If Martin Luther Could Do It...

Have you ever felt unsettled? Have you ever felt as if there was SOMETHING that needed to be done about something and honestly believed you had an idea that might work or an urge to help in some way? Has there been a time like this in your life, maybe it’s happening RIGHT NOW, and for some reason, a reason you can’t quite grasp, a reason that remains just out of reach, you decided to choose silence or let it go?

What stopped you?

What kept you from sharing your idea?

What held you back from taking action?

I believe that many of us, no, MOST of us, don’t want to stir the pot. We don’t want to be the one to shake things up. We don’t want to be THAT person. So, what do we do? We choose sit idly by and allowing the same old thing to happen over and over and over again. This is not how God created us. This is not who He called us to be.

Too often we view each other in light of competition instead of COOPERATION. We choose to undermine, go behind, and talk about one another instead of join forces and tackle this thing UNIFIED, TOGETHER, as ONE. God says we are ONE body. Check this out:

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
Colossians 3:15-16 NLT

As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, we ALL want peace. If you say you don’t, you’re lying. Straight up lying. It’s here, in these words, that Paul gives us some GREAT principles to apply to our marriages, our workplaces, our parenting, our EVERYTHING:

1. SURRENDER your heart to Christ.
2. Peace is the byproduct of UNITY.
3. Good or bad, high or low, be THANKFUL.
4. Live the GOSPEL.
5. Unity grows out of ACCOUNTABILITY.

So easy to read. So difficult to implement. Think about this though: what is the result of turning these ideas, these concepts, these principles, into a reality? What’s the alternative? The more I read God’s word the more it just MAKES SENSE. Had I known there was this much truth dwelling within the pages of Scripture I woulda read it, memorized it, and lived it out a LONG time ago.

If I choose to remain silent, if I choose to remain still, if I choose to walk away, to let go, to not get involved, I’m choosing the OPPOSITE of what God intends for us as the body of Christ.

I’m choosing control over SURRENDER.

I’m choosing chaos over PEACE.

I’m choosing division over UNITY.

I’m choosing bitterness over THANKFULness.

I’m choosing my will over the GOSPEL.

I’m choosing enabling over ACCOUNTABILITY.

You might feel as if you are asked to do EVERYTHING, but empowered to do NOTHING; however, nothing will change until you step up and speak out. Be empowered. Be courageous. Be who God wants you to be, not who you believe you are. Remember this, He’s alive within you. Live as if you believe it.

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17 NLT

Do you believe it?