Biggest Fan, Biggest Enemy

How many of us have had to deal with "that" person?  You know who I am talking about.  It's that person that can't stop running their mouth about someone else.  They stand in judgment of all of those that are around them mainly because it is easier to look at others as "losers" because they can't deal with the fact that they ultimately know that they are a "loser."  Most times we view the person as useless and we humor them until their words are used against us.  This is usually when we go into defense mode.  Some of us are "better" at this than others.  Some people take the words to heart and allow them to resonate in our lives.  Others are prone to fight back.  Fighting back is my specialty.  I have often told people that if you come at me with a gun expect me to bring an entire armored division.  When it comes to a war of words I know nothing of equity.  I have been known to immediately go for the jugular and say the most hurtful thing possible (this is the equivalent of the quick knockout).  This is when the biggest fan, biggest enemy quandary occurs.

So who is my biggest fan?  Obviously my biggest fan is me.  I have found it paramount to take a person that already has a self-esteem so low you have to dig beneath the potatoes to find it, and tear them down to their core just so I can feel better about me and get even for the wrong that was inflicted against me.  Luke 6:28 says, "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you," but our actions are in stark contrast to this statement.  How many of us have blessed those who have done wrong in our eyes?  Our flesh is crying out for vengeance, but while on the cross, Christ called out to the Father to forgive those who committed wrongs against Him.

If I am my biggest fan, then my biggest enemy is the one that I at odds with right?  Yes and no.  In these cases we are also our biggest enemy.  As Christians when we react this way we are at odds with ourselves.  The Apostle Paul said in Romans 7:15, ^"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."  When we strike out to defend after an offense we are warring with the flesh to such a degree that we see ourselves as the one that should be elevated, but the Spirit in us only wants to see God elevated (perhaps this is why Pastor Nate brought a series that was about Honor, and then follows it up a month later with the current series Less is More).

Maybe we should look to get to the bottom of these offenses by opening up a conversation with these people about why they say what they say the things that they say.  This gives us the opportunity to minister to these people and handle the issue with love, biblically.  If one phrase I have heard in the last 12 months has impacted me more than this I am not sure what has, but Pastor Nate told us "that we can't expect Romans not to act like Romans."  In other words if we aren't going to teach them, then who is?

My prayer is that the next time someone speaks ill of me or another person I can react in love, but of course for me to react in love means that I must be girding myself in prayer and The Word.  I should be in Church receiving the Word delivered by one of my pastors.  I need to be seeking opportunities to serve others instead of concerning me about me.  I need to fill myself with things that edify the Spirit within me (music, other instruction, etc...).  In the 80's (you know that far off land that my son calls the olden days) a popular computer term was Garbage In, Garbage Out.  Meaning what you put in is what you will get out.  Investments into yourself will always reap a harvest.  If we sow anger, hate, and revenge guess what we receive?

In truth our biggest fan is The One that created us.  He wants us to succeed on a greater level than we could ever imagine.  Sometimes we have to go through a lot of junk to get to the next level, but utilizing the wisdom that the Lord has for us is the key to move past offense and into service.