THE BODYGUARD

The righteous say there is a God and the wicked say that there is not.  Have you ever wondered why that is?  I think it’s because both groups define their respective positions by “approval.”

The sinner wants the judgment of God to be non-existent because then he/she does not have to be held accountable for his/her actions.  These are the people that look for fault in believers so that they can say, “See, it’s all phony”, further attempting to make the case for their own inexcusable behavior. Unfortunately, to their peril, they misunderstand the concept of Christian forgiveness. 

This side of heaven, all are imperfect, while (on this side of heaven) the righteous are righteous--positionally.    The upright believe in the reality of their God, knowing therefore that they’ve made a good choice in pleasing Another rather than self.  They experience consternation in feeling sad for those they were once like, and grieve that, to this point, the wicked have not yet changed. 

The grief experienced by non-believers is much more subliminal.  It is an unconscious warring between what they know to be right—what their spirit longs for—and the hedonism they know to be wrong.

Such people are sometimes referred to as oppressors.

Oppressors do not think they are doing bad when they are doing their bad things.  They just see themselves as more or less successful in their efforts as those of their peers.  It is maddening to the upright, but the aggravation is replaced with joy when they see the Lord’s vengeance exacted.  It’s not that the righteous have peace about vengeance, but that the One they love has been shown to others as the victor over evil.

In the 14^th Psalm (verse 6), David points out that the Lord is a safe place to run for those that are under attack from the enemy.  It brings the movie, “My Bodyguard” to remembrance.

In this film, the main character is being picked on by a school bully.  The picked-on hires a bodyguard to intimidate his intimidator, which works fine until that intimidator hires his own bodyguard to beat up on the one that gave him grief.  In the end, the good guy’s bodyguard wins, along the lines of Psalm 78:65—66 from the NKJV:

      Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
         Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
     And He beat back His enemies;
         He put them to a perpetual reproach

In other words, God spanked them.

For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights. (Prov. 3:12—NKJV)—and remember that loving correction ultimately brings peace.

b(Les)sings

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

We always have a choice.  We can either run from something—or to it.  We run from something because we think that it will grant us greater peace, while the thought of running to it brings thoughts of dread.  Facing your fears can be a good thing—we’re occasionally shown that in Hollywood, and see it in psychology as well.

By Hollywood, I mean without question one of the greatest television programs of all time, The Andy Griffith Show.  One episode in particular has young Opie unsuccessfully trying to avoid bully Sheldon, who winds up taking his milk money away on a daily basis—that is, of course, until the red-headed lad of fame decides to confront his abuser.  Yes, he takes a punch or two, and winds up looking like Mother Nature’s raccoon, but then he also lights into him, "like a windmill in a hurricane”, and gets his victory.  And what gave him confidence to face that abuser—the wisdom of his father.

Another TAGS episode has this same “father” helping in a somewhat different way.  Once he learned that cousin Barney was terrified of a scofflaw that threatened his life, Andy went over to the dojo where he knew his partner was taking Judo training.  When he realized that Barney wouldn’t stand a chance in a confrontation with his foe, the Sheriff came up with a plan, and arranged things so that the Judo instructor--dressed like Barney--would walk into a “trap” set by the thug—who wound up taking a serious thrashing.  Barney finally screws up the courage to talk to his tormentor, and much to his surprise and delight, the scumbag runs away, resulting in a newfound sense of confidence for “fearless Fife”.

And by psychology, I mean systematic desensitization therapy.  In a nutshell, this involves the terrified patient eventually overcoming whatever phobias he/she may have by first learning how to relax, and then applying that relaxation in the midst of anguish that goes from barely perceptible to knock down, drag out terror.

A friend of mine with a Master’s Degree in Psychology once told me what he perceived to be the difference between psychology and God: “Psychology helps you to cope.  God gives you the victory.”

Thanks, Chuck.

So, why this discussion?  Psalm 11 starts out with others attempting to intimidate its author, yet in light of his own experiences—in light of what he knows about God—David sees the absurdity of their efforts, educating the enemy (while reminding God) of what the universe’s Creator has in store for them.  With God’s help, the psalmist turns the “fearful” into the “fearing”, and with God's help, so can you.

b(Les)sings

Psalm 11

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

 ¹ In the LORD I put my trust;
         How can you say to my soul,
         “Flee as a bird to your mountain”?
 ² For look! The wicked bend their bow,
         They make ready their arrow on the string,
         That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.
 ³ If the foundations are destroyed,
         What can the righteous do?
      
 ⁴ The LORD is in His holy temple,
         The LORD’s throne is in heaven;
         His eyes behold,
         His eyelids test the sons of men.
 ⁵ The LORD tests the righteous,
         But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.
 ⁶ Upon the wicked He will rain coals;
         Fire and brimstone and a burning wind
         Shall be the portion of their cup.
      
 ⁷ For the LORD is righteous,
         He loves righteousness;
         His countenance beholds the upright.^[a]

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 11:7 Or The upright beholds His countenance

LIKE A TREE

First, a word for those of you that make life unpleasant for others.

Are you tormented by instability?  Do you gather with others who, like yourself, grieve the condition they’re in?  Are you “birds of a feather” that flock together around those you openly mock and ridicule?  Outsiders may think you’ve got it all together, but deep down you know that you belittle others to make yourselves feel more important.  These are classic symptoms of those lacking peace. 

The irony of it all is that those of the world that you laugh at are those laughing at the world.  They show outward strength, but the inner source of that strength remains unseen.  These are the people whose successes you envy.  All things seem to fall into place for them, and in perfect timing to boot.  They are unshaken.  But you are not so.  While they rejoice in things that are “right”, you delight in that which is not.  You are the bully—they are your victim.

Because of these behavior patterns, the universe’s Creator bestows favor upon them, and destruction on you—unless, of course, you become as one of them.  Therein lies your hope:

b(Les)sings

Psalm 1

 ¹ Blessed is the man
         Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
         Nor stands in the path of sinners,
         Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
 ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
         And in His law he meditates day and night.
 ³ He shall be like a tree
         Planted by the rivers of water,
         That brings forth its fruit in its season,
         Whose leaf also shall not wither;
         And whatever he does shall prosper.
 
 ⁴ The ungodly are not so,
         But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
 ⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
         Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
 
 ⁶ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
         But the way of the ungodly shall perish. –NKJV-

Matt. 7:23-- And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! –NKJV-