Wednesday, September 27, 2006

The Prelude of Love, The Journey of Faith: Part 7 - Brotherly Kindness

"... and add to your Godliness, Brotherly Kindness..."
-2 Peter 1:7

I have a friend, and my heart rends to say this, I cannot use names or even grab some fake names for them...


You're My Brother, You're my Sister,
So Take me by the Hand.
Together We will walk, 'Till He comes.
There's no foe that can defeat us,
If we're walking side by side

As Long as there's His Love,
We will stand.


Have you ever had to trust someone with all of you? With all of who you are?

The Lord has me writing a Book, a Novel entitled, "The Accounting."

For me at least, the byline is, "What Will Your Story Be?"

I'm sure you recognize this passage by now...


For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
- 2 Peter 1:8


Something that I sometimes (or maybe often) forget though, is this...


But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
- 2 Peter 1:9


In my mind, when we forget that we have been cleansed from our past sins... We forget God.


Does a maiden forget her jewelry?
Or a bride her wedding ornaments?

Yet My People have forgotten Me,
Days without number.
- Jeremiah 2:32


Yes, I know, what does this have to do with Brotherly Kindness?

Well...

I'm not quite sure, this just seems to be where the Lord's taking me!

Several months ago, I was able to talk with a Friend of mine long into the night (we were both sick with some Epidemic), simply about how great and wonderful God is. Although our conversation jumped from highlight to highlight, the central theme barely changed.

At one point we began talking about the spiritual realm, and our conversation ranged from time to spiritual warfare, but in each subject it was, "Wow, God is really amazing!"

God is outside of Time. Wow!

For whatever reason, He has left Demons in existence; he hasn't completely destroyed all the Fallen Angels! What amazing mercy!


Your mercy shines like the Morning,
When the darkness runs from the day.
Like a rising sun, O, Your Glory,
Chases the shadows away,
And we are changed,
By Your Mercy.
-Ray Boltz


I made a Friend that day, one that I haven't had an opportunity to talk to for a while, but a Friend, nonetheless.

That night in the Quarantine of the Nurses Station (we called it the Morgue), two siblings in Christ simply showed each other Kindness, and that's all there is!

Applying that at home can often be a different story.

I have a Sister, and she is probably the most amazing young woman in the world. She chases after God with all her being, she is a literal genius, can sing with beauty that would put an angel to shame, and even complete strangers comment on her amazing beauty both outside and inside.

Her personality is amazing, she can work with almost anyone, and has a gentleness that is amazing.

Oh yeah...

Remember the "'almost' anyone?" She and I are in conflict regularly!

Be it something major, minor, or in between, we will each have a different opinion!

I have a joke with a Friend, it's that when God gave this list, He said, "If you can manage Brotherly Kindness, you've already got Love!"

I wish I could give great and wonderful examples here, but I've been here for a long time, first trying to learn it, then just doing it, and as far as I can tell, there is no quick fix to exhibiting true Brotherly Kindness on a continual basis.

Doing it every once in a while, or even most of the time, just doesn't cut it! Yes, failure is most likely, but as soon as we fail, it is time to pick up the pieces and keep going. Yes, it sounds like a cliche, but remember that our life is like a great battle, and there is not time to stop on the battleground.

Paraphrasing a Great Friend of mine, "If you're looking for perfection, you're not going to find it here."

In this I'm not expecting perfection, but I want to be what I look for in my Friends.

I don't care how often they fail, I want them there to fight when someone attacks my back, just as I expect to be there when they can't defend.

And thus, the most difficult part...

How many of you remember the line, "Back! Let the Prince win his spurs!"

In the Chronicles of Narnia, Peter is about to fight his first battle, and with the strength of an entire army around him, the Great Lion, the High King commands the army back, to let Peter win or die on his own.

Sometimes, true Brotherly Kindness is to back off, and let the Warrior fight.

I have a Friend who the Lord let me fight life battles with for a while, but something that I had to witness took place. My Friend began to rely far too heavily on me.

Instead of being there to catch the stray "arrow," I began to become more and more immersed, until I found that I was losing in my battles where I was truly needed.

It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I backed off and "Let the Warrior earn the spurs."

I know the battle still rages in my Friend's life, but I also her it when the Lord says that I can't be part of it right now. After taking counsel with some trusted peers and not-so-peers, I know that I simply have to wait, and let this battle turn out as it will, for "The Battle Belongs to the Lord."

To be there when needed;
To back off when one's presence would not be right;
To be there in prayer nonetheless.

This is Brotherly Kindness.

Faith
Virtue
Knowledge
Perseverance
Self-Control
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness.

Love.

Even though it isn't always showing, I love my lil' Sis, and ever so slowly, the Lord is teaching me to be a Brother, to have Brotherly Kindness, and I hope someday I can be someone who can Echo Christ to her.

Brotherly Kindness;

Love.
-David

P.S. I kind of feel inadequate here, by the way, I was hoping to be alot more secure by the time I finished writing this, but hey, at least it's Real.

So apologies to all those who wanted some good pointers and didn't get any, I'll be sure to do another one when the Lord shows me more!
-Me

Labels: , , , , , ,

1 Comments:

At 8:23 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

I'm featured in a post! Hooray! ^_^

That was a truly incredible time in the morgue, wasn't it? I haven't had an experience like that before or since.

And we just have to keep remembering just who God is. Sadly, it's far harder than it sounds.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home