It's Opposite Day!!!

 

"Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love."

~St. Francis of Assisi

Today is Friday.  It's going to be a doozie.  In America it's National Escape Day, National Shut Down Day, and a day globally set aside to promote peace and non-violence in commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination in 1948.  

Escape from what?  Shut down why?  Neither of those seems to promote peace and non-violence.  How are we to think and act?  I think it should be Opposite Day - a day Christians set aside to do opposite the world-

"Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed

by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve

what God's will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will." Rom 12:2 

The world slings at us movements and ideologies that suggest we need to presume a position and jump on a side.  Because of the online onslaught of people's opinions we are given a supposed binary choice of being only on one side or the other (which means we are against the other).  

Don't buy it.  As Christ followers, we are on His side and only His side.  Contrary to common thinking, there is no more violence and division now than there was back then.  

The false gods ruled then like today- hatred, division, power, sexual immorality, corruption, arrogance, pride, violence, love of money, hatred of God - human nature and the influence and reign the devil has on this earth has been since the garden.  

The OT believers were enslaved, battled and ruled by pagan leaders.  NT believers were ruled by inbred maniacal Caesars (national) and Jewish leaders (local) who were so violent and corrupt they crucified Christians who showed allegiance to the Lord, threatening the worship of and devotion to whatever ruler reigned at the time.  

Before we proclaim this side or support that side, even in our minds, let's first make sure our allegiance is aligned with God and His kingdom.  Jesus spoke repeatedly about examining our hearts, and not just appearing on the outside as loving God.  When asked what was the most important commandment-

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, 

the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul

and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this:

Love your neighbor as yourself." Mark 12:29-31

Social media is a playground for emotional baiting.  And it is not an accurate representation of the climate, as algorithms based on our scrolling control our feeds.  However nothing controls the feed of God's Word, who reveals to us His heart.  From Genesis to Revelation God is revealed:

-the emotion of His true Love for us and how we love back -

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that 

whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

-His wisdom to cover our minds with-

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, 

but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Prov 1:7

-His strength to provide and protect us-

"God is our refuge and strength; always ready to help

in times of trouble."  Psalm 46:1

How can we love Him with every part of our being, not distinguishing between work, politics, play, parenting, and education?  

Only saturating our souls with Him through reading His Word, talking with Him, and worshipping Him day and night.  

Let's make every day the opposite of what the world does.

✙ Dear Heavenly Father, You told us the world would try to claim our hearts and minds, but that You would intercede on our behalf.  We confess when our discipline is weak and our faith falters and ask You to be our strength.  Our world is in trouble, and we are asking You to be our help.  Spread Your Peace throughout our world, and enable us to be instruments of that Peace.  Amen.