Blog 19-1: MORAL AND ETHICAL VALUES DRIVE HOW YOU ACT
(Leeann Wilhelmi)
Friends,
If I were your enemy ----
I would watch your values carefully; not the ones you say you ascribe to, but the ones you live by. I dare say some of the enemy’s greatest successes lie in his ability to gain entrance to your life here, for this is where you expose your weaknesses and your vulnerabilities. This is where the gaps are.
Maybe he sees that you value being successful as a parent and/or spouse, in your career, socially, etc. What could possibly be wrong for valuing success in these important areas? But, if we’re not vigilant, all these areas provide significant opportunities for the enemy as we worry excessively about them, even creating false idols by focusing on them more than on God. This puts our relationship with Him in second place at best.
What about that last argument you and your spouse had? Did you listen to them, really listen, to understand their heart or did you listen only to respond? What about the last dig you typed out to the one you so vehemently disagreed with on social media? Who was honored? Who felt loved? Did it do anything to reflect that you are meek? Does it really help to hunger and thirst for righteousness when the object of your disdain feels nothing but your hatred?
Using the current state of the union, what moral and ethical values are driving us as a nation? Is it the law of love? Is it unity, solidarity? Is it sanctity of life? Is there anything that seems to be divinely inspired, God ordained?
If I were your enemy, I would begin to gather people into factions. I would manipulate facts to distort the truth. I would paint pictures of an “us” versus “them” narrative and monopolize division, handily making them forget “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness”. This easily bleeds into marriage, work, politics, social media. I would create diversions to keep people living in fear and make them forget about “Blessed are the peacemakers”.
Lets think for just a minute about the nature of moral and ethical values that are dictated by The Word, which says that we are to be salt and light. Have we lost our saltiness in the world, because if so, the Bible says we’re no longer good for anything? And we’re also called to be the light of the world, at the top of the city for all to see, glorifying God the Father. I was reading just this week about a young woman, Sophie Scholl, who was a German student and anti-Nazi activist. She was part of a small group who distributed tracts (both Biblical and philosophical in nature) that encouraged Germans to passively resist the Nazi government. She was tried and convicted of high treason (along with two others) and was executed by guillotine. These were her last words: “How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause? Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action.”
What an enigma to the world that the Christian wars not by fighting, but by standing. Ephesians 6: 13-18 says “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” Even if we’re assaulted, our directive in Matthew 5:39 is to “turn to them the other cheek also,” and as if that isn’t pacifist enough, verse 44 says, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
So how are we acting? As Christians our motivations and drivers, if not taken from the Word of God, can lead us to places we weren’t meant to go. Our motivations cannot come from a people group, a political party, being accepted or rejected, nor a desire to fit in.
An exchange between Alice and the Cheshire Cat of Alice in Wonderland has been paraphrased to read “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” Another by Robert Frost in “The Road Not Taken” reads “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Even the Bible says in Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Take your stand.