Priorities part 3
This one's a little personal. But you all know I like to use myself as an example, so that nobody else gets offended. Ok. I absolutely believe in turning the other cheek. Not retaliating. I always say, "Don't take things personally, even if they are." I also absolutely believe that once you've turned the other cheek... you don't have to stand there and let someone beat on you. You can walk away. And the verse I like to use to back up that point of view is Matthew 10:14 in the Message Bible. "If they don't welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way." Or Mark 6:11 in the MSG, "If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way." Or Luke 9:5 MSG, "If you're not welcomed, leave town. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on." Three of the Gospels saying the same thing. Get in where you fit in. And if you don't, that's ok. I know I'm not for everybody. And, realistically, I'm not going to make waves. Not unless I'm pushed to the point where I'm going to tip the whole boat over. Because, again, I believe in turning the other cheek. Letting people be who they are. But there comes a time when your own peace of mind HAS to be a priority. Because you can only push someone so far before they either fall over... or push back. Fight or flight, right? And shrugging your shoulders and quietly moving on is sometimes necessary. Staying in a bad situation is not--I don't believe--what God wants you to do. I'm sure we can find instances in the Old Testament where God asked His prophets to do some wild stuff. But I tend to go with Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." And, listen, sometimes to get to the expected end we DO have to go through some stuff. That's called learning and growing. But there's a difference between going through something and staying in something. Roots are good, but a rut is just a grave with the ends kicked out. If you're miserable... do something about it. God doesn't want you to be miserable. What father would want that for his children? A true father wants his children to prosper. He thinks thoughts of peace and not of evil. Let me say it another way: "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Life happens. Every second of every day. And not all of it is going to go exactly how you want it to. But in Him we have peace. He IS our peace. So if you're going through hell, keep on going. Don't stay there. Make peace a priority. And watch this: "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9). When you HAVE peace, you can MAKE peace. Because you can't give what you don't have, and you can only give what you do have. So take what you can take. Do what you can do. But when its time to move... move. God doesn't want you to suffer. He doesn't want you to be--or stay--in a bad situation. Make peace (inner and outer) a priority!