My life is peppered with “Should have” of “Could have” saids. I am in awe of the Tom Petty’s of the world, who ‘Won’t Back Down’. I ‘say’ a lot more on my blog, than I do in ‘public’, because I can still type when my heart is pounding in my throat.
Why do I back down? I don’t want to be rejected. I fear being attacked,opposed. I question my heart. Am I right to stand up against authority, if they are wrong,evil? I believe the world, it is not ‘loving’ to stand, even if it is for the truth.
I concern over man what they will think, if they will still like me, far more than I concern over serving God. I KNOW he won’t reject me. But ‘they’ always do. “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his strength. Whose heart departs from the Lord. He shall be like a shrub in the desert. And shall not see when good comes. Jeremiah 17:6 The twist in my concern of man opinion, man objection, man judgement, man rejection, is that I am trusting in man. I am letting man, (even if that man be me) be the governor of what I do and say, not God. If I do something to please man, or keep man pleased with me, I am manipulating the situation. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For If I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
When I do get the guts to speak, to let him direct my paths and quit leaning on my fear of rejection, I KNOW I am trusting and He IS leading. This does not remove the heart pounding, nor does it make ‘them’ like me. It just gives me the strength to endure. To not be anxious, beyond my understanding. I allow a relationship, open the door, and survive the ‘No’. My heart is not broken and I forgive the rejection. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out it roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes. But it’s leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought nor will cease from yielding fruit. . Jeremiah 17:7-8
Blessed , but not among men. Jeremiah says the ‘tree’ will not fear when ‘Heat’ comes. The heat of rejection, opposition,condemnation, accusation, anger, abuse, death. Dr. Ben Carson, St. Valentine Joan of Arc,John Adams,Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Elizabeth Kenny, Edna Gladney, Dr. Rodney Ford, Joe the Plumber, Dr.Ignaz Semmelweis,Keith, myself. We are not guaranteed acceptance from man for standing for the truth. Whether it be the truth that gluten is intolerable to everyone ,or liberal ideals are destroying, or opposing a corrupt leadership, or pointing out the sins of man, for the transformation of man, or just washing your hands.
Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake
I do trust man. I do give man the benefit of the doubt. I do love my neighbor. I consider others. I do respect positions of authority. I am supposed to.I believe man when they say it is wrong to hurt others, disrespect others, to be unkind to others. God says the same.
- Let each of you look not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others Philippians 2:4
- Obey Those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for the souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you Hebrews 13:17
- The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness. self control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
God also says to not but my trust in man. God tells me of false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing. God tells me the ways of the world, men is not His way. If I am partaking of the world, doing as, agreeing with the ways of man, compromising I am not pleasing to God, I have become the world. God tells me to stay away from believers who are doing wrong.
- Psalm 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes,Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help..
- Matthew 15:8–9 8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
- Matthew 7:15 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
- Luke 16:15 But Jesus said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God’s sight
- .1 John 2:15-1715 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
- 1 Corinthians 5:11-1311 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolaters, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
How do I do both? I am back to Proverbs 3:5-6 letting God lead me. I speak the truth in love. Ephesians 4:1214 that we should no longer be rchildren, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of sdeceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the thead—Christ— Knowing that it may not be received well ,Hebrews 12:11 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. But is is necessary for growth of all. Proverbs 10:13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding
God tells me to stand, and I will be opposed. It is right. 2 Timothy 42 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
He did not say it would be easy.
John 15:18–2118 w“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 xIf you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet ybecause you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, z‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. aIf they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But ball these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
I'm Not So Petty 