Sometimes, we can’t see the light through the storm. Everything seems dark and ugly in the midst of trial and tribulation. It is true when others treat us unjustly. Our habit is to react.
We have chickens and two roosters now. Our rooster, Chico,
is the father of our other rooster, Rico. It is said that, sometimes, they will
battle it out with other roosters for the position in the flock. Most times,
you have to find a place for your other roosters and only have one. We worried
because Rico is so beautifully colored and our first baby chick (at least, that
is my reason) and we didn’t want to get rid of him. But the potential for power
tripping and fighting among them, concerned us a bit.
It is interesting to watch the dynamics of
relationship as Rico grows. He started to become more colorful and stronger as
time passed. And then one day, I saw him mating with one of the chickens. This,
too, is a major no-no in the flock. Chico could easily fight him for doing
that. Then, a few weeks later, I heard a scratchy crowing, like a young man whose
voice hasn’t fully developed yet.
Now, whenever I crow to Chico, he will crow back. I
assume it is to assert his position as the head rooster. So now, when I do
this, little Rico tries to crow back too. And every time that little Rico
crows, Chico runs over and gets in Rico’s face. It is as if he is saying, “I
dare you to do that again.” As of now, Rico and Chico will square off, stare each
other down and Rico will back down.
If I were to add personality to the equation, I would
say that Rico probably gets a little tired of having Chico lord it over him all
of the time. I mean, Rico is just doing
what comes naturally and trying to mature as nature intended. Chico just won’t
allow him to express himself or do as he pleases. Rico is constantly being
slapped down, so to speak, in his mind, for no good reason.
It is like that with us too. I have known people that
were new at being Christian and trying to learn what that looks like. Like
newborns, they eagerly consume the Word and try so hard to be good. Naturally,
as we all experience from time to time, our flesh does not want to comply, so
it fights against the goodness. Old habits die hard. But while they are trying
to learn for the first time in their lives how not to be fleshy in their responses,
they are tested by adversity, darkness and turmoil over and over again.
Why do you think that is? I have watched this phenomenon over and over
again and have come to this conclusion. If we lived in a perfect world, they
wouldn’t need to learn this, but because we live in a world ruled
by the evil one, they better know how to look straight into the
face of adversity and walk out their Christianity. What better way to practice
that than to live it?
The bible talks about being subject to the world’s
authority.
1 Peter 2:13-14: “Be
subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor
as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to
praise those who do good.”
Now, there are other passages that speak of being subject
to the authority that God put over us but I want to concentrate on our reaction
to adversity and turmoil, not on our relationships with authority.
If you read farther: 2 Peter 2:15-20: “For
this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the
ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your
freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone.
Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor.
Servants be subject to your masters with
all respect, not only to the good and gentle but to the unjust. For this
is a gracious thing, when mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering
unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you
endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a
gracious thing in the sight of God.”
One of the things that I always told my students, and
shared with staff, is to Matthew 18 it in times of trouble. I would remind them
that suffering unjustly makes you ready for the world. The world is meaner and
darker than what we could ever experience. Turning the other cheek and enduring
prepares people for the darkness and turmoil in the world. How we respond to it
in life, will dictate who we are in Christ.
1 Peter 4: 12-13: “Beloved,
do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as
though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you
share Christ’s suffering, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory
is revealed.”
One of my students came back to me after going out
into the world and said that she realized, (very quickly) after the fact, that
those situations that she hated most, made her stronger and able to deal better
with real life situations in the world. My heart sang with happiness.
If you can be silent and endure, turning instead to
God for comfort and encouragement, you are stronger and more equipped to live
in this dark world and keep your sanity, Christianity, and peace.
1 Peter 3: 8-9: “Finally,
all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a
humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the
contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”
You see, it is easy to slip into our natural mode and
fight fire with fire, so to speak. But what good do you do to your heart and
spirit when you turn to darkness instead of light? It is better to surrender
your life for Christ than to allow them to steal your Light.
1 Peter 3: 14: “But
even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no
fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as
holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a
reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
It is amazing to me, still, that He knew our hearts
and gave us all of this instruction for our own benefit before we were ever
born. Imagine two scenarios:
1) I
am a Christian. I am at work and my boss starts berating me in all manner of
evil and unjustness and doesn’t allow me to respond. I am livid that he would
disrespect me in this way and I:
a. Verbally
berate him back in anger and tell him that he is wrong and point to the one who
is at fault. Or,
b. I
bite my tongue for my job’s sake and the first chance I get, I go vent to
everyone who will listen about what a jerk my boss is.
2) I
am a Christian. I am at work and my boss starts berating me in all manner of
evil and unjustness and doesn’t allow me to respond. I am hurt that he would
think it, but I allow him to finish and I:
a. Gently
respond with the truth and whether he believes it or not. I stand in silence
accepting his decision.
b. And
I pray for him that he would see the example that I set in how to treat others
by not losing my cool in a worldly situation
Now, that doesn’t mean that you say nothing at
all when someone is being unjust to you and/or to others. You have a duty
to protect and defend those that would abuse their power and Lord it over
others. You have the ability to lovingly address wrongs in private and follow the
Matthew 18:15-17 rule.
Mat 18:15-27:
“If your brother sins against you, go and
tell him his fault, between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have gained your
brother.
But if he does not listen, take one or two
others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of
two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it
to the church.
And if he refuses to listen even to the
church, let him be to you as a Gentile or tax collector.”
I must say that this doesn’t always work.
Forces in the world will side with leadership even knowing the truth. You may
not be able to get anyone else to come forward because fear of man is
stronger than their fear of God. (and doing the right thing) There may
be too many forces for wrongdoing, those that enjoy the perks of power,
those that can’t afford to believe the truth. They may have ulterior motives
like money, the need for staff, biases, that cause them to error on the side of
evil. I have lived this exact scenario and I must say, it is a painful process.
However, our position must be to shine the Light and accept the
decision.
You have to decide for
yourself what type of Christian that you want to represent. Do you want to feed
the hypocrisy theory of being Christian or do you want to be the Light in the
darkness for the world? You can’t be both.
The bible says that you won’t have to endure anything
that he hasn’t given you the power to overcome.
1 Cor 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you that is
not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond
your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape,
that you may be able to endure it.”
Therefore, suffer in righteousness, what is to be
heaped on your head. For His sake, respond in gentleness, truth and love. Be
blessed. Be the Light!
Don't be a chicken. :-)
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