Well, it has been an interesting year or so for me. Every once in a while, as a preacher, I will find myself having to REALLY apply what I share from the pulpit. Now, before I go any further, I am not referring to "sin" issues. We're good there. Whatever I find myself tempted by, I try to nail it to the cross of Jesus and He helps me overcome it. Thank you, Jesus!
I'm talking about those witty little statements that have become, for lack of a better term, "Phil-isms." These are my attempts at profundity whereby I take something that God has taught me and dish it out to my fair listeners in witty, "post that on the fridge", twitter-potential declarations. Not all of them are 'original' but I go back to them a lot.
Here are a few of my favorite Phil-isms:
1. Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship
2. You can't pray for someone you hate and you can't hate someone you pray for
3. The more you worship Monday - Saturday, the easier it is to do so on Sunday
4. Your character will outlast any rumor told about you
Well, #4 has reared it's profound yet ugly head towards me quite a bit in the last 2 years. I don't know why; but, it seems I frequently have found myself the subject of some very untrue things that have been either said {never to my face} or posted on the Internet {never checking with me}. Now, I gotta tell ya, to say it's no big deal would simply be untrue. In all honesty, it hurts when you read a bunch of falsehoods, nasty stuff or mean rumors about yourself on someone's Facebook page or on a message board of some kind. It still stings to have someone come up to you in church and say, "Pastor, this person is saying this about you. What is going on?"
Ugh, then #4 pops in my head.
Now, I am not saying it's wrong to stand up for yourself or your family from time to time. {In fact, beat up on me all you want to. Just leave my wife and kid out of your venom.} But, I have often had to trust the Lord that He will work things out on my behalf. I can't even imagine how much time and energy it would take to put out every fire that has started with my name on it. It really can become an amazing distraction to what's really important.
So what do I do? Do I nail the offender to the wall with some brilliant posts of my own? Try to start rumors that would hurt them worse than they hurt me? No. That would bring me down to their level. Do I try to correct what was said about me to all who may or may not have heard or read it? No. Who has the time and energy for that? So what's the answer?
I pray and I wait. I pray to see what God will do. And you know what? He gets the job done much better than I can. Does it sound like a cop-out? I would say 'no.' Prayer is not inactivity...prayer is action! {Wow, a new Phil-ism}
God can accomplish more in my prayers than He can in my revenge. I don't have to defend myself. He is my Defender.
So, let me say a little something to all those involved in the scenarios I have brought out in this post:
1. TO THE TALKER/POSTER -- the ones responsible for the venom, the falsehoods and the rumors. I'm not coming after you. I'm not working on a slam against you. I will not bring myself down to your level. I feel bad for you that your life is so unfulfilling that you have nothing better to do than hurt others or try to convince the world or your friends {of which, I doubt you have many real ones} that you are right. Your desperation in your actions is a clear sign to the world of how miserable your life really is. I pray you find fulfillment in the Lord...He's the real Source of it.
2. TO THE VICTIM -- hang in there...God will have His way and, when we commit these situations to the Lord, He will cause the truth to come out. Will people get hurt? Will you get hurt? Probably. Will you lose friendships? Possibly...and that really stings. But, let God take the reigns on this one. Don't spend your energies {emotional, mental or physical} on trying to defend yourself...let God do it. There are FAR MORE important things in your life to deal with and worry about.
3. TO THE BYSTANDER -- neither the one spreading venom or receiving it but watching from the sidelines. Positively take advantage of your relationships. If your friend is the one spreading nastiness, tell him/her to stop. If you are friends with the victim, tell them to 'hang in there' and that you are with them. I have recently had some friends do that for me and it REALLY helps. It's too easy for the negative statements to ring louder in your memory than any positive ones. Your friends NEED you! Be there for them!
