Category: discipline

Frying Pan Theology

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Not long after our church’s Easter breakfast finished, sounds of the worship music filtered down from the sanctuary as everyone settled into their seats. Well, not everyone. Liz and I were still in the kitchen with the last of the cleanup detail. There was that one last pan, the one covered with baked on egg.




I scrubbed, “sudsed,” scoured, and rinsed. Each time I thought I got it all, but the rinse revealed the truth – still more work to do.  

Liz looked over at my struggle and said, “Just let it soak. We’ll get it later.” ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Which is just what we did. 

How much did that pan remind me of my life? 

When the pan was full of fluffy eggs, I couldn’t see the crusty residue practically laminated to the pan’s bottom and edges. When I’m busy and so full of activity, I don’t notice other deep down issues that start getting embedded and ingrained in me. Things that begin to corrode and cause destruction. Things like selfishness, jealousy, pride, anger, bitterness.

But in His graciousness, God uses struggles and hardships as tools to reveal to me areas that He wants to work on. Then too often, in my own strength, I start scrubbing and scraping trying to remove and improve like I did with the eggs. After much elbow grease, I thought I had gotten it all. But the rinse revealed that while I made some progress, there was still more work to be done. And I can’t do it by myself. 

With the eggs, I needed the dish detergent to do chemically what physically I could not. And I needed to fill and immerse the pan in water and just let it soak. Let the water do the work of softening the hardness. 

In life, I find myself trying to clean up my act in my own strength which isn’t very effective. I need to be immersed in the Lord and His Word to soften my hardened heart and to remove the impurities that are stuck inside. I must partner with Him in the transformational work He wants to do. Paul says to “…be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. … Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”  Rom 12:1-2

MY job is to present myself “a living and holy sacrifice … and not copy the behavior and customs of this world,” and then GOD will “transform (me) into a new person by changing the way (I) think.” 

It won’t happen in an instant any more than a rinse of the water released the caked on egg. It’s a process that took time in the sink. And it’ll be a process as I soak in His presence and His promise: 

Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to Himself  as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Eph. 5:25-27

What a beautiful promise that is! A scrub-free eternity! What do you think about that?

How To Run The Race – p.s.

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Today over at Laced With Grace, I shared the following post. As I pondered it, another thought came to me and I’m sharing it with you today in my new last paragraph. Also, my LWG friend Debbie reminded me of another noteworthy athlete, Oscar Pistorius from South Africa, who ran Olympic speed with prosthetic legs. Check out the video below where he met and danced with a 7 year old English girl who wears the same prosthetic legs. I tried (and failed) to find the actual NBC Olympic coverage footage, but this YouTube video gets the point across as well. It’s simply an amazing story!
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Like so many others, I was captivated by the Olympics earlier this month. There were the major stories – gold medals for the fastest man alive, the most decorated Olympian, the first African-American all around gymnast. You know their names without my sharing them – Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Gabby Douglas. The media lavishly focused on the perfection of these performances.
But there were other noteworthy performances that received far less attention.
For me, some of the most compelling stories were those devoid of athletic perfection.
In the 2008 Bejing Olympics, during the women’s 400 meter relay, Lauryn Williams dropped the baton in the final leg of the relay. Facing certain defeat in the race, she picked up the baton and ran to the finish line, coming in dead last. When asked why, Lauryn responded that she “just had to do it.”
This year in London, Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang, a former world-record holder and Olympic champion, stumbled into the first hurdle in his race, his injured right leg unable to make the leap. He stayed down for a few moments before hopping on one leg the rest of the track to the finish line.
Two days later, in the first leg qualifying heat of the men’s 4×400 relay, American sprinter Manteo Mitchell heard a loud “pop” and felt his left leg snap. With 200 meters to go, he faced the decision to keep running or stop and lose the race. He finished his lap allowing his team to qualify before limping off the track. Doctors later confirmed that Mitchell had broken his fibula halfway through his race, his personal Olympic dreams ended.
These athletes and many others exhibit the perseverance and endurance that makes a true champion. They are living examples of what Paul said in his letter to the Philippians:
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:12-14

