The Thorns On The Rose

Any chain that has a weak link suffers because of that weakness. If nothing is done to fix this, the chain itself will eventually break completely.  There are certain who claim to be Christians (I say claim because only God knows if they truly are), yet behave in a manner opposite to one in the most deceptive of ways - hidden judgement. These are those who seem to know what is acceptable to God's standards and what is not. They stand at a distance and "judge" the lives of others with such innocence you would feel they were speaking truths. These so-called honest truths are their feelings about something, yet when did they attain the position of The God-head to decide what is the acceptable will for any one person? This just may be another sign of hidden pride unknown to they themselves or just plain ignorance on their part.

Whichever it maybe, it is sad and it is very destructive. Pouring enough water on a raging fire will eventually put out that fire. The more you dampen the spirit of a Christian doing his best to serve by your personal judgments of the person, for example, a gospel musical artist receiving an award, the more likely you are to kill that person’s reach to other lives that are in dire need of that reach. You cause men who should be smiling at the help being rendered to frown and withdraw from seeking the direction they need to Christ. You become the one that removes the sign board directing the lost souls to The Cross - Jesus, and His salvation. Such persons are just like the thorns on the rose that do not exactly destroy its beauty but cause more harm than good, by throwing off the desire of any who notices them from picking up a rose or two.

This is the behavior of the so-called Christians who feel they have attained enough discernment to know what God values in men and women who serve Him. Their view - a Christian should DEFINITELY not have anything to do with honor or fame or fortune. The idea of the world and certain so-called believers is that a Christian is a person wearing tattered clothing and as pious as a mouse, knowing nothing about wealth, fame or fortune because God is all about the poor and homeless. Thus, anyone who steps into the "light" becomes a questionable soul seeing as being honored is more "worldly" than it is "Godly".

These people are those who forget that it is God who allows any man to create wealth and that the child of a King is honored even by Him. They forget that God allows His own to shine in order to reach to the farthest corners of the world in order to reach ALL lives, rather than self-glory of the individual. Should a Christian lose sight of his calling and start to follow fame and fortune, then that would be a different story, but they that are focused on drawing men to God via their talents and get blessed or honored for it should be supported to reach farther to places that others cannot or have not. This is the team Spirit of Christianity - the support of a fellow laborer in the Kingdom!

A post was shared on my church choir page which led to a few inputs by a few of us, and a few emotions later, this article was born. I have never really been able to stand by and not correct things that require correction. Occasionally, we all turn a blind eye to things we know we should correct, but when something is impressed deeply on your heart you find no freedom till you get done what you must. Thus, here we are.

Rather than throw a cloth over the light source, it makes more sense to clear out the dust that may be hindering the path of the light it is emitting. The body is not one if it is lacking some part like the eye or ear or feet or hand or heart or lung or so. It will not function properly due to the lack of that part. Jesus, Himself, said;

"14. For the body is not one member, but many.  15. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16. And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17. If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  18. But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19. And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20. But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

22. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

23. And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

24. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

25. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another." - 1 Corinthians  12:14 - 25 (KJV)

He knew the importance of supporting each other and so He admonished that we do. The work of God is not an easy one, but we make it easier when we help and support each other. So, rather than speak out against those who are honored for using their talents to the best they can with the focus of reaching out far and wide, let us support the work of our fellow servants in Christ. We are all flawed one way or the other, but remember the caliber of people Jesus called to walk beside Him to complete the work He needed to get done - fishermen, tanners, people who couldn't speak well or had some infirmity of some kind and others who were not so "special". He did not call the rich, famous and respected, but those that were looked down upon or even simply overlooked but who ended up becoming the most popular of people the world has ever known, and still talk about even now.

God honors men who serve Him with their talent, so why should men judge men when we, men, do same in honoring such men with the aim to help "boost" and appreciate their efforts?

~ yoyo

~ inspiredw0rdz

~ July 8, 2017 ; 8:20 am