Keepin' It Clean

In our lives as Christian believers, there are many “opportunities” presented for becoming offended with another brother or sister in Christ.  I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon, though: once you become aware of the way the enemy uses offense as a tool to divide and conquer, be prepared—it’s likely that as soon as your resolve to rise above is settled within your heart, an attack will come.  It’s like our Enemy is just waiting for us to make such a commitment, so that he can send his minions to swoop in wreak havoc, making us look and feel foolish for ever aspiring to such a lofty ideal. 

Some offenses are easier to let roll off our backs than others.  I’ve found that the greatest tests arise from would-be offenses from the people we respect, admire, and care about the most.  These are the situations that cut the deepest, for we often feel the injustice and lack of understanding from the offender more keenly.  “If that person really knew me, they never would have (said, thought, done) that!”  And sometimes, a situation will arise where the offense is more a product of our overactive imagination, than any deliberate, malicious attack.  I’m a teacher, and my current school principal has a number of standard protocols for our interactions with one another.  One of them has been really resounding in my spirit lately—assume good will.  If we kept this in the forefront of our thoughts, I think we could deflect some of those potential arrows of offense a little better.  Yes, someone may be thoughtless in what they said or did, but perhaps we shouldn’t internalize it quite so much.  It wouldn’t have a chance to do its dirty work, if we would assume that the person wasn’t intending to be offensive.

Praying through offenses, and being intentional about releasing our “claim” on being offended as quickly as possible, diffuses the work of the Enemy.  Think of it as sending in the bomb squad to keep that potential explosive from getting out of hand and causing all kinds of collateral damage!  If we would do that, how much spiritual shrapnel could we avoid? 

Our response to love, forgive and RESTORE relationships completely befuddles our adversary!  It’s the same effect when, despite circumstances, “facts,” and evil reports, God’s people choose to lift up their eyes to the hills, knowing their help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.  It doesn’t compute—it’s the instinctual opposite of what our flesh tells us to do.  Our flesh says, “worry, fret, complain, be fearful, gossip;”  our faith says that since we can’t do one legitimate thing to change our situation for the better, take it to the Master, and leave it in His more-than-capable hands.

Sometimes, I wonder at how God has blessed me with such an outstanding pastor as Rick Olson.  I’m so grateful for a Man of God who is so tuned in with the Spirit, for over the past three weeks or so, he has been teaching a series about the battle for our mind.  This ties so perfectly to the topic of offense, for dealing with offense is NOTHING, if it is not a battle fought in our minds, for our minds.

He has made more than a few impactful statements during the series.  These are only a few, paraphrased by yours truly, while I was trying to take copious notes:

• In the battle for our minds, we MUST RESIST the enemy and what he is trying to accomplish—so he will flee.  (James 4:7)
• What you think about is what will influence your actions.
• You can choose what you will think about.
• There is no way to get a “right mind” without the Lord.  We must come to Him, and submit 100%.
• Isolation is the enemy of UNITY.
• Relationships in a church can sometimes be like sibling rivalry.  Left to their own devices, there wouldn’t be any unity.

Offense, left to fester, causes infection, division, and disease, both in the offended party, and in the church body they belong to.  Consider that a body suffering from disease is a body that is not functioning in unity. 

In a healthy body, all parts work together in common purpose.  There is an equity to each function; but if the heart ever abandons its intended purpose, and tries to do the work of an eye, it is out of order.  A liver doesn’t necessarily take over for the kidney if the kidney refuses to do its job.  No foot digs in, and declares itself to be an ear instead.  All these members have their place in the working—in unity—of a healthy body.  For it to try to be anything other than that which it is designed for places it out of order, and disease is then present.  Unattended, it will work to bring destruction and breakdown to the body as a whole.

When offense is allowed to reign in our hearts and minds, system shut down and refuse to work, and other members unsuccessfully try to pick up the slack.  Offense brings disunity, and the only prescription is to RID the body of the foreign contaminant, for it is bringing imbalance and confusion to the normal inner workings.  The infection MUST be eradicated, so the healing may begin.  Once gone, antibodies go to work, and healthy cells can be repaired.  The longer the body remains free of infection, the stronger and the more effortless the functions become.

Not every “disease” is unto death.  The interesting thing about our bodies is that, once we’ve been exposed, and successfully recovered from an attack on our health, our body develops resistance to future attacks.  Isn’t that amazing?  But the key in recovery is to get treatment—because infection left unattended will lead to disfigurement at best, and death at worst.  Is that what you want for YOUR spirit?  Disfigurement and death?

Nothing is worth that.  There is no need to be RIGHT, no need to be vindicated, that is worth the health of my soul!  As the psalmist David said, “Create in me a CLEAN HEART, O God, and renew a RIGHT SPIRIT within me.” (Psalm 51:10) David recognized that his spirit hadn’t been in a good place, and here he begs the Lord to root out the infection, and renew health and balance to his spiritual condition.  He knew that, without God’s help, the infection would destroy him.

This is my prayer:

 Oh, God…renew a right spirit within me.  Burn out of me anything that gets in the way of keeping my spirit clean before you.  Help me to humble myself; let me answer with a soft answer, and help me to give others the benefit of the doubt, assuming first that their intention is not to harm me.  No matter my guilt or innocence in a matter, let my response to the situation be right and pleasing unto you.  Help me to speak when it is right, and to hold my tongue when my words would only serve to inflame a matter.  Help me not to wall off my spirit to others, but to remain approachable, tender, and malleable by your Spirit, for isolation would only serve to drive a further wedge between my brothers and sisters and me.  Above all else, I pray for UNITY amongst your children, and that we may remain a healthy body of believers, free of disease, working in concert, and advancing the cause of Your Kingdom effectively and joyfully until You come again to bring us home.  Help us to never be ignorant of the devices the wicked one would use to divide us.  I CHOOSE NOW TO FORGIVE THOSE whose words or actions have wounded me in some way, and I pray for restoration of relationship.  Have Your way, Lord, above all else, and thank You for you boundless mercy, grace, love, and provision.  You are truly a good, good Father.  Amen!