Wednesday, May 10, 2006
My wife is anything but a typical American TV watcher. First of all, she seldom watches it. And secondly, when she does, I often find her watching nature shows. I walked in one day, and she was watching a program on whales. Even though it did make me blubber a little bit, I learned a lot watching it. It was about how the killer whale is really not as vicious as you might think he is in spite of his name. They actually had film footage of a killer whale lying in the water, while smaller animals were playing with him and on him. The commentator said the killer whale is usually pretty gentle. He can afford to be. He knows no one can threaten him, because there is no one stronger.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Never Playing Defense."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Peter 2:21. It says this: "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps." We all know Christ is an example, but if you were to be like your example, what would you do? Well, it goes on to explain what that will lead to. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate. When He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted himself to Him who judges justly." Here is Jesus under pressure, under attack and in danger, but there are no threats coming from Him, no comeback, no retaliation, and no angry words. How could He be so undefensive when He is so under attack? He's simply saying, "I am in the hands of Someone whose hands are bigger than the hands that are raised against Me." That brings us back to our killer whale, who is gentle, not because he's weak, but because he knows he's strong and secure. No one is bigger.
Maybe you sometimes find yourself under pressure and attack, and you're treated badly. Everything in your human nature says, "Strike back. Give them their own medicine." But Jesus calls us to follow Him in His steps, which means no retaliation. Don't strike back; not because you are a weak wimp, but because you are strong in Christ. You don't have to retaliate. You can act. You don't have to react. Weakness reacts. You can be gentle, by choice, to those who are harsh to you; not because you're weak and not because you're strong, but because your Father is strong. Everything important to you is safe because it's in your Father's hands. Nothing can ultimately hurt you, because your Father is so strong.
And "If God be for us, who can be against us?" The Bible says the fruit of the Spirit is gentleness. Sometimes the word gentleness is thought of as being weak, but gentleness is from being strong in the Lord. Be sure that your agenda, your security, your needs, your fears, your concerns have been surrendered fully to your Lord, and then relax. Don't answer back, don't threaten, don't retaliate. Be like your Lord. "A soft answer," the Bible says, "turns away wrath."
Your battle is the Lord's, it's not yours. You need to concentrate on playing offense; gaining ground for your Lord in those people's lives. Don't waste time playing defense for yourself. In Christ, you're strong, so you can afford to be gentle. You're in a strong position. If God is for you, who could be against you?