About sowing seeds of discontent - Proverbs 6:16-19 with a story, an observation and a prayer

SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV) There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

A STORY: A man once took his little granddaughter with him on a New York visit. They rode the ferry out to see the Statue of Liberty. The child was awed by the sight of the great arm holding up the huge torch. On the return boat to Manhattan she kept looking back at the statue. That night when she could not sleep, her grandfather asked if something was troubling her. “I keep thinking of the lady with the lamp,” she said. “Don’t you think somebody ought to help her hold it up?”

AN OBSERVATION: This week I was falsely accused of being a part of the apostasy of Chrislam simply because I expressed my feelings that we should seek opportunities of cooperation with members of the Muslim religion instead of hating them or seeking their destruction. First of all I had to go searching the internet simply to find out what Chrislam was all about. I had never heard of it until yesterday. Boy, have I been out of the loop for too long … but it did get me thinking.

Liberty is a precious gift. We are either all free or none of us are free. As Christians, followers of Christ, believers in his Messiahship, the full breath of his death and resurrection, our freedom comes with responsibility – the responsibility to seek the best for all people; the responsibility to defend the rights and liberty of all people; the responsibility to witness to our relationship with Christ and to take hold of those moments that come to us everyday to witness to our Savior’s love for people of all ages, races and nationality; the responsibility to praise other people instead of spreading seeds of discontent.

Liberty is a heavy burden … and yes, the lady needs all the help that she can get holding up the torch of freedom.

I’m sick and tired of all the hate that has spread across our land. The events of 9/11 were horrible, but the anger and hatred that continues to be spread because of what those terrorists did that eventful day just continues to spread the destruction. When will it stop? Where does it stop? How does it stop? Maybe it can stop with each of us as we hold up the torch of liberty and become the sons and daughters of the King of kings.

Maybe it can stop as we start taking the stand for what is right and moral and just-filled. Maybe it can stop as we start to embrace those that are different than we, believe different than we, work together with those that are different than we.

Let’s stop sowing seeds of discontent and start sowing seeds of love! After all, look what Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. did through non-violence. Their cause was just and their reaction of love and acceptance won the day!

PRAYER: Forgive us, gracious Father, for our hidden prejudices. Help us to seek out those kernels of mistrust and hatred. Lead us in the paths of righteousness and faithfulness so that we can continue to be faithful witnesses to your love and forgiveness. In the name of Jesus the Messiah, who died to make it happen. Amen.