... Even If You Slay Me

It is really a liberating thing to realize that God directs each of us to use a unique method in order to accomplish His good will for our lives. I hope that this news has added a bit of sparkle to your eye and bounce to your step. While that is great news, however, it isn’t always fun or … nice.

What isn’t nice is that God is not at all adverse to using methods we don’t believe in. I told you about me and the stock market, and that is funny, but not particularly startling to anyone but me and the people who know me well, because nearly everyone does believe in the stock market. My purchase of stock is not offensive to the vast majority of people, and it isn’t even offensive to me—only odd and highly amusing.

But what happens when the Lord uses a method that is deeply offensive to you? I mean, deeply offensive to you. You may think the Lord would never use a method that contradicts your convictions and beliefs, but I think I will step out on a limb at this point:

At least once in your life, the Lord will accomplish His good will in your life by a means that is completely and thoroughly offensive to you. It may also be embarrassing to you, and it will probably be offensive to the important people in your life, as well. You will probably also be offended, at some point, by the method He uses in the lives of those around you.

If you think God wouldn’t do that, you have a twisted view of God. Can anything good come out of Nazareth? (Somebody was offended by God’s method.) Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree. (More folks offended by God’s method.) Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath? (How many people were offended by that?) Wash in the Jordan River seven times. (Naaman was offended, if you recall.) I will celebrate before the Lord. (Michal was offended.) These were just the ones I could think of off the top of my head; I’m sure I could compile a very long list with little difficulty.

At some point, the question will become, do I still believe in God when He uses a method I don’t believe in? Is it really God I believe in, or is it a method? Some folk believe speaking in other tongues is of the devil. If so, could you believe God can speak to you through someone who speaks in other tongues? Some folk believe that THE litmus test of having been baptized in the Holy Spirit is that a person speaks in other tongues. If so, could you believe that a person who does not speak in other tongues could have a word from God for you? What really matters? The tongues or the Holy Spirit?

Will we still trust God when His methods are a sword to slay our foolish pride?

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