Take One for the Team

"The very fact that you have lawsuits among you

means you have been completely defeated already.

Why not rather be wronged?

Why not rather be cheated?

Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong,

and you do this to your brothers."

1 Corinthians 6:7-8

The Pastor and his son violently disagree over church doctrine and the resulting estrangement makes national headlines.

The congregation splits into two factions, leaving a dark cloud over the church that lingers for years.

Arguments over the budget drove church members to turn to the court for resolution.

As a member of the family of God, the testimony I leave for those who are watching is severely hampered when I attempt to resolve conflict as the world does.  Instead of only looking out for myself and my own interests and rights, I can instead consider putting the reputation of God's people above all else.

His Glory

I remember hearing about a certain actress who always insisted on being filmed on a certain side because it made her nose look smaller and appearance more feminine.  Entertainers are often concerned with their reputation and popularity ratings, working hard to look their best wherever they go, just in case someone is there to take their picture.  They go to great lengths to keep up appearances in order to preserve and enhance their career.  In fact, I would even say that everything some celebrities do is with their own glory in mind.

Using this same idea, I can replace myself or my favorite star with God.  His glory should be of my utmost concern.  When I consider how my actions, speech and beliefs will affect the opinion of those who are watching me have of God, I will make my choices deliberately and with great care.

In place of doing what pleases me, I can think about what would please God.  Instead of choosing the activities or endeavors that make me look good, I'll ask God what will place Him in the best light.  As a replacement for making my voice heard and my opinion known, I can let the argument go for the sake of my Lord.

I never thought about how my actions affect Jesus but Oswald Chambers challenges me to do just that.  He said, "Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set upon our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus.  Every time we stand on our rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Jesus."

Letting Jesus be Lord of my life means that His glory will be the motivation for the way I live.

His Mind

We all think a certain way.  I like to save dessert for last while my husband has been known to dig into the sweets before the meal.  In my way of thinking, I am saving the best for last.  In my husband's mind, however, he's making sure he gets some of the goodies before he's too full.  

To compare God to a human is ridiculous:  He is, after all, the Creator of all things.  God does, however, have His own way of thinking, just like individual people do.  The difference is, that His  thoughts and ways are much higher than mine; I could never hope to fully comprehend His character, nature and manner (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Since God's mind is so superior and far above my own, the only hope I have of thinking from God's perspective is through His Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:16).  When the transformation begins, I will find that I desire what will bring others into God's kingdom instead of what will build my own following or validate my efforts.

His mind also is more focused on restoring relationships than in making sure people know the truth.  This might mean I'll have to humbly accept defeat even if I know I'm right.  As I leave the outcome in the hands of a just and loving God, I will be able to live in peace even with those who seem to be out to get me.

Seeing from God's perspective reveals a hurting heart where once I only saw anger and bitterness, fear that used to be interpreted as a lack of self-control, and disappointment instead of cruel behavior.

Letting Jesus be Lord of my life means seeking to think like Him.

His Family

Tony Wilson, English owner of Factory Records, manager of many bands and TV host is known to have said, "This is Manchester.  We do things differently here"  referring to the unique fuse of rock and dance music for which this region of England is known.

While they might have thought in a different way musically in Manchester, God's family also has a unique way of seeing the world and solving problems.  Not only do we utilize a different set of rules than the world, but God's judgment is also opposite of what the world would come up with.

Take the example of Solomon who was faced with two prostitute-mothers who were fighting over the one newborn who survived between the two of them.  One of the women had rolled over during the night killing her child, then replacing her dead child with the living one.  The thing was, they both claimed the living child as their own and it was up to Solomon to decide which mother was telling the truth.

Instead of calling witnesses and looking at birthmarks, Solomon utilized God's way of thinking.  He called for the innocent baby to be cut in half, with each mother taking home a piece.  As the sword was brought to the king, the real mother cried out, "Oh no, my lord!  Give her the child--please do not kill him" (1 Kings 3:26b)! Her response was all Solomon needed to know to distinguish between the real mother's love and the impostor.

In the same way, God gives believers a sense of discernment to be able to tell right from wrong, swindler from someone with a real need, and worldly versus godly decisions.  All I need is to stick with the family of God's way of resolving conflict instead of using secular methods.

Letting Jesus be Lord of my life means I'll settle disputes using the wisdom that comes from Him.

The testimony I leave as a walk down the path that God has for me is seen by many unbelievers.  When I inevitably encounter a conflict, it is God's glory that will be my utmost concern, His way of thinking which will guide me, and His way of solving problems that will distinguish me from the world.  Sometimes, this may mean I must take a hit for the team, but in the end, the world who is watching will only see the love of God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can let go of my rights and think only of His glory.

When do I think more like the world instead of taking on the mind of Christ?

How do I tend to resolve conflict in a way that makes the Church look bad?