Most people have a certain view of themselves that they like to
maintain. So when someone points out a negative trait that does not accommodate
their preconceived views of themselves, it makes them very uncomfortable. It’s
kind of like the lady who was walking down the street to work and she saw a
parrot on a perch in front of a pet store. The parrot said to her, "Hey
lady, you are really ugly." As you can imagine, the lady was furious and
she stormed past the store, to her work. On the way home that afternoon, she
saw the same parrot and it said to her, "Hey lady, you are really
ugly." Well, as you can imagine, she was incredibly angry and offended.
The next day the same parrot again said to her, "Hey lady, you are really ugly.
"The lady was so angry that she refused to be confronted by the rude
parrot every time she would pass by it and went into the store and confronted
the owner. She told the him that she would sue him and his store and kill the
bird if the bird continued with his snide remarks. The store manager replied,
"That's not good," and promised the parrot wouldn't say that again.
When the lady walked past the store that afternoon after work, the parrot
called out to her, "Hey lady!", she paused and looked straight at the
parrot just daring him to repeat his rude remarks, and responded to him,
"Yes? and the bird replied, "Yoooou know!”.
Sometimes truth confronts
us with that which we do not want to know or think about. For example, it is
true that someday we will all die. Yet most people accept that fact on a
superficial level, but they may never really embraced the truth of that fact.
Truth also hurts when it requires us to stop doing what we want to do, or
requires us to start doing what we don't want to do. It cuts through excuses
and requires us to do what is right or sacrifice our opinions for the sake of
truth itself. Some avoid the choice altogether by blurring the line between
what is true and what isn't. Our world has become so full of blurry lines that
many people don't realize the reality between truth and lies any longer.
John 8:32 tells us that we can no truth, by knowing the author of all truth.
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. Unlike the
lady that was being confronted by the parrot, God’s Word is all Truth and can
be trusted to tell us what we need to know about ourselves. Not to offend but
to sanctify us through His truth. For His word is truth according to John
17:17. But remember, once it confronts us, we are never the same again.
Like the lady in the parrot joke, truth can be very
painful, when it focuses on our own shortcomings and responsibilities instead
of allowing us to focus on everyone else's. It emphasizes our own need to
change and grow. In the midst of conflict, we like to believe that we are
right, that we are innocent and that our suffering is the result of someone
else's insensitivity or guilt. But truth causes us to see ourselves as naked
and as helpless as we are. At times we are all sometimes wrong and sometimes
guilt. Like the parrot, sometimes we use our emotions, words, and even our
actions to hurt others. It is painful to see ourselves as we are; so much so
that some people never do. Out of sight out of mind. It doesn't hurt, if you
don't believe it. Jesus came, and still many were not prepared to receive his
light. The darkness seemed to offer protection from the painful truth of their
spiritual condition. But that "protection" was a prison of sorts.
Like a straight jacket that couldn't be removed, it encased people in their own
self-righteousness. That jacket of sorts, was like an armor that prevented them
from being washed and clothed in God's righteousness. In a movie theater,
lights come on softly and slowly when the film is over. But have you ever sat
in a darkened room watching a movie or videos and when they're over, someone
suddenly switches on the light? The natural impulse is to be irritated with the
person who turned the switch on. It helps when we get some kind of warning
before the lights come on to be prepared for when it happens. In that way,
those that are sensitive to light can have time to partially cover their eyes
for a moment to prepare for the light.
The same is true with our spiritual
eyes. God, the source of all spiritual illumination, has called out to us again
and again to prepare for the moment when He would switch on the spiritual light
for us. John the Baptist urged people to turn from darkness and allow God to
switch on their spiritual lights, to "repent for the kingdom of God was at
hand. He gave warning as God always gives warning before He sends judgment.
Many listened and responded. Those who heeded his announcement admitted they
were in darkness, and turned from their wrong attitudes and actions in
preparation to receive God’s light. When God shines truth in your heart and you
reject it, be very careful, for He will not tarry with men always! Bend today
under the mighty hand of God in your life and He will exalt you in due time! I
Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may
lift you up in due time”.
Loving on you today sweet Friend,
Bren
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