Seeking the enemy

My last entry on this blog was December of 2011. It turns out I'm not much of a blogger. I don't always feel comfortable sharing thoughts to the vast audiences of the internet, but would like a chance to express what has been on my heart with expectations of hearing responses to add to or correct anything that is written. I've debated writing something like this for awhile, but have felt an increase in the need to address an issue that has been affecting not just strangers whose names I see slandered on fb, but friends, and more recently, my own family on a very personal level.

 We would probably all like to assume that we are people of grace. We would probably give a hearty amen to Jesus' command, "Do not judge, or you too will be judge." The problem is, we can't help but judge. It's just how our brains are wired. We use the information we receive to make judgments. This is generally a good thing as it allows us to make wise decisions and helps us to use caution before entering into relationships or situations we may not want to be in. But what information are we using to make these judgments? A recent poll suggested that 33% of young adults use facebook and social media as their primary source of news. We learn mostly from each other. Even if we turn to other sources such as television and newspaper, how accurate is the information we are reading? While Daren and I were on the road, he was in around 100 pieces of media. I have yet to read ONE piece that was 100% accurate. It didn't matter how thorough the interview was or how many notes they wrote down, something was always miscommunicated. This surprised me, but I'm realizing now that it shouldn't have. Don't we all remember playing the telephone game in elementary school? We'd receive a message from the person on our left and pass it to the person on our right. By the end, the message which we all earnestly tried to spread with accuracy, was skewed and often humorously incorrect. We also have natural tendencies to read our own assumptions into a message or to slightly exaggerate when retelling stories to increase the impact of the story. On the same note, I'm sure we can all think of an example in our own lives, even if from childhood, when we heard only one side of a story being told that withheld information in order to villinize someone whom we knew to be justified or innocent. When this someone is you or someone close to you, it is extremely painful to see their name smeared in mud without question or investigation into their innocence.

 I say all this to remind us of a simple fact that We all know but forget: Don't believe everything you read or are told! THERE ARE ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO A STORY! Read everything with a grain of salt. Take in information, even when coming from a trusted friend, with the knowledge that you may not have all the facts on hand. Be slower to judge, and MOST importantly, do NOT forget who the enemy is. Blinding us to enemy, I believe, is one of Satan's greatest victories. It is easy to take information received and have it fuel within us a quick anger or vendettive toward a person. It's also incredibly easy to respond to that anger (or sometimes what we justify as "righteous anger") with a post on facebook. Why? For starters, it's a form of quick revenge. If we believe a person is guilty of something we disagree with, we feel he or she deserves to be shamed. Secondly, it makes us feel both proactive and powerful. We feel good about ourselves when we feel heard, and nothing provides quicker validation than positive or affirming comments on our facebook posts. We love to be right. We have to be aware, however, of the possible and stark reality that we have done nothing more than destroy the reputation of a person based on SOME information that may be incomplete or false in its entirety. We WANT to stand up for things that are just and right. But if it's ever against a specific person, then friends we have missed the enemy. Paul writes in Ephesians 6, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

 I wish we would all seek truth as much as we seek justice. Be careful when you find yourself in a fight. Ask yourself, "Who am I fighting against?" If the answer is a specific man or woman, stop and think. Remember God's love for that person and humble yourself to the point where you can leave room to hear from God and give grace. Admit that you do not know all facts or hearts and take yourself off the Judge seat. If you do come to a conclusion about someone that is negative, because we naturally do, do NOT feel the right to then quickly spread your human decision on a platform in order to persuade others to join your possibly flawed way of thinking. I feel at a loss of words here. I think I am hurt and disappointed and unsure how to continue. I don't want to point fingers; I want there to be peace. I want the Kingdom of God to come first and I want the church to uphold grace and understanding before pride and judgement. Sometimes I think it's difficult to see this within ourselves, so I ask that we simply take an honest look at our thoughts, our words, and our actions. I pray they'd be edifying and they would build up the church rather than tear down. I pray that our eyes are open to the true enemy and that we would stand against him as United.

 I think Paul says it best: "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all....Therefore each of you must put off your falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil a foothold....Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen....Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ." Ephesians 4