Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary
the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour:
I Peter 5:8
The
day is as clear in my mind as if it was yesterday. I was 8 years old
and had been playing outside in the yard with some friends from
across the street. My Mother came out to get me and while in that
process, one of the girls told my Mother that I had said the word
“darn.” It wouldn't have been so bad if my Mother had believed
me when I protested, but she took for granted that I had said that
“bad word.” Yep, in those days, it was a bad word in our
house...a very bad word. It didn't make any difference that all
around me with family, neighbors and adult family friends, I heard
lots of cursing, but also knew better than to say any of those words
myself.
Perhaps
my Mother believed me, but just to make sure, I was ushered into our
kitchen, handed a small bar of Ivory soap and was told to bite into
it. After doing that, my front and side teeth were sufficiently
coated with that soft soap. In those moments, I knew literally what
foaming at the mouth looked like. Not only did that stuff taste
terrible, but it was next to impossible to wipe off my teeth and even
totally brush it off, at least for awhile. It stayed as a reminder
for a few hours that “darn” could never ever be a part of my
vocabulary even though it hadn't been. I was told that saying “darn”
was the same as saying “damn.” That was news to me, but from
that point on, even though in a lifetime I may have said “that”
word, I can honestly say it's never been a part of my vocabulary. If
I were to use it, I'm afraid that Ivory soap taste would reappear in
my mouth.
That
whole event seems so incidental as I look back. I mention it only in
light of that being about 70 years ago. I've known in recent years,
many children who are 7 and 8 years old using four letter words on a
school playground that I would hope would make their parents blush.
There are things in our day we may not like, but that are happening
almost without the blink of anyone's eye. What's happening?
I
look at TV programs in our day with the scanty attire, sexual
passion, some cursing and all the rest that goes with immorality and
any other sinful activity. America soaks in those programs or they
wouldn't continue to be on the air. Advertising is often sensual or
just dishonest whether on television or on our computers. It seems
today, there are no fences or barriers protecting us from the
ugliness of depraved thinkers. Because of that, we can be slowly
pulled in to so much that years ago would have been totally
unacceptable to us.
In
the aging process, I learned from Scripture that society will not
improve. It will always be on a downward spiral. Satan is the god
of this world and he works much harder at what he does than we do in
combating his ploys. In the light of today's society, “darn”
seems pretty small and almost insignificant. Perhaps my Mother knew
beyond what I knew that a word like that might be only the beginning
of leading to more and other usages of other bad words.
Satan
has worked ever so subtly and slowly to get the snowball rolling
downhill when it comes to all of the things that have and are
destroying the society many of us know or once knew. We feel
helpless to say or do anything that will be of any influence and yet,
Scripture tells us in any number of places that even though we may
feel very alone, we still have influence even if only as individuals.
Peter
spoke to Christians fleeing persecution in his day. Both of his
epistles are such encouraging books for Christians to read who are
either going through some tough things of life or in preparation of
such. He speaks to them as a group, but each verse spells out
personal responsibility expected of Christians no matter their state
or time in history. He gives you and me something to remember as we
may be facing frustration with our world.
But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood,
an holy nation,
a peculiar people;
that ye should shew forth the
praises of Him who hath called
you out of darkness into His
marvelous light.
I Peter 1:9
Notice
WHO we are in Christ...we're a part of His Kingdom, we are priests,
we are holy because of our standing with Christ. You and I as
Christians have the privilege of being a part of God's holy Kingdom.
We have a standing as priests in that we have the privilege also of
praying straight to our Heavenly Father with no one to intercede
except for Jesus Who is our mediator. But notice, we are peculiar.
That word “peculiar” means we are to be different from the rest
of an ungodly world. That can't be done as a group project.
Individually, we are to be so different from the world that we stand
out as an oddity. That will show forth praises to God, THE One who
has called us from the dark to light. This doesn't mean, however,
that we put on a show for people. The Spirit within us will direct
us to be different from the rest of the world.
So
when things seeming to go haywire in our country, putting frustration
aside, what do we do now? Just a few suggestions that I am first
writing to myself:
- Be a person of prayer...we need to pray in these days like never before.
- Be a person of the Word...it will keep us on track with our morals and basic beliefs.
- Live a life above reproach...enabled only by walking in God's ways.
- Set good examples before family, friends, church and community.
- Be a good citizen....in these days VOTE and obey established law.
- Stay focused on the Lord, not people...Revelation tells us Who in the end wins.
Sounds
like tall orders but nothing we won't find in Scripture. When at the
height of frustration, pray and be in the Bible. You can never go
wrong reading in the Gospels and the Psalms if you don't know where
to begin.
Whatever
you do, don't ever say THAT word. Ivory soap tastes awful. The
aftertaste has a way of staying with you.
Dear
Father, help me to focus on the fact that You are in charge of
everything and there is nothing in our country that comes as a shock
to you. All indicators are that we may get to see Jesus in the
clouds sooner than we could have thought. Give us the strength to
endure the mess of our culture and not become a part of it. In
Jesus' precious name....Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment