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What Your Stand Says About You.


What you stand against will reveal what you truly stand for.

Taking a stand is never easy. When we do, we must be ready to speak often and speak plainly about our position. Doing so will expose what it is we are really standing against and standing for. I often feel the urge to cry out against what I consider nonsense and am frustrated by so much around me. Especially within the "Christian Church" community. I have both reacted and responded to that urge in the past. Some will understand the difference between reaction and response better than others. Being a slow learner, and learning the lessons I have, the way I have (the hard way), I am getting pretty good at the self-evaluation part of the process. It usually goes something like this with me.
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Self,

A) Is my frustration due to the Gospel being compromised, dismissed, or abandoned? If so, pray and proceed to "B". If not, get over it.

B) Is the goal of this stand to edify and encourage, after much prayer, with hopes that correction will take place so that the Gospel will go forth and God will be glorified? If so, continue to pray and proceed to "C". If not, repent for lying at "A" and get over it.

C) Is this stand based on the framework of correcting and edifying one another from Scripture for the sake of the Gospel so that you can be confident that "B" is not just you justifying this stand to make you feel better right now? If yes, continue to pray and proceed to "D". If not, you are just going to keep lying at this point. You are just mad at whoever. Go home. You are sorry. Repent. Nasty. Just nasty.

D) Is this a situation that you could handle differently than the way you are about to? Is there a Biblical principle that would warrant a different response for the Gospel's sake and the glory of God (i.e. "peace when at all possible" etc.)? If so, continue to pray and proceed to "E". If not, why? Why are you still.....

E) Will you be able to share the Gospel better by making this stand? Will you be able to share the Gospel uniquely through this stand? If so, continue to pray and proceed to "F". If not, dude... I'm not playing no more.

F) Stand for the Gospel without compromise for the Glory of God. The Gospel matters too much for you not to stand. If that is what this is about then do it. It's too important not to. You've prayed and you know there is nothing else motivating you and that it is the Gospel that is at stake. You have to make a stand.

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 The truth is, I haven't always done this right. I rant and I lose sight of the goal day to day. This is why I have to constantly remind myself of the Gospel and who Christ is. I am prone to wander, prone to fall back on my own tendencies and weaknesses. I have a bend towards motivations and preferences that are jaded by selfishness and pride. If I am not careful I will make even the good things I do about me and not the glory of God through Christ and the Gospel. There are battlefields worth dying on and there are those that just aren't. The Gospel is worth the fight. I'm just not sure about the rest anymore. I'm just not sure.

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