|
Shut the Hell Up!
by P.L.
(note we don’t capitalize satan
or related words at JAC)
Do those words
make you uneasy? Well they should. Not because we shouldn’t be
using the word Hell, but because in this case we have been
blinded by it. We have let satan into every aspect of our
lives - sometimes even into our Christian testimonies. I am
talking about how often we allow our own pride and
conceitedness to govern our actions. How often do we either
blog about or tell someone about our great and many
accomplishments? You give to the homeless, but should you tell
all your friends that you gave, or should you keep the secret
between you and the person you gave the money to?
Consider the following words:
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men,
to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from
your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not
announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell
you the truth; they have received their reward in full.”
(Matthew 6:1-2)
Have you received your reward in full? Do people know all the
great things you have done for others? Or do you give and
serve in silence? Personally I found this verse very
convicting; I know I am guilty as charged. So often we share
things about ourselves with the hopes of others recognizing
those accomplishments. But that kind of sharing flies smack in
the face of Jesus’ teachings. It’s easy to respond to this
passage and say “I am sharing my actions so that others are
inspired to do the same.” This would certainly be a valid
Biblical course of action. However far too often it is not
this desire to see others thrive, rather it is our own desires
to have our own actions known by the world.
In thinking about how we could live our lives more according
to the above-stated Scripture passage, one of the great
Salvation Army figures of the last 1000 years came to mind:
St. Francis of Assisi. He was a true soldier for Christ living
every minute of his life for others. Although he lived before
the actual creation of The Salvation Army in 1865, his life
epitomized much of what the army stands for today. In fact
even William Booth thought of him as “one of the most
remarkable men this world had ever seen.” (Booth, Bramwell,
“Francis the Saint”, page 1)
Francis, although born into a life of luxury and fame, turned
it all down for a simple life - a life of serving others. A
life modeled on Matthew 6. Although he is still known to this
day for being an advocate for the poor and a Christian Saint,
he did not do what he did in order for people to know his
name. He did not serve so that he could be known. He served
because it is our duty as Christians to serve.
“Preach always, where necessary use words.” It may have become
cliché but in a fast-paced communication-focused world its
significance to us has never been greater. If we are to stop
the accusations that Christians are hypocrites; we need to
obey Jesus’ teaching and stop living as hypocrites. We need to
take up God’s call to go into the world not to make disciples
for ourselves, but to make disciples for Christ. We need to
take satan and the selfishness out of our testimonies. We need
just “shut the hell up” and let God do the talking.
---------------
Recommended Readings:
Booth, Bramwell. “Francis the Saint” in Books that Bless
(London: Salvationist Publishing, 1924.)
Douglas, Eileen. “Brother Francis: Less than the Least”
(London, The Red Hot Library, 1911.)
Watson, Bernard. “Soldier Saint: George Scott Railton”
(London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1970.)
|
