for ourselves, and it’s right? (as I think we should).
Then – if we feel led by God’s Holy Spirit to respond to the situation (or debate, or whatever) with God’s Word – it has to come with a heart that says “this is why I believe” and not a judgmental stab.
That being said … if the Word of God wasn’t meant to be a “weapon”, why is it referred to as the “sword”?
Just a thought from a different angle!
For the Kingdom,
Fred McKinnon
http://www.fredmckinnon.com
http://www.theworshipcommunity.com
Fred F. McKinnon´s last blog post…Happy Birthday To Me
Thank you B. I need much encouragement these days…as do my brothers and sisters.
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Wow, that’s really good Brent. I think I’ve probably been guilty of pulling out verses to back me up at times too. This is a great reminder to make sure we’re lining up with how God says we should live.
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I thought the same thing, Fred – about the Word being called a sword.
But also, I have to confess that worse than proving a point with Scripture in a less than encouraging way, I have – many times – thought Proverbs 25 to myself. That’s the one about heaping burning coals on your enemy’s head. Pretty sure THAT’s not glorifying to God or building up my brothers and sisters!
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Fred and Photoqueen, I completely agree.
It truly is a balance. My context in this post is peaking to those times I choose to have scripture or theological wars. I tend to get wrapped up in proving a point and it can get nasty quick.
Fred, you laid out the process nicely. If we are faced with an issue that needs to be addressed, by using scripture. It is good to go away and seek god’s wisdom and then come to the person or person’s to discuss it.
We should always look to scripture to uphold God’s truth and be cautious that we aren’t getting our opinion backed up. Like Photoqueen said, there is scripture to back up the act of destroying our enemies and yet, Jesus seemed to speak completely different and took the approach of love.
All that to say. I believe there is truly a responsibility to teach uphold God’s word as the truth and as our sword to combat sin, but our tact is definitely in question if it is not loving…first.
Ah… The Human Response is so much easier than the Godly response. I mean the right hang column entails weakness…Huh? What do you mean that is the way Jesus acted? Come on…
I digress…
I so hear ya Brent.. I used to do the same thing, but I changed the question in my mind from. What scripture backs me up for my argument? to OK, God what is it you want me to learn about this situation? I let God lead me to his word and what he wants to teach me. Not what I think I need to find. Makes for a very different perspective.
Thanks for this Brent.. Love ya Brother
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Carl, I love your response. God is always interested in how our lives are being made new in Him. this can only happen when our lives are asking that question.
And, i agree with Fred. these responses are hardly passive. These Godly responses take a massive amount of strength and surrender.
Love you B! HE is always faithful , and promises to finish the work HE has started in us. Very thankful that You and Tam are in my life and have been such a beautiful example of love to me and to others.
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great post. thanks for the encouragement!
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Whew!, ‘Glad I haven’t done any slicing here lately, have I?
Actually I think of it(the Word) as a ’surgeon’s scalpel’– it must cut, but ultimately for healing not hurting. Of course, God is the Surgeon and we’re just His gloves (hopefully conformed tightly enough to His handprint that we don’t get in His way =).
So, via that analogy, I guess the anesthetic is ‘love’??
(If it’s a ‘local’ vs. ‘general’ though, there still can be pain being alert to it all I guess.)
D-
D, that is a great analogy.
Having met you through blogging, stayed in your home, taken part in your family dynamics, you are living as Christ wants – Keep God’s love at the center of your life. Thanks again for sharing your home with mama and papa.
Indian Lake Papa´s last blog post…My Savior – Jesus
Okay, since you liked it, here are some more thoughts on that analogy (#15):
We, as the ‘patient’ have choices to make:
1. to trust that the Surgeon’s diagnosis is correct, and surgery is needed (the Spirit’s ‘x-rays’ are pretty revealing =)
2. to ‘get a second opinion’ (i.e. ‘the world’s*) and then follow through on one or the other:
*the world’s advice most likely is, “ignore it and it will go away”, or “everybody has that condition, so why go through all the pain of dealing with it?”
**the Surgeon’s way WILL cut deep (and hurt for a while), but is the only real way to finally relieve the problem
3. if we choose surgery, we must sign the ‘waiver’ giving the Surgeon
permission to do ‘whatever is necessary’ to bring that ultimate healing (even if He finds more than WE expected when He ‘gets in there’)
He’s the One who picks out which ‘gloves’ to use too (We have to trust Him for that as well =).
D-
Good thoughts D,
I would add that I believe that option 2 is a good one if it is to gain God’s wisdom through others. I think there is a value in laying our thoughts in front of those who would have something to share.
Also, I would say that not all surgery “cuts deep”. Some can be quite simple and relatively painless. But I think that those things “on the surface” can prove deeper issues and if not released to the “Surgeon”, can become life threatening.
In the end, it is truly a complete surrender to the surgeon’s best, that brings us our best.