Whose Do You Think You Are?

Has anybody ever asked you “Who do you think you are?”  You might hear it when you interject an unwelcome opinion, offer unsolicited advice or give unwanted assistance.  Here’s another question that we should sometimes ask ourselves; “Whose do you think you are?”  Sometimes life seems unfair and you feel outnumbered.  Out of frustration you feel like giving up or giving in.  Maybe you decide to stop trying out of spite.   Of course we all need to relax and refresh from time to time, but there is no place for moping and wallowing in self-pity.  There is life to live and work to be done.  Ask yourself “Whose do you think you are?”

With God as our Father and His Word as our foundation we are always in a position of strength.  Find the story of Elijah, when he met with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.  King Ahab had been searching for Elijah from one end of the earth to the other to kill him.  In I Kings, chapter 18, here came Elijah demanding that the King and 850 priests of Baal and Asherah meet him on Mount Carmel.  What an elaborate show those 850 priests put on as they called and cried and offered blood to their idols made of wood and clay, thinking that fire might appear on their altar and consume their sacrifices.

Just about the time they would be worn out, though outnumbered 850 to 1, Elijah taunted them, exposing their idols to severe scorn.  ‘Perhaps your god is sleeping or needed a powder room break.  It could be that he is on vacation.’  He mocked them for hours.  Even the King had to be amused by the futility of the dancing and swaying around the altar.  We laugh at the taunting, but to Elijah, talking smack served to drive home exactly what was at stake; Israel.  In essence he was asking what could be so important that their god did not answer; not a sound.  Nothing stirred.  Silence.

Then Elijah, beside an altar of twelve stones, water soaked and surrounded by water, made his request of God.  While he was still speaking, God (your God, reader) caused fire to consume the offering.  Not just the sacrifice, but the water, the twelve stones and even the dust around the altar were consumed while King Ahab, 850 priests of Baal and all of the spectators ran screaming in fear for their lives.

So, you think times are tough and that unseen forces conspire against you.  We have a tendency to try to turn the tide and change the odds to our favor by working harder, becoming more determined, all the while believing we can handle it on our own.  Whose do we think we are?  Will you trust that the government, or your employer, or your wealth will save you?  Or will you calm your mind, remember your first and most important responsibility and turn to God to deliver for you?

Avoiding Necessary Confrontations

The word “confrontation” generally evokes the idea of a hostile encounter or an unpleasant discussion.  It seems to require that one or more of the participants must have caused offense or hurt feelings.  Even when the motive is pure, it is still called a confrontation.  At the least, a confrontation sounds like it would be uncomfortable, no matter how necessary it may be.  But sometimes there is no other way to settle a situation, much less settle it amicably.

So, I am proposing the creation of a new word, for a necessary, though uncomfortable discussion; a word that doesn’t carry the pre-supposition that either party has been offended.  I propose the word “comfort-ation.”  It will carry no negative implication, nor will it prejudge.  The circumstances under which this new word might be used include an introduction to intervention, to implore a loved one to take better care of them self, a loving plea to correct bad habits or an invitation to visit church. 

A comfort-ation begins with a reminder that your relationship is strong and your interest in them is genuine.  Much like Paul as he wrote to the Corinthian church, where he writes “I commend you for….”  Paul would continue by appealing to their sense of community; he started on common ground.  He presented his case for the truth, encouraged them to be strong in making a better choice, and then left things in God’s hands.   Finally, Paul would re-state his love and concern.

It has been said that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.  In Paul’s case he had already bonded on some level with the people to whom he was bringing “comfort.”  So to use Paul’s approach, it seems best to choose someone we know; someone with whom we have a degree of familiarity.  Your love for this person should be genuine; your concern, selfless.  Never forget that the hope you share is eternal.  The peace of Jesus Christ real.  The comfort you intend to bring is everlasting.  These gifts are free to give and receive.  When you finish counting the cost, call a friend and have a comfort-ation.