In the race of life, we will have setbacks and disappointments. These are God’s tools to produce in us perseverance, character, and hope; patience; maturity; and godliness. (Rom. 5:3-4, 2 Cor. 1:6, James 1:4, 2 Peter 1:6)
Last week, a beautiful young mother died of cancer. She finished her race and is now in glory. Her grieving husband and baby will need to press on for the prize for which God has called them.
Another friend is in the hospital on life support. His family and friends pray for a miracle and grow in endurance.
A single mother lost her job. A family faces foreclosure. A wayward teen breaks his parent’s hearts. A middle-school student is bullied. All people I know. All so hard to live through. But in each of these situations, their testimonies reflect the glory of God. He strengthened their faith as they pressed on through these setbacks and disappointments.
“The testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3-4)
“We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)
“Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Consider Him who endured such opposition, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Heb. 12:1b-3
How do we run the race with perseverance? By focusing on Jesus and the joy He sets before us just as He endured the cross by focusing on the joy set before Him. And as we consider Him, He strengthens us so we will not grow weary and lose heart.

Beloved, what will you be considering today?
Postscript:
It occurred to me that these friends and acquaintances of mine (and yours too) are our current day “great cloud of witnesses.” The OT faith heroes in Hebrews 11 had their victories and their struggles, yet the writer of Hebrews exhorts us that we can throw off anything that hinders us and run our race with perseverance because of their testimony.  Likewise, the people I mentioned above and so many others who are valiantly enduring through their struggles serve as encouragement to me to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. May I be such an encourager. 

Here’s the video of Oscar Pistorius:

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Are you listening?

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Forgive me another 9/11 post. At our monthly writers meeting on Saturday, our exercise was to write a 9/11 reflection. Thought I’d share it with you.





9/11/2003
Two years after the day that forever changed life as we knew it, at a memorial service, I heard the testimony of a young man. He and a co-worker were in Tower 2 when the second plane struck. They ran from the office, unsure where to step next. Right or left? They argued as she wanted to take the elevator, but he heard a voice directing him to the stairs. He tried to convince her, but ultimately saw her for the last time in the foyer outside their office.


He listened to the voice directing him down, step by step, landing by landing, eventually to safety outside. He praised God for directing and leading him out. But I couldn’t get past the question – What about her? God loved her enough to direct her too, didn’t He? 


Eventually, I understood. God was surely speaking to both. But only one listened. Only one obeyed. The still small voice*. The voice saying “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.‘” *


And what about me? Do I listen when I sense the leading of the Spirit? Do I obey when the direction God gives is clear? 


Not always, I’m sorry to say.


This leading may not be the difference between life and death, but it surely is the difference between growing or not in discernment and Christlikeness. He was obedient, even to death on a cross. “If you love me,” He said, “you’ll obey Me.” 


That young man is alive today because he responded in obedience to the still small voice. I want to be obedient in the big and small choices I make, not for earthly benefits, but for the simple demonstration that I love Jesus. I like to think that I’d be willing to die for Jesus. How willing am I to live for Him? 


Jesus, I ask Your forgiveness for all the times I sense You directing me, and I turn the other way. Help me to be obedient, even unto to death, even unto life. 




*1 Kings 19:12, Isaiah 30:21, John 14:23-24

Just Too Busy

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Just Too Busy is for anyone who is… well, just too busy! And since I don’t know anyone who isn’t too busy, I guess this book is for you, especially if you are the chief cook, chauffer, maid, nurse, sideline coach, and/or tutor in your household.



For me, this book is more than just a good read. It is the culmination of a dream of a dear friend. Joanne Kraft and I met at my first writers’ conference. We shared a lunch, a prayer, and the beginning of a cherished friendship. At that conference, a master discourager tried to convince Joanne to abandon writing her book, devastating news for any writer. After buckets of tears, hugs, prayers, and a phone call home, wise words from her husband Paul [“Remember Who told you to write this book…”] brought clarity and peace to both of us.



In her ‘day’ job, Joanne is a 911 operator, and she has saved me from disaster on more than one occasion. We may live a continent apart, but when we talk, it’s as if we’re sitting across the table from each other.
And when you read her book, it’s as if she’s sitting across the table from you, sharing her personal experience of her family’s victory over busyness. Joanne speaks and writes with sidesplitting humor. She’ll make you laugh, and make you cry, but mostly laugh.
Here’s the official blurb about her book:
  • Just Too Busy is the true story of the Kraft family’s head-on collision with busyness and the twelve-month experiment that changed their lives. When their children could recite the dollar value meals at McDonalds faster than their times-tables, they knew something was very wrong. So, instead of continuing their bad habits and fitting more into their schedules, they took a year off from all activities and learned how to be a family again. 
  • In this book, readers will laugh their way to learning the ten tell-tale signs that they are too busy and discover the symptoms for a common disorder known to moms today: A.D.D. (Activity Denial Disorder). Families will find simple ways to guard themselves from the temptation of constant distraction.

