Tragedy

The events that took place in Connecticut today really make you stop and think. It makes us as the human race evaluate the state that we are in. This tragedy is not about a political or social reform, it's not about gun laws, I'd even go so far as to say that it is not about the religious climate of our country.  We have forgotten how to treat people in this world. There were 22 students who were attacked by a knife wielding man in China today as well. These survivors will forever be scarred by the events the witnessed today. Christian or not we have lost the love for each other that heals the deep emotional wounds that cause people to act out. We do not love our neighbor let alone a stranger. We get angry when they cut us off, curse them when they take our parking spot, and are willing to fight them in trivial confrontations. Not only can we not forgive our neighbors, but how many of us have the family member that has wronged us? The family member that we haven't talked to in five years because we can not get past the terrible thing they have done. You may have even said, "I will NEVER forgive them for what they did to me!" And I will admit, you may be justified in your anger! But at what cost? How have we come so far that we would rather hold on to bitterness and anger? 

Our focus has shifted from loving others, to focusing on ourselves. And even there we are failing!

We are told we are not strong enough, not beautiful enough, not fast enough, not smart enough. We push ourselves more and more to be like the photoshopped images we see in magazines. And we abhor ourselves when we don't measure up. We can never be good enough, or pretty enough, or rich enough. We dig ourselves into deeper despair over false images of success that we can not seem to attain. It's no wonder why we are in such disarray. We cannot love each other because we do not accept ourselves. And so we isolate ourselves and push each other apart. It is in that solitude that some are pushed to drastic measures to be heard. Whether taking their own life, or even worse, taking the lives of others. This may be a morbid way to live, but in highschool I used to treat every person as if they had a gun in their pocket. That every person was on the brink to take out their anger on the school. I made it a point to treat everyone in a way that want to spare my life when they snapped. Again, I'm not sure this is healthy thinking, but it sure made me rethink the way I treated some people. Making sure that the kid who always sits alone felt invited to come sit by me. Or the one who gets picked on, knows that someone is willing to stick up for him. I wonder what would happen if we all were willing to take the time to reach out to the outcast.

This season, especially in the light of today's events, I urge you to take a serious look at yourself. Put aside your pretence and your bias, and take account of what you are grateful for. Put aside your anger and your bitterness and reach out to the person you haven't talked to in too long. This world needs love! We need parents who are willing to teach their kids right and wrong. Family's who are willing to fight for each other, not against each other. Take the time to help your neighbor and reach a hand to those who are downtrodden. Before we change our gun laws, or discuss school policy, or casting blame on each other, let us love. This is a time to grieve and reflect. Hold your loved ones close and tell them how important they are to you. You never know when will be the last time they hear it!

Too Big To Miss

4 Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span...
8 And he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, and said to them, “ Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. 9 “If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” 10 Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.”
11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
-1 Samuel 17:4-11

Goliath stood before an army. He was their Champion. He was the guy in the movie that is the finisher. The immovable object that seems insurmountable. He comes out and starts speaking death to Israel. And rightfully so! He had the experience to back up his smack talk. Who would be able to kill such a man. His smack talk was more a cautionary tale of what was sure to be Israel's fate.  Verse 11 says that Israel was not just afraid, but dismayed. They had given up hope that even God could deliver them from such an enemy. His words pierced their faith and they had lost the battle even before they took a swing. 

They say words can never hurt us, but in fact the words that we speak determine how we live. Science has shown that there is no communication between our subconscious mind and our conscious. What our subconscious processes is our daily interaction, life as we know it. It also processes how we handle those situations. If we win a huge tournament in a dominating fashion but we are told how terrible we are and how we are worthless, even though our conscious mind may be able to rationalize the difference, our subjoins mind cannot. We will internalize that defeated attitude and it will shape who we are and how we approach situations in the future. The only way to speak to the subconscious is just that, SPEAK to the subconscious.Just as there is destructive power in our negative self talk, the opposite is just as true. Our words are powerful and we can motivate ourselves to do amazing things when we speak it. It sounds a little cheesy new-agey but in fact there is power in positive self talk.

If we look at the rest of the story we can see the power of speaking truth and speaking life.

43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” 

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46 “This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands. 

And the rest is history. David knocks him out and runs up and with Goliath's own HUGE sword and cuts off Goliath's head.  David did not allow the words of Goliath to diminish his worth with God. He knew his value because he was constantly singing of God's glory and of God's power and might. Before this he even talks about how he has gone out and killed a lion and a bear that took one of his sheep! Now, I am tough and not afraid of much, but if a LION comes and decides to take one of my sheep.... that's a write off in my book! But not David. In his mind there is nothing that can defeat him because he has God on his side! Goliath was not too big to kill, he was too miss!

When I was thirteen I was in a state Tea-Kwon-Do tournament. It was the final round of sparring and the winner of the match went on to nationals in Florida. All the kids were with their coaches or parents getting last minute advice and deciding their plan of attack. Meanwhile, I was in the stands playing tag running around with my friends. My match was approaching and my dad (and coach) called me down by him. He asked, "Ben, do you have a game plan on how you are going to fight?" I looked at him and said, "Yeah, I'm gonna win." I knew without any hesitation that there was no other outcome. I was a winner and that was all that I was going to do.  In the same way the Romans 8:37 says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

So I ask, what is it in your life that you need to speak to? What challenge or goal seems insurmountable and you just don't know how to get through it. Speak life and it will happen. It may take a while and it will not be easy. But if you continue to OUT LOUD speak life that, "I can do this." "I know that God has a plan for me." "This is not the end, but only the beginning." While the world spits words that tear you down, speak life to yourself and those around you and watch at the transformation that takes place in your life