Preemptive Strike part 4
When we know that love is our foundation, we can stand and not be shaken. Jesus is the One who picks us up when we fall, and can even keep us from falling. But what I'm trying to say in this Rant series is that we don't have to be so passive all the time. And, again, what I'm also not saying is that we should be aggressive. This idea that we have to uncover sin, get sin out of the camp, wage war against sin... I don't know. I'm more of the opinion that Jesus is the Lamb of God that took away the sin of the world. I'm more of the opinion that a believer CANNOT sin. I think the ONLY fight left to fight in the New Testament is the good fight of faith--laying hold of eternal life. Receiving and releasing the gift that we've already been given. And we do that... this oughta make sense... by having faith in God. We fight the good fight of faith... with faith. By believing that what God says about you is true. Not by trying to be someone you're not, but by knowing who you are. And when you know who you are you can BE who you are. Not by trying, but by resting. Not by might, or by power, but by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of truth that leads and guides us into all truth. The truth of who we are. The truth of who God is. The truth that WE are His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. The truth the HE is our heavenly Father. So what I'm trying to say is: Its all about love. Love is our preemptive strike. Love is where it begins and (in so much as there was an ending 2,000 years ago on the cross... the end of the old and the beginning of the New) and ends. Love is our foundation. Love is where we start. And we don't have to wait for anything to happen in order for us to start. We CAN break the cycle when someone gives us what THEY have--hurting people hurt people. When all you have is bitterness, and hurt, and pain, that's all you can give. And we SHOULD break the cycle whenever possible. But we don't have to wait for someone to slap us in order to turn the other cheek. We can show people love, and mercy, and compassion first things first. We can walk in with a smile and with love, mercy, and compassion on our lips. I've always thought having the right word (the Word of God which is LOVE) is better than having the last word. Let me say it like this: Sometimes you can be "right" or you can be kind. Sometimes people aren't ready to be proven wrong. Even if they are wrong. So slamming someone can do a lot more damage--even if they're wrong and you're right. I think Proverbs 15:23 says what I'm trying to say, "A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!" The right Word at the right time can be so powerful. A little encouragement goes a long way. And, again, the point of this whole Rant series, you don't have to wait for anything. You don't have to wait for someone to be struggling before you encourage them. You can pump people up regardless. Because you never know what they AREN'T showing you. Everybody is almost always fighting some kind of battle. So if you give them that Word when they don't even seem to be asking for it, when they don't know that you know that they need it... that kind of Word (LOVE) can literally be life changing. So start with love. Let it overflow out of you all the time. Don't wait for darkness before you say, "Let there be light." Let your light shine among men at all times!