silence vs. speaking out

I have just completed reading the blog for June 15th from National Community Church's read the Bible in a year. The reading for that day was Acts 25-26 when Paul defends himself to Festus and King Agrippa. The writer of the blog note, Maegan Stout, challenged us with the following words.

In Hebrew, the word dabar means both “word” and “deed.” Just like it’s hypocritical not to practice what we preach, deeds without articulating Christ is not the full story. Paul exchanged his defense for an opportunity to share the good news of Christ and therefore did both.

We won’t all be called on to stand before kings and risk our lives, but do we know the gospel is good enough news to share within the spheres He has placed us? That’s part of our voice - through word and deed, we all have a unique and specific way to express the gospel. Are we communicating it?

For me these words are good ones to "chew" on. You know how you read something and it just requires more contemplation. That's where I am with this. For so many years I have just charged into situations and conversations and counted the cost later. I am in sorts a daredevil - looks good, do it, think later. In some ways that has been good, when God led me to do some pretty crazy things but in other ways I have hurt myself or others with this blind rush forward. Consequently, my words have been tempered and more thoughtfully expressed.

Now recently, I have been challenged to ask myself if my more tempered pursuit of life is indeed led by fear - fear of disappointing God and not going in the direction He has for me, fear of what others may think, fear... So along with Maegan's challenge and Paul's example I prayerfully wonder if it's time to just move forward in the direction I know God has laid out for me.

Definitely food for thought. This topic will obviously need to be continued at a different time. If you have time, please pray for me as I pursue this new idea.

an angry mob

Out of jealousy the Jews of Thessalonica grab “bad characters” and stir up much trouble for Paul and Silas in Thessalonica and eventually Berea, causing them to leave each city. (Acts 17:1-9)

I have witnessed disputes and participated in disputes, some went well and some didn’t. As in everything, we must pray and seek God to examine our hearts before we begin a dispute or accusation. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us our hearts are deceitful about all things. We cannot trust ourselves and our opinions even when we have verses to back up our thoughts and opinions. We must check our motivations before bringing up a discussion or dispute especially one that could easily turn into an accusation. Our anger and unchecked hearts may just be working against what God is trying to accomplish in our lives, churches, places of employment, etc.

There was one time when I was first married that my husband and I stood up with friends and battled it out in a church meeting over a right that we thought we had. We had Biblical ground for the right we were defending. No verses said that we couldn’t do what we wanted to do. The church leaders, however, said that we could not be church leaders if we did this thing. In looking back on those nights, I know that our belief was Biblical but I cannot say that my attitude or the way I presented everything I said was Christ-like. Now it’s been many years since those discussions but it does proof a point. Even when battling legalism we must first seek God and ask Him what He wants us to do. Paul says that when he was on his missionary journeys he was all things to all people so that many would be saved. He knew his freedom in Christ but in no way did he want to make someone stumble in their personal walk with Christ, so if they refrained from doing something, in their presence he refrained and vise versa. (See 1 Corinthians 10:31-33)

The questions I should have asked myself were
• Is this discussion one that Jesus wants me to have?
• Can I say my heart is not filled with hatred and anger right now?
• When I defend my point, would Christ be pleased with me?
• Am I willing to surrender my right to follow Jesus’ plan for my life right now or is my right more important?
• Why is defending this right so important to me at this time?

There are many rights and beliefs that God does want us to battle for and sometimes to the death, as many Christians in foreign lands do today, right now. But before we battle to the proverbial death (in America), we must know that our hearts are right with Jesus, our motivation is pure and acceptable to Him, and we in all ways honor Jesus.