Be Loving Believers, Not Critical Christians

It seems are if when Christians take a Biblical stand, the world starts throwing darts from every which way possible. Making such statements are considered politically incorrect and socially unacceptable. The words "intolerance" and "narrow-minded" usually surface in response. I firmly believe that intolerance is a big part of the problem. We as Christians, myself included, are so worried about stepping on toes and would rather keep quiet rather than cause any dissension or confrontation. God warns us in His Word that it is not easy being a follower of Christ. Standing up and speaking out in the name of Christ will surely ruffle feathers and incite hateful comments. Unfortunately, a lot of Christians respond in kind. We get defensive, speaking out of emotion, becoming negative. We have to be careful when we defend in the name of Christ. We should be passionate about our Savior. But we need to make sure we do it in love. Instead of protesting, being hateful or telling them they are wrong, we should love, encourage and lead others in the right direction. Telling someone they are wrong just puts them on the defensive. We are not called to be hateful; there are enough people in the world that can be labeled as such without Christians becoming a part of it. We as Christians are supposed to be different and stand out in a positive way. As far as being narrow-minded, I think we should be when it comes what God's Word says is right and wrong; It speaks for itself. It is often misquoted, misinterpreted or taken out of context (whether intentionally or unintentionally) but the Word of God is true to the core. There is no gray area; there is black and there is white. It may not be a popular or well-received stance but it is not God's intention for us to be popular or well-liked. We are called to be "fishers of men," lead others to Christ. We should be careful to not become argumentative with those who do not agree with us. Defend, discuss but never argue. Arguments can get heated and get off-topic. The focus of the conversation gets lost in the pursuit to be right and convince the other person to think like you. This approach will more than likely push away instead of leading them in the direction of Christ. I applaud those who can state their Christian beliefs in the face of criticism, especially when done in a non-hateful manner. They are not making a popular decision and all sorts of negative labels will be attached to them. May I one day be as intolerant and narrow-minded as that.

(Lack of) Patience in Study

I've just recently started a new Bible study and this one is a little different for me as it is the first on I've done online.  My bestie stared a Facebook group for this study and we can buy and download the weekly videos at home and follow along in our study guide.  I'll have to say that it is nice to watch at home because I can rewind if I miss something or want to write down something that I want to remember but didn't catch all of the first time around.  It is easier for me to get distracted at home but if I pick a time when my toddler's napping and my husband's not playing video games, I know my chances are better.

That being said, I find myself getting extremely aggravated when my Bible study time is unduly interrupted and acting and reacting in the opposite manner that I should.  I am one to get distracted very easily and extremely aggravated very quickly (I'm slowly getter better in trying not to but I still have a long way to go).  The more involved I am in the video or daily homework in the study guide, the worse my reaction is in trying to remedy the distraction.  Here are a couple of recent examples:

• Yesterday, I was watching the first video as my husband was out, my toddler was napping and the dogs were inside; the time for quiet seemed optimal.  About three-quarters of the way through the video, one of our dogs started to bark her head off.  Needless to say, I was more than a little irritated.  But I didn't just get distracted, irritated and fuss at the dog; I screamed at her to shut up, get in her bed while asking her if a little quiet was too much to ask of her.  [side note:  she just came and nuzzled me, asking for some love - so forgiving :)]  She complied fairly quickly.  I did apologize to her and love on her after I finished the video but what I did was unnecessary.

• This evening, I was going to take the opportunity of our son napping and my husband being outside working on the pool and then his car.  Well, that plan got delayed from the get-go as our overtired toddler decided he would rather wail about being put down for a nap than actually take one.  Long story short, he did finally give into slumber but my husband kept coming in and out of the house, from the front to the back and back again, opening and shutting doors, which was extremely distracting to me.  I actually did okay and worked through it calmly but when he came in the room, I guess I had "a look" on my face and he asked me about it.  Carefully choosing my words so as not to come across as nagging, I simply stated (or so I thought) that it was very distractive to me to keep hearing the doors opening and shutting.  I wasn't blaming, just expressing my frustration, trying to communicate without pointing fingers and fussing but I apparently failed in my attempt since he rolled his eyes and shook his head in exasperation.  That is what set me off.  Needless to say, an argument ensued.

Considering how I am spending the quiet time:  in study, reading my Bible, taking in the Word, my reaction should be opposite of what it is.  Not that I'm not allowed frustration but yelling, fussing or being smart is not part of the solution.  There is no hidden Eleventh Commandment written in the Bible that states, "Thou shalt readeth and studieth my Word daily with peace and quiet and if thouest gets interrupted in any way, by all means necessary, loseth your temper to correcteth the situation in whatever manner Thou deemeth suitable."  When I I'm taking more of His word in, I should be exuding more of Christ out.  I seem to have a disconnect when it comes to this.  Satan is trying his darndest (and is usually fairly successful in his attempts with me) to use those distractions to his advantage, using anything he can to get my eyes off the Word of God.  However, my reactions are my own and can blame no one but myself for the outcome.  I CHOOSE if and how I let something bother me or not.  Satan throws the lure and I usually seem to take the bait.  My God is the only one who can remove it and it is only when I call out to Him and draw near to Him that He can take that hook out.