You've grown up in a Christian home, you know the facts, you've got the knowledge, you've probably spent most of your high school life preparing that thesis for the argument with the first atheist that comes into your path. "Oh look, someone who doesn't know the truth! ATTACK!" and soon you engage, spurting out Bible verses and theological philosophical arguments, when all the person in front of you wants to do is deliver your mail.
I know myself well enough to know I'm a little trigger, I mean blade happy. I know the heart of a true warrior doesn't take pleasure in violence, but in doing what is right. As a Christians I shouldn't take pleasure in proving someone wrong, but in revealing them the love and salvation of Christ.
I have had some good friends that didn't believe in the true love of God. It is the same with most of my relatives. When I hang out with these people I really need to pick my battles. Sometimes the time is right to speak up and proclaim the truth boldly, but a lot of the times it isn't. Most of the time, showing them genuine friendship and love is the way to soften their heart before the gospel seeds can be planted.
Pick your battles, sometimes the rose is more effective than the sword.
Showing posts with label sword. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sword. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Do You Trust Me? Part 2
Tim calls my name, I take up my practice sword and walk to the center of the old chapel where we did our lessons. I was instructed not to use any offensive maneuvers and with that we squared off. Tim extened his sword and pointed the tip at my face, he advanced in this position. I swiped his blade away only to have him return it to it's original position. And as this went back and forth I was asked many questions in quick succession. These questions included "Do you trust me?" "Do you trust anyone?" "Who do you trust the most in this room?" and "Why?" "Why?" Why?". This last one was asked after every answer I made.
I remember it being very frustrating trying to keep Tim's sword point away from my face while answering a volley of questions. In a normal circumstance I would come up with a shrewd cover up for these questions, not really answering them and avoid the probing, but I couldn't do that and defend myself at the same time, so I just had to answer them straight out.
After about 5 nerve frazzling minutes of this sort of interrogation, Tim said, "Ok, lower your sword". I reluctantly let down my blade, the only thing protecting me from my enem...I mean teacher's sword. "I am not going to touch your face with my sword Victoria," he said matter of factly. And with those words he pointed his sword at my face and took a step closer. I reflexively moved away. "Don't move, you are going to have to trust me, do you trust me?" I looked straight into his face and said, "yes". I stood there and watched Tim's sword point come so close to my nose I thought for sure I was going to get whacked with it. I remember closing my eyes for a second and when I opened them again, the sword was gone and Tim just stood there smiling. We both let out our breath.
I didn't really appreciate it then, but now I can see that Tim's, ahem, unique, training methods were what I needed. People could tell me that trusting is OK til the cows come home, but until I was actually put into a circumstance where I had to trust and it turned out OK, I wouldn't believe a word of it.
The moral of the story? You know what? I don't even know how to word the moral of the story. It's Ok to trust people, not everyone is going to hurt you, some people actually want to be your Allie. There, that's the close I can come to putting it into words.
I remember it being very frustrating trying to keep Tim's sword point away from my face while answering a volley of questions. In a normal circumstance I would come up with a shrewd cover up for these questions, not really answering them and avoid the probing, but I couldn't do that and defend myself at the same time, so I just had to answer them straight out.
After about 5 nerve frazzling minutes of this sort of interrogation, Tim said, "Ok, lower your sword". I reluctantly let down my blade, the only thing protecting me from my enem...I mean teacher's sword. "I am not going to touch your face with my sword Victoria," he said matter of factly. And with those words he pointed his sword at my face and took a step closer. I reflexively moved away. "Don't move, you are going to have to trust me, do you trust me?" I looked straight into his face and said, "yes". I stood there and watched Tim's sword point come so close to my nose I thought for sure I was going to get whacked with it. I remember closing my eyes for a second and when I opened them again, the sword was gone and Tim just stood there smiling. We both let out our breath.
I didn't really appreciate it then, but now I can see that Tim's, ahem, unique, training methods were what I needed. People could tell me that trusting is OK til the cows come home, but until I was actually put into a circumstance where I had to trust and it turned out OK, I wouldn't believe a word of it.
The moral of the story? You know what? I don't even know how to word the moral of the story. It's Ok to trust people, not everyone is going to hurt you, some people actually want to be your Allie. There, that's the close I can come to putting it into words.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Do You Trust Me? Part 1
A while ago, I posted about trust. And at the end I mentioned there was a story about it. Well, to be honest, I totally forgot about it. Until this morning.
This morning is the first time I have done any physical swordfighting in a while. It was amazing. Our band is smaller now, just 3 of us. The same three people I posted a picture of last week, Tim, Stacia, and me. After we sparred a little, I remembered all the swordfighting memories I have. Lessons that weren't just about form or technique, lessons that kind of dug deep into your heart and then did surgery. I remember how us teens used to call these sword fighting devotionals "soul slappings" half jokingly, half seriously. Because that is what it felt like sometimes. We didn't just read the Bible and spar, it was interactive, involving vulnerability and spiritual truths, some that hurt, all that freed.
One time, Tim made us all confess the biggest thing that we struggled with. Why we needed to share this to everyone, I had no idea. I personally never told anyone what I was struggling with. It was between me and God, enough said. After we had all reluctantly brought our struggles out into the open, Tim worked with us one on one, addressing each of our battles and shedding spiritual light over each one while coupling the whole thing with physical swordfighting. I went last and I totally wasn't expecting what was in store for me.
It was long, intense and takes a long time to describe, so that is why I am doing this post in two parts. I think here is a good place to end part one. Stay tuned, I will write about my part of the lesson in part 2.
This morning is the first time I have done any physical swordfighting in a while. It was amazing. Our band is smaller now, just 3 of us. The same three people I posted a picture of last week, Tim, Stacia, and me. After we sparred a little, I remembered all the swordfighting memories I have. Lessons that weren't just about form or technique, lessons that kind of dug deep into your heart and then did surgery. I remember how us teens used to call these sword fighting devotionals "soul slappings" half jokingly, half seriously. Because that is what it felt like sometimes. We didn't just read the Bible and spar, it was interactive, involving vulnerability and spiritual truths, some that hurt, all that freed.
One time, Tim made us all confess the biggest thing that we struggled with. Why we needed to share this to everyone, I had no idea. I personally never told anyone what I was struggling with. It was between me and God, enough said. After we had all reluctantly brought our struggles out into the open, Tim worked with us one on one, addressing each of our battles and shedding spiritual light over each one while coupling the whole thing with physical swordfighting. I went last and I totally wasn't expecting what was in store for me.
It was long, intense and takes a long time to describe, so that is why I am doing this post in two parts. I think here is a good place to end part one. Stay tuned, I will write about my part of the lesson in part 2.
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