Re: Real time application
Hi again. After doing some catch up reading on the forum this morning, I see that the air outside my window isn’t the only place there is a lot of heat. Wondering if there some verses in the Bible that can help us in our forum interactions, I find myself back at the ones I asked about a number of posts ago (a post which either got lost in the fray or wasn’t of interest to anyone.)
1Co 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
When we come together, God wants us to have a lot of interactions with one another based on what we have from Him. He’s not specific about what shape the coming together takes, but just about what should happen among those who come together. Actually, this forum could be considered a way of coming together. (The Bible leaves a lot of freedom with regard to the shape our coming together takes. I’m using the word “shape” here because can’t think of a better word to get across my meaning.) Back to the verse. It says to me that He wants all of us to interact with one another in a way to edify each other with what we have from Him.
Co 14:30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
1Co 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
Verse 31 leaves the door open for all to participate. It seems verse 30 makes provision for someone, other than the one speaking, to have something revealed to them, something which might add to, or maybe even correct, what the first one says. In that case, the first one needs to give way to the other. Again, the reason for these interactions is plainly stated: so that all may learn and be comforted.
V 32 says to me that we all need to be in control of ourselves and that God has made us in such a way that we have the capacity to do that.
I have seen lots of good communication and interaction on the LC forums over past years. I’ve also seen things get heated. The heat is usually due to misunderstandings. Sometimes it’s due to egos clashing or wrong motives at work. Sometimes it’s due to some who intend to make things hot. I’ve seen some of these conflicts be resolved and peace be restored. I’ve also seen some conflicts that have been left unresolved. In those cases, participants who were not willing to suffer the discomfort that was needed to follow through and resolve the conflict just folded and left. (Yes, I’m guilty of that.) It’s kind of like when a husband and wife have conflict and one refuses to talk anymore. Shut down mode is really “the problem will surface again later” mode.
I heard somewhere recently (maybe here?) that the Bible says peacemakers, not peacekeepers, are blessed, and that peacemakers are those who are willing to suffer through a conflict with a goal of reaching a place of peace, to stay the course until peace is made. (Jesus was a peacemaker.) Those who just want the conflict to stop, who go away just so there can be silence, which to them seems like peace, are not peacemakers.
Okay, all this to say, let’s keep interacting. Nobody leave in the middle of conflict. Let's control ourselves, respect one another, seek to understand, not misunderstand each other, and learn together how to speak the truth in love. According to the chapter before the one about interacting together, love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
Yes, I need to take my own advice.
I will say that my personal interactions with the Lord and the Bible are greatly enhanced and stimulated by reading and participating on this forum or by being in any kind of Christian environment where there is freedom to discuss the Bible with others. The fact that we have the freedom to do this is, in itself, a great blessing.
Thankful Jane
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