God, my Armor
There is a TV ad that appeals, “Wake up! You’re not safe! You’re about to be ravaged by a unsuspected disease!” They promise, “Take our vaccine, a sure guard against succumbing”.
Paul in the NT delivers a similar warning about an equally cunning spiritual adversary who infiltrates our human relationships seeking to separate us with cruel maligning and violent acts.
When hurt and angry, we are tempted to lash-out, returning tit-for-tat, but “wake up!” Paul says. “Your neighbor isn’t the enemy. There’s an unsuspected instigator working to divide and conquer!”
Paul’s antidote? “Put on the powerful armor of God”. You protest, “Woah Pollyanna!”
Agreed, evil and hate are real, we must resist! But our neighbor is not the source, only the tool! It’s the devil who would wreck lives and relationships.
God can empower us to see through evil actions and devastating situations to the cunning instigator. With “the power of His [God’s] might” working in and through us, our anger and desire for revenge can be eliminated. With His wisdom guiding us, acts of healing replace destruction, and forgiveness replace hate for the guilty human assailants.
Dear Lord, help me to care for my enemies even when I hate the evil they do. Amen.
A Wilderness Guidebook . . . 