Rotten to the Core? (Poem)

You shall never find a bundle of afflictions

which has not bound up in its midst sufficient Grace.

H.C. Spurgeon

Ponder this:

‘Rotten to the core’ might not include the core,

as may be supposed.

Ponder this before rotten seeded fruit you

decide to dispose.

As decay touches the seeds at the core,

The prospect of new life is at the door.

This fact of life we may easily omit,

When we encounter seeded fruit that’s unfit.

Though unfit to eat, the seeds can be planted,

And in time, much fresh fruits can be harvested.

May this simple reminder be influential,

As the world searches for God’s Grace-touched potential,

At the core of the Covid-19 pandemic,

Seeds to turn the table on life now chaotic.

It takes special hearts and minds to help

those who are trapped,

Unable to perceive in rottenness Grace untapped.

It is only by strong faith in all of God’s promises,

Can we cut through decay, to newness that astonishes.

Just like seed-bearing fruits, many of life’s situations,

Are both the fruits of past seeds sown, plus an invitation.

While at the rottenness of life, we all tend to rant,

God calls upon us to uncover the core, then plant.

That’s exactly what He promised and intends to do,

As to Godly righteousness the whole world bids …adieu!

We saints of Christ are the seeds that He will then plant,

Seed-life now, but soon, rottenness we will supplant.

Grace for Me, Justice for Thee (Poem)

See the Grace series here

Grace for me, justice for thee!, that’s the world’s plea.

God, give me mercy, but judge my enemy!

To you, is this a familiar sentiment,

One that, in your troubles, seems so persistent?

‘In all the Earth’, God says, ‘Here I AM still,

My modus operandi to fulfill,

To give to each one fruits of his doing,

Fruits from seeds in his heart he’s been brewing.’

To each and all, it is Grace that He’ll first extend,

Time allowed for us our sinful ways to amend.

In failing His Grace to heed, by Judgment we’ll be shocked,

Ensuring His justice will never, by us, be mocked!

From Judgment, Righteousness flows, at least for a while,

As the on-looking remnant amends their lifestyle.

But down the road, even this remnant tends to forget,

As their appetites for sin, devils once again whet.

In this vignette I hope you will very clearly see,

Futility in …Grace for me, not my enemy!

Better to perceive and act on Grace to you extended,

Than to worry about what, for enemies, God’s intended.

But if my advice you elect not to heed,

Consider likely fruits of your planted seed.

Enemies may repent, but even if they don’t,

You may be the one drinking from their judgment fount!

Might this notion also apply to nations?

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God is in the Earth exercising loving-kindness (Grace), then justice (when Grace runs out), then right-ness (setting things right from His perspective). (Jeremiah 9:23-24, His self-proclaimed job description)

Turn Them Over to satan?

Let’s admit it. Some people are just strife-prone!

God says the entrance of His Word brings Light (spiritual insight/enlightenment). But what if that Light is rejected in favor of stressful strife? What happens when the Spirits of Grace, Peace and Harmony are resolutely dismissed, and the dark spirits of offense and strife are continually invited in? It doesn’t take a sharp mind (spiritual or carnal) to recognize strife. It does, however, take a spiritually perceptive mind, ear and eye to recognize the spirit of strife. 

God asks, Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?  (Amos 3:3) This does not necessarily mean agreement on every point, but it does suggest maintaining a spirit of mutual respect and peaceful harmony even on points of disagreement. Repeated, escalating bouts of disharmony, rejecting The Light of The Word of God, calls for tactics that, on the surface, may not appear to be love, per 1 Corinthians 13, The Bible’s ‘Love’ chapter, but are love indeed.

In a couple of extreme situations, Paul admonished believers to ‘…turn someone over to satan’. (1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Timothy 1:20) wOw, this sounds and is quite heavy! God says He turns persistently rebellious people over to their reprobate (depraved, incorrigible) minds and wills, influenced by satan. (Romans 1:28) While the contextual details of these references may be significantly different, the underlying concept remains. Since The Bible is iteratively consistent in its urgings for us to avoid devilish strife, as it opens spiritual doors to everything evil (James 3:16), does this tactic apply in persistently strifeful situations??

Admittedly, ‘turning someone over to satan’ is tough to do in The Spirit of Love. It requires much prayer, pulling back to carefully examine strife-ridden situations to ascertain our own contributions, and repentance where/when indicated; and searching The Word of God for clarity, instruction, direction, and Grace to apply (follow through on) what you ‘hear’ from God. After doing this iteratively, however, without the restoration of peaceful harmony, I believe it’s time to ‘exit right’ -- leave, eject yourself from the opportunity of deepening strife. Treat strife like the mean devil that it is; like a big, poisonous snake striking from a tightly curled up position. Both for self-preservation and for love of the person who repeatedly opens the door to strife, prayerfully find effective ways to absent yourself from strife-ridden people and environments. This is clearly Biblical. To remain only invites more strife, and the risk that you, too, may become spiritually blinded and ensnared by ‘what’s really going on’, spiritually.

People are not our enemy, though they clearly appear to be because our real, common enemies -- demonic, oppressing spirits, to whom people yield themselves, are invisible. As carnally minded people, we either do not receive, or staunchly refuse spiritual insight. Thus we are iteratively ensnared by satan’s traps.

Interestingly, The Bible indicates pride is present wherever there is strife. (Proverbs 13:10) Could pride possibly even be the root of the fruit of strife?  ‘I” is the middle letter of the word, pride, intimating a clear focus on a person’s own positions, ideas and will, even to the total disrespect of others’ and even God’s.

It takes the Spirits of Grace and Humility to recognize and avoid strife, even if it means turning strife-prone people over to their chosen destructive ways, and minimizing or even avoiding contact. A strife-prone person will likely view this as yet an opportunity for deepening strife, rather than as an act of Grace.  

Consider how easier it is to avoid fire than strife. While fire requires three elements (fuel, oxygen and heat), strife requires four things, two of which are spiritual/unseen, yet have clear physical footprints:

1. The hidden/concealed ‘root of pride’
2. The hidden/concealed, oppressive ‘heat’ of satan and his minions
3. A prideful, spiritually-blinded/deaf person to initiate disharmony
4. Another prideful, spiritually-blinded/deaf person to become offended, respond inappropriately, and thereby escalate the situation

If disagreeing inharmoniously escalates strife, would simply agreeing de-escalate it? After all, the same Bible that says avoid strife also says agree quickly with your adversary. (Matthew 5:25) Is such to be honest or feigned agreement just for the sake of promoting harmony? Of course not, since feigned agreement would only trigger internal disharmony (strife) between your mind and spirit, i.e., a divided heart. Agreeing/settling with your adversary must be within the framework of a higher law, namely the respect of God’s will, and your need for inner peace.

Avoiding strife, easier said...than done?