05/02/17 PETS, PAST AND PRESENT

05/02/17 PETS, PAST AND PRESENT

I have had dogs, fish, cats, turtles, birds, goats, and enjoyed having all of them. In fact, pets can fill a very important role in a person's life.

But the only pets I have right now are PET PEEVES. Here are three of my pet peeves.

LOST IN TRANSLATION
One time I counseled folks in my church,
"Do NOT go home and..."
The next time our church met together, one of the mothers, proud as a peacock, reported that she had gone home and done exactly what I had explicitly and emphatically counseled them not to do. On top of that, I believe the thing I had warned people not to do was so outrageous that it should not have been an issue to begin with.

After she boasted in her misdeed I stood there like I had been hit between the eyes with a Louisville Slugger. The congregation sat there like deer in the headlights. How could that person have been so off base? It is not normal or natural. Sadly, this is not an isolated experience.

It is as if I told a trainee during an exercise session, "BREATHE," and the person deliberately and forever stopped breathing. C R A Z Y!

It could be that the person is a total nut case, or
It could be that they are mentally impaired, or
It could be that they are stubborn, or
It could be that their resistance to counsel allows Satan to twist the counsel of God.

Therefore, truth is lost in translation and then the misguided one blames the counselor for bad counsel.

STABBED WITH MY OWN SWORD
If I ever want to know what is wrong in my life, all I have to do is teach, reprove (confront), correct (set right) or instruct (admonish, chastise) someone, as God leads (and as God has directed us in 2 Timothy 3:15-16), and the rebellious person will turn my words (actually God's words) against me in self defense and retaliation.

It is as if I am safely aboard a boat on a storm tossed sea, throwing a lifeline to a drowning person and they viciously heave the line back at me and yell that I need to be saved.

Of course, this is what rebellious people do concerning the word of God, concerning God Himself. I realize that my counsel is lost in translation or used against me because the person is rebelling against God.

INSULT TO INJURY
Sadly, there are those who listen to the viewpoint of a disgruntled and rebellious person, without hearing the whole exchange. Too often a third party will allow the rantings and misdirection of an angry person to set their own direction.

It is bad enough when a person chooses to resist and reject the offer of godly counsel and loving help, but it becomes more tragic when misinformation turns another person away from sincere and legitimate help.

The devil likes it when he gets a twofer deal on one person's obstinance.