Even though my children are young adults now, I found myself relating to the busyness that Joanne describes. Overcommitment is something that I regularly have to guard against. In the first chapter, Joanne says, “even the good things in life can become the enemy of the best things in life.”
To combat what she calls the “captivity of activity,” Joanne and her family took a year-long “radical sabbatical.” They stopped almost all extracurricular activity and learned what it means to spend time together as a family. Just Too Busy takes us through their experiences, high and low, and provides insight and advice to anyone looking to simplify life. You don’t need to go on a radical sabbatical yourself to enjoy and apply the principles in this book.
Because I know you’ll love it, I’m giving away a copy of Just Too Busy! To enter the drawing, share a comment with me – either here on the blog, on facebook, or in an email reply. Let me know why you’d like to read it or share your funniest busy story.
  

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Clogged ?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Last month, I had unintentionally withdrawn from writing and serving, sensing overcommittment and burnout. While in my self-imposed exile, I read about the Dead Sea, specifically that it is “dead” because the water doesn’t flow out.
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.God calls us to be rivers, not lakes; conduits of the blessings He has showered on us, not reservoirs. This winter, the drainpipe at our home was stopped up, frozen and immovable with the water that was made to flow freely through it. It wasn’t serving its purpose to receive from above and channel the water to the soil below.


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And neither are we if we receive the gifts that God has given us and keep them to ourselves. The Bible says that the gifts we are given are for the “common good1,” that is – they are given to us to share with others. If I am given a gift for teaching, what good is it if I keep it to myself? What about gifts of hospitality, mercy, leadership, giving, wisdom, faith, healing? We are told to “eagerly desire the gifts2” but what is the benefit of hoarding such gifts?
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There is no doubt that in this fast-paced, hyperactive society we live in that there is real danger of overcommittment. But the answer is not to withdraw completely. It is to achieve balance. If we’re stopped up, we can become stagnant, like the Dead Sea. Better to allow the Living Water from above flow freely to us and through us.
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A well-known phrase in chiropractic circles is ADIO – meaning that healing comes from “Above Down Inside Out.” It’s a perfect metaphor for how we should live our lives. We can’t be truly successful on the outside unless we are filled and flowing on the inside having received from above.
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Throughout Scripture, drink offerings were “poured out” to the Lord, and it is well-known that in his final letter, Paul referred to himself as being “poured out like a drink offering.3” But before that, in his letter to the Philippians, he made the same reference “even if I am being poured out like a drink offering …, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.4” This time, it was part of his message that God is at work in us5, and we ought to do everything without grumbling and complaining that we might be blameless and pure, shining like stars in the sky6. Wow, I wanna shine like the stars. How about you?
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Right now, I’m feeling a bit like the “little teapot” of song; Lord – tip me over and pour me out – that I might be filled again and again, and poured out again and again.

1- 1 Cor. 12:7
2- 1 Cor. 12:31
3-  2 Tim. 4:6
4- Phil. 2:17
5- Phil 2:13
6- Phil 2:14-15

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Driven to Distraction

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Early Sunday morning, a few weeks ago, I woke up extra early to prepare for my Sunday School class, only to be distracted by another random task calling my name, leaving my preparation less than best.



Then while in the class, my cell phone signaled a text message arrival. I quickly silenced the alert, only to have it vibrate loudly two minutes later with another text message.


Several minutes later, someone else’s cell phone rang an alert.


A few minutes after that, the children loudly shuffled past our group to practice their special presentation, returning 15 minutes later, sweetly suspending our discussion once again.


The thing is – this type of stuff rarely happens in our class. No cell phones. No parades. No distractions. Each week, we have awesome discussions that experience very few interruptions. Even late arrivals don’t divert us from our study.


Our text that morning was Acts 16, particularly the demon-possessed, fortune-telling servant girl who followed Paul for days shouting “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” This greatly distressed Paul, and he cast out the demon. Since the girl was declaring truth, our group shared thoughts on why Paul would be distressed, concluding that if “he accepted her words, he would appear to be linking the Good News with demon-related activities.” (Life Appl Bible)


And then it occurred to me. While that was most certainly true, it might also be simply that she was a distraction to the work Paul and his companions were doing.


Grrrr! That word – distraction! 


