August 11
Scripture focus: Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:6 (NIV)
I crack myself up when I think back to the day when I spent so much time taking responsibility for things that God never, ever intended for me to shoulder. For years I lived under the impression that if Jesus said, and he did, that the truth will set you free, then it must be my job to tell everyone the truth. Unfortunately, this is quite the distorted application of the text – and pretty arrogant too!
Jesus taught some other important principles that help clarify the issue of responsibility. He told us not to give pearls to pigs. In Proverbs we're told that if we rebuke a scoffer, we might end up dead. Before you think I've abandoned bad boundaries for judgmental thinking – hear me out.
Although it is not my place to judge another person in any area, I have been given responsibility for becoming a person who possesses discernment. We have, after all, been told we can have the mind of Christ; we can know God's will; we can have our minds renewed. So I know it's not my job to decide if a person is a pig or a prince(ss). But I do have a job.
Here's what I can do:
- Take responsibility for learning what is sacred and what is not – for myself. I have responsibility to intentionally seek to know God. How that knowledge will be used in the future isn't my problem. My work is to acquire it.
- I have a responsibility to my fellow man to aid in his/her restoration process (Galatians 6:1-4) if I am a spiritual being (and anyone who has turned their life over to God's care and control has the capacity to become a spiritual being).
Save time and energy, learn from my goofy ways: running around spouting "truth" (assuming we know what that is) has never helped a person steeped in shame. It just sends us scurrying for cover. Healthy boundaries instruct us in the proper handling of the truth.
May God reveal a timely word of truth to each of us today.
Recommended reading: 1 Kings 7-9
2 comments:
god did reveal a timely word of truth for me today. the truth he wants me to tell others today, is the boundless love he has for all of us, no matter where we are in recovery. his love is not based on where we are in recovery, we are in recovery simply because he loves us, and it is his love that drew us from our brokenness to a place where we could heal. day by day, peace grows as i slowly but surely learn to stop trying to get love and try to tune into what i can do to love others, sometimes by nothing more complicated than not wounding anyone today. my peace grows as i seek to give peace. being more and more at peace does not mean that everything is peachy keen. it simply means i am not at war with people and situations around me-today. a 'nanny' mouse, signing off.
What a beautifully stated truth nanny mouse!
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