Respond through the Spirit, don’t react with the flesh!

As I was washing the car earlier this evening, there was a particular stain that seems impossible to come off no matter how hard I scrubbed it, and as I scrubbed, a thought came to my mind about stubborn stains.

I suppose some of you’ll be thinking “Ah, must be thinking about the stubborn sins in his life that sometimes stick to us for a long time..” Well….maybe you’re not thinking of that, but I’ll come straight to the point of what I was thinking. It struck me that not too long ago, there were some individuals that just couldn’t release their hatred and bitterness on me and my brother.

Why do I say that? Well, the conflict that happened between us and them took place about more than 2 years ago. Even after not talking at all for such a long time and my brother even took to the first step to apologize, they all ignored him except for one of them. But you see, they knew a common good friend of mine as well and I was commenting on his post on facebook, out of no where the entire gang of them came and started to talk extremely cynical and with loads of sarcasm which the post; in the first place, has entirely no relevance to their comments. They just decided to drop by again and pour out the bitterness they’ve been containing all these years.

The flesh immediately reacted, but the spirit decided to respond instead. What do I mean? Well men are very infamous for reacting with their flesh, when one person decides to shout at you, your flesh reacts by shouting back. But, if you allow the Holy Spirit to govern you, He will govern over your flesh and respond; Biblically. So instead of reacting by resorting to sinful spite and revenge, the Spirit decided that its best to keep quiet - trust me, it wasn’t easy.

Can you imagine you’re humiliated for no good apparent reason and they decided to do it because they just can’t let go the past? (The past in our case was fault on both side, they just decide to get “even” where in the first place, there’s nothing to be even about). And now, the Spirit urges - keep quiet and let them have it their way, even at the cost of your own pride and feelings. Burning inside and having the thoughts of throwing them words of cynicism as well (Because the philosophy of hating and loving someone is actually very simple: One hates according to the capacity of the hatred of one’s life, likewise one loves according to the capacity love in one’s life, now you know why Christian can’t stop loving? ;) ) I was very tempted to say words that would point them that it’s such a pity that they are living in their own hatred and using such low methods to console themselves.

Then the echoes of angry voices chanting in my mind “Crucify Him, Crucify this blasphemer!”

Mark 15:13
“Crucify him!” they shouted. (NIV)

Carrying the cross He did not deserve, spat and smacked from people He healed and who called Him their Saviour. Much worse, these were just dust that vanishes with a blow of wind yet they were constantly challenging His authority and feelings. All Jesus did was to kept quiet and having this goal in His mind; the very people that are spitting at Him, chanting at Him and slandering Him will be saved because He sees through the need instead of their fault.

Luke 23:34
“Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots” (NIV)

My heart gave in, I must follow my Master even if my flesh cries out otherwise. As Christians, I never failed to be reminded by Him that all emotions and intelligence are fleeting moments in life, but what is Spiritual I must cling on for that is eternal. And so, just like an extremely tiny step I did what I can to emulate my Master, I left that post without a word replied neither did I went around ranting it to everyone else about it.

But may I just share that not in every situation, you should keep quiet when you’re slandered or accused of something that you never done. Use the spiritual wisdom to know if you should speak up or keep quiet, in my case I knew if I were to speak up, it was never out of love but of selfish motive to defend my own pride while losing the opportunity to allow the Spirit to win them over.

May I challenge whoever is reading this, when the next time someone speaks to you in a very unjust manner; would you react or respond biblically? Even at a cost that you feel that you need not pay at all? If you know you have a particular weakness of reacting quickly with your emotions, bring it to God unceasingly and I’m very sure He will transform that weakness, truly by His Grace.

- Gary Heng

Images are taken from :
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Believer%27s%20Corner/bitterness.htm
http://www.thelegality.com/2008/04/16/gag-me-with-a-constitutional-right/
http://catholiclane.com/the-way-of-the-cross-christian-living-during-lent/carrying-the-cross-daily/
virtualphotographystudio.com/