Good morning, brothers and sisters.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 5:28, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?”
I took several philosophy, math, and logic courses in college, and part of what hasn’t completely escaped my memory is the way my head hurt when I had to understand and respond to some of the postulations that included double negatives. Those questions would include something like this, “It’s not the case such that A does not equal B….” And when several of these conditions were layered on top of one another, I figured Plato and Descartes were just showing off and had nothing better to do than make up ridiculous puzzles. But in the real world, where you and I live and think, there are actually all kinds of “do nots” that we are not “not doing.” The Bible tells us to not be anxious, but we do not “not be anxious.” We are instructed to not be afraid, not set our affections on earthly things, and so on. You see what I’m getting at. I recently came across a ministry known as Called To Peace. Its focus is on domestic violence, whether physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal. As I was listening to the representative speak, I was struck by how much manipulation and control is behind the actual abuse that goes on. It’s this control that one has over the other that makes it difficult for outsiders to understand the actions and thought processes of the one being abused. Where we might advise someone to do what we think is obvious, the victim is being coerced and intimidated in ways that are beyond our comprehension.
Called To Peace uses one of the most familiar passages from scripture and flips it on its head, sort of in a “not, not” way, to emphasize how subtle yet powerful abuse can be. And so, 1 Corinthians 13 becomes “Abuse is impatient, abuse is unkind. It is envious, it boasts, it is proud. It dishonors others, it is self-seeking, it is easily angered, it keeps a record of wrongs. Abuse delights in evil but is miserable with the truth. It never protects, never trusts, never hopes, never perseveres. Abuse always fails.” No one is supposed to suffer through this type of treatment. If this looks or sounds familiar, I hope you will not not do something about it. Jesus is the great Rescuer and Deliverer, and His children are willing to help you or someone you know.
As we seek Him today, ask God to make you a vessel of peace. And if you are suffering, ask Him for direction and courage.
Have a victorious weekend.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
