My friend, may I ask you a question? If God gives us the tools to not only defend ourselves but also to go on the offensive against sin, why when we are threatened, do we prefer to play dead and hope that the evil will simply pass us by?
My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day. I’m M. Clifford Brunner?
The Hog-Nose Snake flipped over on its back and coiled itself up into a neat coil. It lay seemingly lifeless in front of us somehow waiting for us to either move on or dare to pick it up. Banking on the former, I’m sure it was pleased to see us step around and continue our meadow walk. This snake is a peculiar animal. It possesses all the weapons a snake needs to fend off a would-be attacker. It has size on its side. It looks menacing in that at a distance it could pass for a Rattle Snake. And it has some very sharp teeth. Although not poisonous, there are few animals that would choose to mess with it. Yet, when threatened, it prefers to play dead despite both the defensive and offensive tools that God has given it. It seems odd that, given the choice to fend off danger, it almost always chooses to tempt the danger rather than confront it.
How like that snake we as Christians often are. God gives us the tools to not only defend ourselves but also to go on the offensive against sin. Yet, when we are threatened, we prefer to play dead and hope that the evil will simply pass us by.
Here’s a story: A man once tried to save his city from destruction by warning his fellow citizens. He walked through the streets shouting about all the sins he saw happening around him. But the people ignored him. Yet, day after day he continued to haunt the streets of his city. No one seemed to be affected by his calling, but he just kept calling out, day after day. One day someone asked, “Why are you bothering everyone? You can’t change them.” The man looked replied, “Maybe I can’t, but I still shout and scream to prevent them from changing me!”
This story reminds us of how our sense of moral indignation can easily be dulled by the world unless we are reminded of it daily. The Bible tells us that when we are made new in Christ we must “die every day” to this world. I guess it’s in how we wish to define that death that makes all the difference in how we confront the dangerous world around us. We can “play” dead and hope the dangers go away. Or, we can “die” to the dangers, put them off and bite into them with the teeth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God has given us all the “equipment.” It’s up to us as to how we choose to use it.
We pray. Heavenly Father. Our sense of moral indignation can easily be dulled by the world around us unless we are reminded of it daily by Your Word. We know that the Bible tells us that when we are made new in Christ we must “die every day” to this world. Forgive us when we are not able to define that death and fail to see that what makes all the difference is how we confront the dangerous world around us. Sometimes Lord we“play” dead, hoping the dangers go away. By Your Spirit Lord lead us to “die” to the dangers, putting them off and bitting into them with the teeth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You have given us all the “equipment.” It’s up to us as to how we choose to use it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.
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<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.