Lately, I’ve been quite onvicted about my own distracted nature. Unlike the focused, goal-oriented people I admire, I am a tumbleweed, often wandering from room to room, task to task. Being very busy, but in reality, accomplishing little.


My dear friend, Joanne at Blessed, shared not one, but two posts a few weeks ago about distraction. When she wrote that her nickname is “bright, shiny thing,” I laughed out loud, knowing that it could easily be mine too! She calls it “the attraction of distraction,” and that’s exactly what it is. It’s a lure, a snare, a decoy. Like a fishing lure, distraction will entice us, then hook us, keeping us from accomplishing anything.

“Hi, my name is Susan, and I’m a distractaholic.”

There I said it. Just as alcohol can derail the one addicted to it, so too, can distraction. Now, there’s nothing wrong with being a free spirit. Usually, I love being one. But there are times when I know that God signals a certain task for my day or a call on my life, and I must be honest and admit – I’m being disobedient.

Oswald Chambers said that “Good is the enemy of best.” The soothsaying servant girl shared a truthful statement, but it was a distraction from the men who were on God’s mission of truth. I may be busily serving the Lord, but if I’m not also listening to Him, my work is a distraction from my relationship with Him. Sometimes, a tumbleweed needs an anchor.

I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible. 1 Cor. 7:35b

Carpe Annum!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

 

It’s that time again.
A new year.
A new decade, too.
Some people reflect on the past.
Others look ahead.

 
 
 
 
 
Sometimes, God’s Word says to look back and remember.

  • And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, … Exodus 13:3
  • Jesus asked, “You of little faith, … Don’t you remember … ? Matt 16:8-10

And other times, we’re warned against looking back.

  •  No one in the field should go back for anything… Remember Lot’s wife! Luke 17:32
  • Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62

Sometimes, we’re encouraged to forget the past and look ahead at the goal.

  • Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Proverbs 4:25
  • But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal … Phil. 3:13-14

Yet, other times, we’re cautioned to just focus on today, not the future.

  • Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. Josh 24:15
  • Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt. 6:34

So confusing –
Do I look back or not?
Do I look ahead or not?
What’s a girl to do?

After compiling 4 pages of Scripture verses on both sides of this issue, I have arrived at the following conclusion:

There is a time to look back and remember, as long as our looking back is not filled with regretting and remorse.
Over and over, when the Lord talks about remembering, it is the covenant He made with His people that He remembers(Gen. 9:15).
Jesus’ closing words to His disciples at the Last Supper include exhortations to “remember the words I spoke to you.” (Jn 15:20)

David remembered the works of God. “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. Psalm 143:5

As for our sin, that He chooses to forget (Heb. 10:17).
Oh, thank you, Jesus!



Corrie ten Boom said, “When God buries your sins in the deepest sea, He posts a sign that says No Fishing Allowed!”


Time spent rehashing “could’ve, should’ve, would’ve” is time wasted. In a recent email I received, author Cec Murphy said, “No matter how many times I examine the past, there’s nothing I can do to make it different.”


Okay, so here it is –
Remember His words, remember His works, and remember the “great cloud of witnesses” that the writer of Hebrews mentions – those people like us who have gone before us, have had experiences like ours, have been victorious and are now cheering us on in our race of life.


Learning from past mistakes is worthwhile, but regurgitating the past is just futile.

At this time of New Year resolutions, we look back and evaluate how far we’ve come. We look forward and see how far we have to go. We set goals and make plans. My friend, Jean from Encouraging Words, said, “I can usually handle planning my work. But I’ve come to realize that I fall short in the area of working my plan.” How true those words are for me, which is why I often regret looking back.

I recently saw a magazine with the headline, “Carpe Annum!” I so want to seize 2010, but it seems too awesome a task. Yet time is so fleeting. Can you believe Y2K was 10 years ago!! We need to make the most of every opportunity.


The key for me is found in Psalm 118:24:

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”


How do I seize the year? Hmmmm – Carpe Diem – day by day.



The caption above says,
“Every moment is an opportunity for those who are ready to seize it.”


In the movie “Dead Poets Society,” Robin Williams quotes John Keating when he says, “Carpe diem.
Seize the day, boys.
Make your lives extraordinary.”




Well, friends, I guess it’s about time I take my own advice 🙂

Susan

How to Climb Mount Everest!

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Recently, I attended a chiropractic seminar with my husband. The speaker one night was Dr. Tim Warren, who climbed Mount Everest reaching the summit. His talk and slide show were captivating, and his conclusion was a quote by one of the guides (called “sherpas”) who helped lead Dr. Tim and his group up to the summit.

