Growth

Saying the Same Thing

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There’s an old schoolyard game called “jinx.” To play the game, you and another person must say the exact same thing at the exact same time. The first one to say “jinx” after this occurs gets some sort of control over the other person. Depending on the version of the game you play either the “loser” has to buy the winner a Coke or they can’t speak until the winner says their name, or some other “punishment” is inflicted on them as a result of not saying “jinx” first. Presumably this game developed because kids realized the unlikelihood of two people uttering the same words simultaneously. It was a rare enough occurrence that when it did happen someone decided that it was worthy of further elaboration and amusement.

As adults, we recognize that whether we are saying the same thing as someone else or not, our tongue has a habit of getting us in trouble. In fact, James warns us of this very thing. The tongue can cause great destruction both to ourselves and to others. Controlling it is difficult, but necessary in order to live a life that pleases Christ.

One of the ways that we can make sure that we accomplish this is to make sure that our words are the same as Christ’s. In John 15:20 Jesus is preparing His disciples for His imminent departure. He is telling them that they will be persecuted and that they will suffer for His sake. He also says “If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” Christ is telling His disciples that if they are careful to preach the same things that He did, then they can be sure that their words will penetrate the hearts of those who are His. Conversely, those who are not His will respond with hatred and contempt.

This should give us great encouragement and direction. If my words align with Christ’s then I need not worry about how others respond. Those who love Christ will respond with that same love to my words that mirror His message. When the world disagrees with what I say, when they revile me because of stance with the truth of His Word, I need not fear. I can take comfort in the fact that I’m saying the same things as my Savior.

Knowing the right thing to say is not easy. It is made even that much more difficult by the fact that we can never be sure how our words will be interpreted or received. However, if like the old game of jinx we can examine our words and know that our words are the same as those of Christ’s we can have confidence that our words will bring Him glory – regardless of how others respond or what they say.

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Growth

Or Give Me Grace

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There is a popular saying that “there are no atheists in the foxhole.” The saying originated from the recognition that when we are in a difficult situation even the nonreligious are often quick to seek out assistance from a Heavenly Source. Of course, it’s not just foxholes where these prayers of petition are made. In circumstances that are much less dangerous many of us are quick to ask God to change things so that we may benefit.

Unfortunately, many people are discouraged when their prayers for new circumstances seemingly fall on deaf ears. Whether it’s a wayward child, a lack of employment or the illness of a loved one, we plead for God to change things, and yet the situation remains the same. This is true even in the seemingly mundane trials of life – those admittedly minor inconveniences that can cause a disproportionate amount of stress in our days. We want God to jump in and fix our problem, and while we recognize that He is perfectly capable of doing so, often He does not.

What I’ve recently learned is that perhaps my prayer for a quick fix is insufficient. This isn’t to say that God doesn’t answer it because it doesn’t meet some type of prescribed standard, but instead that I’m only looking at the situation from a partial perspective. From my vantage point the way that the situation becomes better is for God to change it. From His viewpoint, it may be better still to instead provide me with what I need in order to walk through the difficulty and glorify Him regardless. In other words – it is proper that I ask God to intervene on my behalf – and as a loving Father He often graciously grants my request (Luke 11:5-13). But instead of only asking for the circumstance to change, it may be wise for me to ask that if it does not, that He gives me the grace to walk through it in a manner that pleases Him.

Adding this addendum to my petition may seem insignificant, but it accomplishes at least two things. First, it reminds me of the fact that I need to trust God with the decision of whether or not the difficulty that I’m facing should be obliterated. He may, in His infinite wisdom, decide that my good and His glory are better served not by removing me from the challenging situation, but  by me remaining in it. Secondly, adding this addition to my request serves as recognition that if things don’t change, this doesn’t give me free reign to complain or otherwise gripe about the difficulty I’m facing. Instead, God is willing to graciously grant me something else – the grace I need to glorify Him through it. God doesn’t leave us in challenging circumstances because of indifference; through them, He desires to accomplish something good.

It’s easy to ask God to remove the bad things from our lives. We are less inclined to ask Him to grant us grace to walk through the trials in a manner that is worthy of being called His child. Yet as we do so, not only may we view our circumstances a little more from a Heavenly perspective, but we will likely bring Him more glory and acclaim – whether the trials are removed or whether they are not.

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