Living in the Tension
Jesus sent his disciples out as sheep among wolves to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
I track nearly everything digitally but hate the idea of being tracked. I’m an introvert who hangs out with extroverts – or at least extroverted introverts. I’m a reader who spends a lot of time with people who are more visual. I’ve been virtually cashless for years but now that the idea of going cashless as a society is picking up steam, I’m using cash again. The style of music I enjoy is pretty niche, so it’s hard to find people to talk to about it, especially after losing a lifelong friend last year.
Beyond preferences and styles, I feel tension as a Christian. And I think we are supposed to feel it. We are called to be in the world but not of it. We are supposed to die to our own wants and desires. We are to submit to earthly kings but bow only to the King of kings. If an enemy slaps us on one cheek, we’re to offer him our other one, even going so far as to pray for him. We’re to consider others more highly than ourselves. And Jesus sent his disciples out as sheep among wolves to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
And if you really want to feel tension, bring up any of these subjects among Christians and you’ll hear all sorts of opinions and debates. I’m much more interested in seeing people live out these principles, however they interpret them.
I have a friend who was working one day when three guys came in. Before he realized what was happening, one of them punched him in the face. My friend, who is a Christian, felt a supernatural desire to pray for the man who had just assaulted him. That takes praying for your enemies to a new level.
Our natural desire is to try to escape tension. But Jesus taught us to live in the tension. He lived in it himself when he walked this earth – more so than anybody who ever lived – facing opposition everywhere he went. John 1:9-11 (ESV) puts it this way: “The true light [Jesus], which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.”
And Jesus offered his followers this reminder in John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
That’s not exactly a cheery message, but if you are a Christian who is feeling tension right now, understand that you are supposed to feel it. Don’t try to escape from it. Look for opportunities to live in the tension in ways that honor Christ.
September Spotlight
Now you can enjoy the complete Mercy Inn Series trilogy in one volume (e-book only).
Mercy Inn (Book 1): Three strangers travel on a lonesome Colorado highway at Christmastime and are forced to take shelter during a snowstorm at Mercy Inn. Will the two innkeepers, who just happen to be angels, be successful in helping Sarah, Brad, and Megan to face their respective roadblocks and set them on a new course? Or will fear, guilt, and pride win the day?
The Reunion (Book 2): When the Moffat High School class of 1986 holds its thirtieth reunion at Mercy Inn, the twelve former classmates get much more than an ‘80s-themed dance and a stroll down memory lane. Will the two innkeepers be able to guide Zoey, Tommy, and Matt through a maze of decisions and a life-threatening situation? Or will this reunion end in tragedy?
The Revelation (Book 3): After learning that Mercy Inn is set to host its final Christmas celebration, the two innkeepers face another big challenge. As the four guests struggle internally and with one another, the innkeepers' insights cause the guests to question the true identities of the innkeepers, shaking them to their core.
In addition to the complete trilogy, this volume also includes a Mercy Inn short story titled "Comeback" that fits perfectly between Books 1 and 2.
Here are some tidbits you might find interesting this week:
“The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.” - C. H. Spurgeon
Last week, I wrote about sacred scars. In the comments, Elizabeth Reynolds Turnage shared this funny funny story about a question a 12-year-old boy asked about scars.
Author James Magruder wrote about one of his sacred places in this fantastic article.
“Decluttering is infinitely easier when you think of it as deciding what to keep, rather than deciding what to throw away.” -Francine Jay
If you are in the Omaha, Nebraska, area, stop by the Papillion Book Festival tomorrow (September 16) between 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. I’ll be in booth #22. And I’ll have candy!
When Lee isn’t writing essays, devotional books, or Christian fiction, he is a freelance editor, as well as a freelance journalist who has written hundreds of articles for various newspapers and magazines. He’s also a fan of NASCAR, baseball, tennis, books, movies and coffee shops.