“If you are facing in the right direction,
keep putting one foot in front of the other.”
– Phinjo Sherpa
I just love that quote. So often, we hear motivational quotes regarding the importance of putting one foot in front of the other:

Keep on keepin’ on.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Don’t watch the clock. Do what it does…
keep going. – Sam Levenson
When you come to the end of your rope,
tie a knot and hang on. – Franklin D. Roosevelt
Consider the postage stamp:
its usefulness consists in the ability to
stick to one thing till it gets there. – Josh Billings


But, what all these quotes lack is the importance of facing the right direction. Frequently, we’re running a race that is just spinning our wheels, or worse – taking us in the wrong direction – away from the plan God has for us. Jonah put his feet, one in front of the other, but in the wrong direction! Same for Elijah, Jacob, Moses, David, need I go on?

Sometimes, we are trying to reach the mountaintop in our own strength like the Galatians: Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Galatians 3:3

To reach our goal, we must follow the wisdom Paul shared with the Philippians: Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers [and sisters], I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:12-14

Our goal is not necessarily the finish line. Peter assures us that we can receive our goal today whether we see it or not. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9

Climbing Mt. Everest was no easy task. Dr. Warren could not always see his finish line. The journey required a considerable amount of effort, money, time, and committment.

Walking with the Lord is a committment as well, but we have the best Guide ever! He will lead us into all truth, set us in the right direction, strengthen us to keep putting our feet one in front of the other, enable us to scale heights unknown.

Susan

To Provoke or Not To Provoke

Posted on by Susan Panzica

At a recent conference I attended, David LeCompte stood before the audience, showing photos of Christians in Arab strongholds in Iran, Iraq and the West Bank city of Ramalla. I understood the bravery of these Christians going against the fierce tide of Muslim society. I recognized the need to share the love of Christ with those descendents of Abraham. But I also had a uneasy feeling, particularly when it came to the Palestinians in Ramalla. As he shared his experiences with these people, I recalled the many negative emails I’ve received and news stories I read about them.
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As a Jewish believer, I realized my perspective is biased, harboring resentment toward those who seek to destroy my people. The Israeli Prime Minister said “If the Palestinians put down their weapons, there will be peace. If the Israelis put down their weapons, there will be no Israel.” Israelis don’t strap bombs to their children and send them off to crowded markets. They don’t destroy property and the environment. They live in the 21st century, not as if they were still in ancient times. I could list off many reasons to harbor ill will toward them. But David LeCompte encouraged me to love them as Jesus did, dying for each one of them as He did for me.
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After the session, I had hoped to express to him how difficult this is for a Jewish person. No sooner did this thought cross my mind than he walked out of the building right in front of me, and I had the chance to share my concern. He understood perfectly and prayed with me. He said that as he spreads his message of love for the Arab people, he encounters resistance from many Christians, supporters of Israel. Then he said, “I guess I am a provoker.”
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I’ve thought a lot since then about being a provoker.
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The dictionary defines provoking as:
1. to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex
2. to stir up, arouse, or call forth
3. to incite or provide the needed stimulus for action
4. to give rise to, induce, or bring about
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By this definition, provoking can be good or bad. It depends on who’s getting “vexed” or the action that is stimulated. To me, the word “provoke” always had a negative connotation. But looking at this list, I see that Jesus was a provoker in every category. He angered the religious leaders of the day, pointing out their folly. He aroused the crowds and called forth disciples. He stimulated people to action, leaving home and families to follow Him. He brought about a transformation that changed the course of history.
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After researching this in the Word, I compiled a few do’s and don’ts regarding provoking:

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1. Don’t provoke the Lord to jealousy. The Israelites did this repeatedly in the Old Testament, following after kings and other gods, losing sight of the One who deserved their love and full attention. Paul asked the believers, “Do you dare to provoke the Lord’s jealousy as Israel did? Do you think you are stronger than He is?” 1 Cor. 10:22

2. Don’t provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4) lest they be discouraged (Col. 3:21)

3. DO provoke one another to love and good works! (Heb. 10:24) The NLT translates this verse: “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.” I love that – outbursts of love!

So, let’s start provoking! Let us stir up love, encourage good works, speak up for those who cannot. What can 1 person do? Start with your family. Provoke those around you to love and good works. Start a transformation that can change the course of history !
Susan