The Sin of Enabling Wickedness
/The Sin of Enabling
Being honest is something we regard as righteous, in Christ, but somewhere along the way, we got lost.
For some reason, we're
afraid to be honest with ourselves
about ourselves, and so this is a realm in which our enemy gets to frolic... a lot.
The
"sin of enabling bad behaviour (
) in the simple act of not being true to ourselves"
refers to
sin that abounds because we are not being ourselves,
acting as we naturally would when someone acts/treats us in a particular way, positive or negative.
Look at babies - there's a reason Christ said be like them.
Boundaries, setting and upholding them, are a feature of wisdom that comes from right relationship with God.
The Genuine Compliment
Natural response: Smile, feel uplifted and say thank you, even notice a positive in the messenger.
Faux-Godly response: refuse the compliment, highlight a million items of evidence proving it's not true.
Why? We misunderstand the true nature of modesty, humility.
We now believe confidence is arrogance. In doing so, we've created a society of confused people who never know when/how/if to pay compliments and honoring each other has become... "Awkward". We're deceived! We played right into the enemy's hands.
The Hard Slap
Natural response: Flee, slap them back or speech them off, noticing weaknesses to pounce on.
Faux-Godly response: "Please, don't slap me. I realize you (excuses, rationalizing bad behaviour), but...".
Why? We misuse the verse "turn the other cheek",
we've distorted our response. In doing so, we've taught that person that it's okay. Again, look at children. the first time they realize biting hurts, they stop... mostly.
Source:
lovecoversall-godislove.blogspot.ca
In God's Image
I'm not sure why so many in the Church have decided that nature is evil - the Word says "the power of death and life lie in the tongue"
. We only see, "out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, ..."
, but
miss that it is our very hearts that God wants (
, ). Not to destroy it! To heal it!
Because everything stems from your heart. Where we got lost, however, is in trying to do it ourselves.
By design, the natural responses we have, are their for a reason,
given by our Creator, God, in Christ. We help each other to grow by
being exactly who we are. No, not by making them be who we are.
God in His Holy Spirit, or through these types of experiences with others, refine us into His image - it is not us, trying in our own strength to be that. So please be true to you, and take the displeasing parts to God, so He can change them. Amen.
Honoring Others
It is then, overflowing with God's love, through our intimate experience of His Love,
grace, mercy - His joy and hope, His honor - that we can truly love and honor our neighbours, and our enemies, and not help them along a path of eventual self-destruction by misleading them to believe it's okay to hurt us.
P.S.
For those of us who have decided that
all environmentalists are pagan,
think again.
You might want to re-read
and even
. God didn't make the earth and say abuse it - what in God's character is like that? No.
We are to be good stewards i.e. take care of it.
