Stop Biting

In the book of John, Jesus reminds us that everyone will know that we are his disciples if we love one another. Love should always be an overriding agent in our behavior. It should drive our heart, our dedication, our decision making and our motives. But at times, loving someone, even fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, can be a challenge. Even with believers, personalities may clash, political and world ideologies may differ, and cultural biases may cause division. That is why the Bible stresses unity so strongly. Love is the binding agent that should align us to one common purpose and one common Lord. This commonality, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, should help us to supernaturally love one another if our natural tendencies fail us. It should keep us from quarreling and biting each other so that division will not be the cause of our downfall. Paul puts it this way when speaking to the Galatians in chapter 5, verses 14 and 15:

“The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

Earlier, Paul calls out divisive factions within the body. Apparently, there were those who were actively causing division; those who were resistant to what Paul was preaching, trying their best to cling to the old covenant. But we have the benefit of knowing the whole truth. We have the entire scripture. This should bring unity. It should inspire love for one another. And if we are able to remain focused on this commonality, fueled by the Holy Spirit, we will grow together in faith and we will flourish. We will encourage and uplift one another in love. And we will avoid the pitfalls outlined in this portion of scripture.

---

If we rely on our flesh, we will begin to look more and more like the world. Our love for each other will eventually grow cold. And like angry dogs we will “bite” at each other, and if we continue down that path, we may even devour each other. An overriding commandment is for us to love one another. I challenge you to explore what this means in your life. What does loving your neighbor look like? Are you loving your neighbor? Does it even enter your mind? Loving your neighbor may require you to be proactive. It may require prayer, the leading of the Holy Spirit, and maybe even a change of heart. Love is the primary agent driving everything in the Bible. In fact, God is love. And if love is that important, shouldn’t we pursue it with everything that is within us?

Drop It

During my college years I remember listening to a song by a secular group who called themselves the “Spin Doctors”. The song was, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”, which talked about a girl who felt she always had to be right about everything. In the song it was clear that the artist found this trait to be quite annoying, and I have to confess, I’m sure I would have also. Do you know anyone like this? In college, I certainly did. For them, it seemed as though being proven right was of primary importance. I admit that there are times when defending an idea is important, but I would submit to you that believers should choose their battles wisely. Proverbs, the book that provides both practical and godly advice, says this in chapter 17, verse 14:

“Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.”

I can attest that in my life, pursuing peace in a relationship is more important than being proven right. Arguing a point that doesn’t really matter is like breaching a dam. Proverbs says that we should drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. In doing so, you might save yourself a major headache and you might even save a friendship. If you find yourself arguing with your friends, family or significant other over things that really don’t matter, consider if being right is really more important than maintaining peace. Because if you start a quarrel, before long, you may find yourself in the middle of a heated dispute where words can be said and feelings can be hurt just because you’ve opened the floodgates to needless contention.

---

Often times quarreling can be avoided. And more often than not, there is no benefit to starting an argument or pushing someone’s buttons. Needless arguments only lead to anger, pain and sometimes, regret. If you have a problem in this area, it may take an added level of self-control, patience and maybe even a bit of understanding to stop a quarrel before it starts. It is worth praying that the Holy Spirit help you to guard your tongue. Because even though we can say something, it doesn’t mean that we always should. Our words can be a weapon, so you might want to be careful who they are aimed at. So why don’t we take this proverb to heart? “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” I think that is good advice.

Family United

Unity is, and always will be, important in the body of Christ. But the Bible reminds us that it is no less important when referring to a kingdom, a city, or even a household. My father used to tell me that no matter what we face as a family, we will go through it together. What he was ultimately saying is that as a family, we will allow nothing to divide us, nothing to dismantle us and nothing to turn us against each other because unity in our family was of utmost importance. In Matthew, Jesus supported this notion after the Pharisees accused him of being in league with the prince of demons as evidence of why he was able to cast out demons. Then it says in chapter 12, verse 25:

“Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.’”

