The Emperor's Seed, Part II

We left off last time with a discussion of integrity.  I have another story for you:

He had finally gotten his chance to make the Really Big Sale. He was going into the final interview on the biggest contract he had ever written. As he was ushered into the office of the executive buyer, an assistant brought coffee and left. The atmosphere was cordial, and he knew he was giving his best presentation ever.


Then the assistant tapped on the door, re-entered the office and spoke briefly with the executive. She stood and said, "I apologize, but I have to tend to a matter. I'll just be a minute or two." She followed her assistant out of the room.


The sales representative looked around the beautifully appointed office. He saw family pictures on her desk. Then he noticed a contract on her desk. She had evidently been studying a bid from a competitor. Leaning forward, he could see the column of figures, but it was obscured by a diet soda can.


He was tempted to move the can and see the bottom line of his competitor's bid. What harm possibly could there be in reading her private information? After all, she had left it out in plain sight, almost. After wrestling with himself a while, he finally decided to take a peek.


As he lifted the soda can, he discovered the can wasn't filled with soda at all. Instead it was a bottomless can filled with 1,000 BBs which gushed out, and ran all over the desk and cascaded onto the carpet. His attempt to short-cut the competition was exposed.

 (Mickey Anders, Six Flags Over Jesus)

As in last week's story, where the Asian children all substituted seeds of their own for the emperor's seed, we see a person here without integrity.  As Christians, we are given a guidebook for our behavior, and although we do not follow it perfectly, we must do our best to follow the teachings of our Lord.  We are often shocked when people without integrity do not "play by the rules," and we are surprised that there are people who will say anything or do anything to get ahead.  Sometimes this is as simple as embellishing one's record, but may be as brutal as slandering someone's reputation or plotting another's downfall.  Some of our suffering may be due to actions such as these.  What are we to do?

First, we must take heed of what Christ warned us about.  Christ knew the challenges that we would face in this world, and yes, there really are people like that out there.  In Matthew 10:16-17 he advised us,"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."  We must be aware of those wolves around us, and many of them are disquised as sheep.

Secondly, when hurt or taken advantage of, we are not allowed to retaliate or seek revenge.  The scripture is clear on this, for it says in many places (Deut 32:35, Ps 94:1, Romans 12:19), "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord."  A few years back, someone sought to tarnish my reputation, and with one phone call I could have ended his career by revealing information about a misdeed he had done.  God forbids this.

Thirdly, we are not to use the methods of the world to combat evil when in spritual warfare.  Many of these attacks must be understood in that context.  Some people, through their own fallen sin nature and lack of integrity will seek to advance themselves at our expense.  However, some of these people are only instruments by which Satan seeks to carry our spiritual attacks upon us.  II Cor 10:3-4 tells us, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds."

Finally, the really hard part, the part that I find nearly impossible.  Romans 12:21 instructs us, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good," and the most difficult of all for me, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).  It is extremely difficult for me to pray for those who have tried to harm me.  I would truly like to remain in the Old Testament with imprecatory Psalms such as Psalm 69:23-24, "Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; and make their loins shake continually, pour out Your indignation upon them, and let your wrathful anger take hold of them." 

However, the New Testament and Christ's teaching holds us to a higher standard, as the passages above show.  Paul, when wronged, knew he had to leave retribution to the Lord, as in II Tim 14: "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm.  May the Lord repay him according to his works."  But I hope Paul was able to also pray for Alexander, as Jesus commands.  Christ was genuinely able to pray for his executioners, for in Luke 23:24, as He was dying, said, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  And it is hard for us to pray for people who have harmed us who know exactly what they are doing. 

It is difficult to pray for someone with clenched teeth and balled fists.  We must pray for God to soften our hearts to do the will of the Father, praying for those who have spitefully used us.