Reflect and Love

 

Wake the Faith up Slayer… This is Garth Heckman with the David Alliance and you can reach me at

TDAgiantslayer@gmail.com 

 

Brought to you by wellbuiltbody.com Gym Apparel for men and women that rocks and shocks and ain’t for everybody - but just might be for you. wellbuiltbody.com

 

I heard a great line by Jocko Willink on the Joe Rogan podcast this past week. He was talking about Ju jitsu and how hard it is to truly master it and you never really master it. Jocko said he trains people for a few days in some intensive course that helps their mind will and spirit and they end up also learning some basic moves in ju jitsu. He explained to them after they all felt truly accomplished that what they just learned was more or less like almost… almost learning how to write one letter in the alphabet and yet not knowing how to read… Then he went on to say and if you learn the alphabet and learn to read you open up another door and see a french word… ahhh its never over. There are thousands and thousands of words and languages to learn how to read and write and speak. He again said this is what trying to learn Ju Jitsu is like. Then Joe Rogan added, this is why you have to stay humble… you don’t know it all and there is someone out there who doesn’t know it all, but still knows more than you. 

I see a lot of arrogance today in our Christian world - most likely do to media. People are quick to call out pastors and evangelists on predominantly petty stuff… ok I get it - they are trying to build an audience… but still the thought of some Christ followers coming across like they know everything OR can at least sit in the seat of judgement is a little crazy. Even if you have know Christ your whole entire life and you know him well… adn you know your bible and you know the greek and the hebrew and the aramaic and the history… all of that is still just basically learning how to write one letter in the alphabet and still not knowing how to read or write or speak english… and again thousands of more words. 

So how should one respond to those we disagree with.. and yes even if it is a blatant sin. 

Well lets suppose you don’t know the person that well or maybe not at all. 

Always always speak in love. Speak in truth… but in love. I like starting my sentences with… hmmm that is an interesting take. And then I will follow up with a statement that contradicts what they are saying, but with love humility and using scripture. I will say something like “and how would you respond knowing what you know with the verse that says…, and regardless of what they say, again I respond in love. 

Think of it this way. When people are in sin or you feel in error, use the word of God as a reflection pool. Help them see their beliefs compared to who God is and what his word says. You job is not to correct them first, but rather steer them first and let the word of God correct them. Now I am not afraid of pointing out the  facts and the fallacies of people… but if I do it in a prideful way I am creating the wrong reflection. If I do it in an angry way, I am creating the wrong reflection. If I do it in a superior way I again am creating the wrong reflection. 

Lets read James 1:22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.…

Again we must help people see a reflection from Gods perspective. 

Do you remember Snow white and the 7 dwarves… every day the nasty witchy queen would ask the magic mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all. the mirror would say you my queen are the fairest of them all… was snow white not around at that time? yes she was, but still growing up…. it took time for the mirror to finally break the bad news to the queen… you are no longer the fairest of them all. It gave a new reflection… but it took time. It is much like the word of God when used properly in someones life by a believer who approaches them in love.  Be the mirror God wants you to be and reflect who he is.