'Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.' Ephesians 6:11
Having been raised in The Salvation Army, the wearing of a uniform to church is normal and just what we do. So much so that I remember going to a different church with a friend one Sunday when I was younger and finding it quite odd that they didn't have one. There has been a lot of discussion over the years as to whether the uniform is necessary, practical, fashionable or off-putting to people who enter through our doors for the first time. Everyone, myself included, has varying opinions on the topic and at times I'm sure has been the cause of many heated discussions!!
It's actually been a number of years since I have worn uniform, and over recent months I have started to think about why I wore it and what it meant to me. I got enrolled at 14 because that was what you did. It was the natural progression in those days and somewhat expected. Also, once in uniform, you got to be in the Songsters & Band and, if you were lucky, be involved in a trip or two that may take you to another Salvo church where there might be cute boys!! ( There never was, in case you're wondering!!)
Looking back these are not the best foundation for a serious commitment. Don't get me wrong, I was fully committed, but hadn't made the decision focused on the right reasons. Tomorrow I plan to change all that. I will be wearing my uniform with pride, knowing that the reason I wear it is to be a witness for God, a beacon to those who need help, and to show my commitment in the war against evil in this world.
I will be putting my armour on, ready to fight!!!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Don't let the sun go down on an argument........
"In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Ephesians 4:26
I have often heard the words “Don’t let the sun go down on an argument”, but until recently I did not realize this pearl of wisdom was directly from the Bible.
The reason I now know this, is that I had what I shall call a “disagreement” with someone at work. Actually, disagreement probably isn’t even the right word. The incident involved someone speaking to me in a rude and aggressive manner because of something I had been asked to do. To my credit, I said nothing and seethed quietly at my desk. Obviously this person realized the manner in which they treated me was wrong, and without me having to say anything (which I’d be planning to do), they apologized. They also started their apology with the above verse. In fact they apologized so sincerely, I started to feel bad about rejoicing over the fact that a puppy had crapped in their office while they were out earlier in the day.
This of course started me wondering: Why is it SO hard to apologize to someone we’ve done wrong by or fought with unnecessarily?
I actually don’t mind a good argument. Just ask Paul. I argue with him all the time! But I also apologize, even though I’m right, because I don’t like to waste time mad at each other. I have a friend who can give her Husband the silent treatment for weeks at a time. She does this in the hope that he will realize what has upset her in the first place. I’ve tried to do this, but failed miserably as I like Paul, (or whoever I’m having a disagreement with) to know exactly why I’m angry/upset with them. By doing this we have the opportunity to discuss it and move on a lot quicker. I’m certainly not saying that everyone should do this; I just find it works best for me.
Recently Paul and I had a huge fight and much to my shame I punched him in the arm and told him to pack his bags and get out. (Please note I in no way encourage violence as a solution to an argument)
Imagine if I had of let the sun go down on that! I of course didn’t mean it, but Paul would not necessarily have known that and without resolving the situation I could have created bigger problems than what the initial argument was about. (For those of you interested, it was an argument over Grocery Shopping – pathetic I know, but you had to be there!!)
And so I encourage you all; never go to bed angry with a loved one & don’t be afraid to apologize. If you must go to bed angry, let it be over something like Telstra or Centrelink!
I have often heard the words “Don’t let the sun go down on an argument”, but until recently I did not realize this pearl of wisdom was directly from the Bible.
The reason I now know this, is that I had what I shall call a “disagreement” with someone at work. Actually, disagreement probably isn’t even the right word. The incident involved someone speaking to me in a rude and aggressive manner because of something I had been asked to do. To my credit, I said nothing and seethed quietly at my desk. Obviously this person realized the manner in which they treated me was wrong, and without me having to say anything (which I’d be planning to do), they apologized. They also started their apology with the above verse. In fact they apologized so sincerely, I started to feel bad about rejoicing over the fact that a puppy had crapped in their office while they were out earlier in the day.
This of course started me wondering: Why is it SO hard to apologize to someone we’ve done wrong by or fought with unnecessarily?
I actually don’t mind a good argument. Just ask Paul. I argue with him all the time! But I also apologize, even though I’m right, because I don’t like to waste time mad at each other. I have a friend who can give her Husband the silent treatment for weeks at a time. She does this in the hope that he will realize what has upset her in the first place. I’ve tried to do this, but failed miserably as I like Paul, (or whoever I’m having a disagreement with) to know exactly why I’m angry/upset with them. By doing this we have the opportunity to discuss it and move on a lot quicker. I’m certainly not saying that everyone should do this; I just find it works best for me.
Recently Paul and I had a huge fight and much to my shame I punched him in the arm and told him to pack his bags and get out. (Please note I in no way encourage violence as a solution to an argument)
Imagine if I had of let the sun go down on that! I of course didn’t mean it, but Paul would not necessarily have known that and without resolving the situation I could have created bigger problems than what the initial argument was about. (For those of you interested, it was an argument over Grocery Shopping – pathetic I know, but you had to be there!!)
And so I encourage you all; never go to bed angry with a loved one & don’t be afraid to apologize. If you must go to bed angry, let it be over something like Telstra or Centrelink!
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