Christian Living

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A lot of people do it. They scamper away like little mice when someone preaches to them. If the sermon is in written form they still read it, but later email the writer with nasty comments about how bible thumpers should get a life. It is a normal way of things to run from something you don’t want to hear, or for the aggressive personality with spunk, to attack back. It is not necessarily because they don’t believe in what God says as true, it is because they don’t want to be preached to. If they wanted to be preached to they would stay in Church, isn’t that right? They don’t want someone telling them how to live their life. No one wants to hear that their present lifestyle is in direct correlation to their spiritual health. Some people simply walk away and ignore those who preach to them, while others become offensive and even lash back in anger.

I used to run away from God’s word too. I was an alcoholic and a resentment lover. If a preacher told me that I was a no-good sinner, and it did happen, my instincts told me to run and hide. I thought if I stayed hidden long enough, maybe those self-righteous Christian’s would forget about my sinning lifestyle. It’s true; some Christian’s are so smug that I still run from them. The problem with the haughty ones is they haven’t grown out from self in a spiritual way, but remain addicted to themselves, which is a selfish Christian. As we all know, anyone can say they are Christian, but the truth of the matter is, not anyone can act like a Christian.

I’m one of those spiritual Christian’s who writes about all the wondrous and miraculous things that God has done in my life. I guess, in a way that is tossing my beliefs in people’s face. Actually, what I have to say is not just my beliefs, but also my way of thinking, and my view of life. It’s not about me, it’s about God. It’s my story, but God’s love and compassion that made the story. Mostly, I get ignored when I preach to people about my life. In fact, I only got my first piece of hate email last week

I recently had a fellow colleague read an article off my website titled Submission, and she got offended! I wished she had ignored me instead; I wasn’t ready for her nasty comments. Her email got me wondering if there wasn’t a better way to write about my life-long testimony, and still keep it scripturally based, without offending anyone! To make a long story short, my colleague told me she thought I should put a disclaimer on my website. A disclaimer for God’s word! Oh Brother, what is this world coming to? I thought to myself.

I was appalled at the idea, of even remotely thinking that God’s written word needed a disclaimer, how pathetic. I finally calmed down and fervently attempted to put myself in my colleague’s shoes. The “submitting to your husband” aspect of my article is what rubbed her the wrong way. Forget the fact that she isn’t married to this abuser anymore. Don’t forget the fact that this fanatic abused her physically, emotionally, and spiritually all throughout their marriage. When she told me these things, I totally empathized with this woman, and fully understood where she was coming from. All she saw when reading my article on submission was SUBMIT TO YOUR HUSBAND, and nothing else. She didn’t read the part where it says, a husband is not supposed to use his authority over his wife to control her and abuse her. No, she skipped right over that part and only saw what she wanted to see to defend the little bit of womanhood that she still had left.

Obviously, she was still hurting terribly from her wounds, and barely healing in her mind, when this piece of writing on how a wife should submit to her husband was tossed in her face, full force like a bottle rocket! From her viewpoint, the article expelled everything she had been taught during her healing and growth process from abusive men. No wonder she got offended!

I’m glad that I put myself in her shoes. I then started thinking about the other women who have been through similar circumstances, and decided that it would be okay for me to add a little provision by that particular article. My disclaimer simply says that if a husband is abusing his wife, she is not intended to submit to his spiritual authority. But what if the wife is abusing the husband? Okay so, I re-worded the disclaimer again.

I guess I always thought that most people knew these things about God already. God doesn’t expect a woman to bow down to an abuser anymore than he doesn’t expect a Christ honoring husband not to love and care for his wife with everything he’s got! Unfortunately, people only see what they want to see, and filter out so much that is important. If a husband is abusing his wife, in any way shape or form, he is not a man of God. Therefore a wife need not submit to a heathen. The bible precepts do not apply to the heathen.

People will continue to be offended by those who preach the words of God, and it is because they have conditions and events, like my colleagues, that don’t quite fit in with what God says, or they live a lifestyle that is in contradiction to God’s words. It’s as simple as that! God’s word does not need disclaimers, but what does is the people who are living outside of God’s word, and are trying to fit into it. You know who you are.

copyright 2005 Angie Lewis
http://spiritual.journeybooks.4t.com
http://heavenministries.com

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