“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” – 1 Peter 1:13[niv]
There’s something to be said about sober minds in a dark world. It is hard to have. Sometimes, I think our emotions can be a coating and cause us to act against reality/common-sense.
Last night, I watched “The girl with the dragon tattoo.” Almost walked out twice but I knew there had to be a reason I was there.[Spoiler alert] At one point during the main writer’s investigation, he figured out that the killer was someone he knew and he went to the killer’s house to investigate. The killer came back home and the writer ran out the back door. When spotted, the killer invited him in for a drink. The was an insidious look in his eye but our dear writer obliged.
Cut to the basement and our writer is now awkwardly strapped to a neck brace device. Anyway, the killer makes his speech and says something that really impacts me: “Why don’t people trust their instincts?” he asked smugly. “You knew I was the killer and yet you did not decline my invitation in.” He explained that sometimes, people’s desire not to offend will get them in situations that they know will cause them pain.
I saw that theme over and over again in the movie. We knew what was about to happen and sensed that it could somehow be stopped but our hero or heroin was not suspicious enough.
It’s the same thing that happens when a woman knows a certain man is watching her in an alarming way but she doesn’t report anything to the police because suspicions are not evidence enough and she is worried that she might offend either the man watching her or the police officers that are going to have to investigate the incident.
I want to submit that suspicions are a form of evidence. Please believe that if you suspect something, you have a reason. Something is out of the ordinary and it might be more than you think. Don’t toss it out in the name of fear. Perhaps that’s the reason why we won’t ask a friend what’s wrong even when we know that something is out of the ordinary (in the name of avoiding offense).
Stop and think… why do I think this. Pray for guidance. Do what makes the most sense and don’t let offense be your reason for setting your mind to the sidelines and allowing a problem to aggregate.
” 8Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [[f]in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.
9Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset--rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same ([g]identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.” – 1 Peter 5[amp]
Our worst mistake is thinking that we do not have an enemy. Pretending the problem isn’t there is NOT going to make it go away. Vigilance demands that we do not treat ourselves like we’re crazy just because we’re worried that someone might not believe us or that we might offend somebody.
Submit your minds to God everyday and pray for Him to lead you.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/valiant
Vraiment Vaillant Vendredi