In making his point he continued by saying, “If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?” All of this highlights the truth that unity is so important. In light of this truth, I encourage you to make every effort to strengthen the bonds of your family. Protect your brothers and sisters, love and honor your parents, represent your family well in public, and value the family unit as your primary institution of unity. Because if a household divided against itself will not stand, what can a house operating in complete unity accomplish?

---

Even before creating man and woman, God knew that the institution of family would be of great importance. Everything starts in the home. The environment that is set will likely replicate itself from generation to generation through our children and grandchildren. Consider your own family. There may be traditions, values, and practices that have been passed along to your parents from your grandparents and great grandparents. Hopefully, one of these values is the importance of embracing Christ and the salvation he offers. If this is the case, I pray that it might be the primary value you pass along to your children and grandchildren. I encourage you not to take your family for granted. Jesus says that a household divided against itself will not stand. So my question to you is, how unified is your household today?

Rise To Live

It is amazing how intertwined the Holy Trinity is. In John, Jesus says that he can do nothing by himself; that he can only do what he sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. It is amazing how the three personalities of the trinity compliment each other so clearly. One inevitably affects the other. Just like the parts of our body are one, but every part, in some way, affects the other. While on earth, the Father had given Jesus the authority to perform miracles and to judge. He had been given authority to judge those who were living, but also those who have died. It says in John chapter 5, verses 28 and 29:

“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

Jesus is the ultimate judge, exercising the authority given to him by the Father. The Pharisees didn’t understand that. They called him a blasphemer, which I suppose would’ve been true if he wasn’t the Son of God. But he was, and he is the Son of God, given authority to judge us. And in John we are reminded that we will be judged on how we’ve lived. Jesus says, “those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned”. So I encourage you to live with eternity in mind. Do good and rise to live, not to be condemned.

---

Jesus is the judge. He forgave sins while he walked the earth in human flesh, and he still forgives sins as he sits in heaven at the right hand of the Father. In the book of John, Jesus reminds us that how we live on earth will determine whether we will rise to live or rise to be condemned. If I were to say that how we live our life on earth is incredibly important, that would be an incredible understatement. I don’t think we can really comprehend the magnitude of our actions, our decisions and our behavior here in the flesh. But we really need to take them seriously. Because judgment is coming, and Jesus tells us that there are only two outcomes that can befall us. He says that “those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned”. I encourage you to be in the camp who rises to live.

Say Anything

If you are fortunate enough to have someone who is so close to you that you can share anything with, even your deepest darkest secrets, desires, fears and troubles, then consider yourself blessed. I’ve seen relationships between friends, siblings, spouses and even a parent with their child where no subject of discussion is off the table; anything can be shared, lamented about or celebrated. It is wonderful to know that God encourages, and at times orchestrates, these types of relationships. But I believe that God can be, and should be, our closest confidant. He should be the primary person we share everything and anything with. David knew that as he reveals in Psalm 142, verses 1 and 2:

“I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.”

I’ve often considered how we must continue to remember that God is God and should be reverently feared and revered. I’ve said that we should approach him with humility and honor because he is holy, he is God, and he is the creator of everything we know. David learned this about God the hard way when Uzzah tried to steady the ark of the covenant with his hands and was killed right there on the spot because he neglected to revere the Lord, and his holiness. But David also knows that with God, we are able to share anything and everything. He knows everything about us anyway. The Bible tells us that he knows what we need before we even ask him. But there is something therapeutic about getting our thoughts and concerns off of our chest. God doesn’t mind. Jesus says that we are to come to him when we are weary and burdened. He says that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. So I encourage you to remember to open your heart before God when you pray. Don’t hold anything back. Tell him anything and everything.

---

When I imagine very close friends, I conjure an image in my mind of two close female friends spending hours talking about their overbearing parents, the girls who are giving them trouble at school, and the boys they wish would ask them out. They hold nothing back, and trust the other implicitly with every thought, every feeling and every secret. God can be that for all of us. David said, “I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.” God doesn’t only listen, he cares. And not only does he care, he can help us, guide us and protect us. So I encourage you to talk to him today and every day. He is always listening.