TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 ESV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• In 1994, I worked for a lingerie store at the mall. One day, one of my coworkers stopped to pick up her paycheck after she’d bought a container of live crickets from the pet shop across the way (she had a pet tarantula). She knew I was going to be terrified so she set the container behind the register and warned me, then went to the back office to get her check. I was keeping an appropriate distance (translation, I was on the other side of the store), when the district manager walked in. We had a strict no-food-in-the-store policy and the crickets were in a Chinese food box. She saw it, and before I could stop her, she opened the box, yelling about the food policy. Crickets went everywhere. It was mayhem. Plus, I failed to mention… the carpet was a mix of leopard print with a black border… natural camouflage for the crickets.
The general manager made an assumption without clarification and because of that, a real mess ensued. And I had to call out sick for the next week. (Just kidding… I went to work, but some crazy girl kept screaming every time I was there…)
When we assume things, we do tend to make a mess. And goodness knows we have a lot of assuming going on these days. In the good ‘ole days, we were just arguing about politics. Now, we’re arguing about politics, masks, and stay-at-home policies. And because we’re divided and arguing, we’re making all kinds of assumptions about other people’s feelings, perspectives, and even their intelligence. And the mayhem that occurs is even more chaotic than a box of unleashed crickets on leopard print carpeting.
People, no one is winning here.
We’ve got to stop. We are falling apart at the seams here, especially those of us who are Christians who are responding differently to whole COVID-19 mess we’re in… and please—let’s be clear. There are some matters that are extremely black and white for believers. They are the essential beliefs, morals, and values that we can’t negotiate on when it comes to faith. After all, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). There’s no grey area there. I’m not talking about that.
The Bible has a lot to say about discord and division in the church. Paul wrote to the Corinthians about their division, “for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?” (1 Corinthians 3:3).
Friends, we are not supposed to be of our flesh. We need to remember the wisdom of Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
We have this powerful window of time to show the world that the church is not a building. We have this incredible platform of social media that allows us to BE the church to the whole world. Let’s be prudent and remember Who we are ultimately representing. After all, at the end of all of this, our opinions in this temporary season do not matter when compared to eternity with Jesus.
Believers, we are stuck with one another. Forever. Literally. And these disagreements now are not going to be relevant down the road when we are united in worship, basking in the glory of Jesus Christ!
So as you disagree with your brothers and sisters in Christ, please choose your words carefully. Don’t make assumptions. Give room for grace to those who want to stay sheltered as well as grace to those who don’t. Show Christian love to those who don’t want to wear masks as well as to those who do.
Let’s not create mayhem on top of mayhem. I’ve been there. I’ve searched for the crickets in the carpet and it’s not fun. And it’s not worth the fight.
Today, as you pray, thank God that while all these things are happening, He is still sovereign. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be the church and be kind to your brothers and sisters in Christ. Ask Him to help you show compassion and grace rather than making assumptions and sowing discord.
SHARING ••• Please share with others! Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. ***Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture references are from the ESV translation.
