February 10, 2010

Responding to Hostile Fire

The games that kids play today are so high-tech that the child actuallyhas to teach the parent how to play them. One of our directors was describing a game his teenage son taught him that simulates combat in an F-16 Fighter Jet. He said there is one aspect of the game that's really nerve-wracking. It's when this beeping sound starts going off in your"cockpit." It's the signal that an enemy pilot has locked onto you. You're about to come under some heavy fire, man! In fact, I understandsomething like that happens in real life aerial combat situations. Ofcourse, the question is, what do you do when someone has locked onto youand you are under fire? You know, that's an important question in everyday life.

What do you do when someone's locked on to you and you're under fire? If you're incombat, or even in simulated combat, you instinctively fire back at theone who's firing at you. Unfortunately, we do that even when we're notin mortal combat. We all know the feeling: someone has locked onto you, maybe your spouse,your child, or your parent. It could be a co-worker, or someone atchurch, or one of your critics. Someone is shooting at you. Andeverything in you says, "Retaliate! Fire back! Give them back what they're giving you!" Then along comes the most radical blueprint for human relationships in history - the loving lifestyle of Jesus Christ. Who said on behalf ofthose who had just nailed Him to a cross, "Father, forgive them."

Peter says of Him, "When they hurled their insults at Him, He did notretaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats" 1 Peter 2:23. That's in the same verses where Peter says, "Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in Hissteps." Which leads us to our word for today from the Word of God in Romans12:17, where Christ calls us, not to a natural response to hostility,but a supernatural response! Here are our orders: "Do not repay anyoneevil for evil...Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room forGod's wrath, for it is written: 'It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,'says the Lord...Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil withgood." God says, "When someone has locked onto you; when someone is shooting atyou, don't shoot back!" This is so counterintuitive! It's so against ourinstincts! When your spouse is harsh with you, everything in you wantsto blast them back. Right? When someone is criticizing or attacking you,you just want to give them some of their own medicine. When you feelshot at by your child or your parent, you want to shoot them down. But since you gave yourself to Jesus, you've had another possibility.When someone is shooting at you, turn the controls over to Jesus! If youremain in the pilot's seat, you're eventually going to blast them. Butif you say, "Jesus, it's Yours. Enable me to respond as You would," thenyou can avert a battle that is only going to escalate and do a lot moredamage. It's amazing what can happen when hostility is greeted withgentleness, when harshness is greeted with tenderness, when anger isgreeted with love and understanding. When someone is shooting at you, you've got an incredible opportunitynot to shoot them down, but to show them Jesus. (c) (c) Ronald P. HutchcraftDistributed by Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.