Today's Devotional

January 7, 2003

Subject: Stop Fighting Yourself

2Timothy 2:24-25 - "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;"

I was watching football on Sunday and witnessed the second largest come-from-behind playoff victory ever.  During the course of the game, the coach that eventually lost was fighting for his right to have a play reviewed via the instant replay machine.  This is called a "challenge" to the call on the field.  If the replay proves that the call on the field was correct, then the coach who asked for the challenge will lose a timeout.  Well, for technical reasons, the play that the coach wanted to challenge could not be.  However, for the viewers at home, we could easily see via the instant replay that the referees had made the correct call and that if this coach did in fact challenge the call, he would lose a timeout. 

The coach was visibly upset and while many in the stadium knew that the call was probably correct, everyone at home watching on TV knew that it was absolutely correct.  The coach, in his frustrated state, looked like a child throwing a tantrum for this thing that was counter to his purposes.  This brought to mind the verse above that talks about people "opposing themselves."

Little did that coach know that the thing that he desired to take place (the challenge) was against his purposes (the call would be upheld and he would lose a timeout).  He was "fighting himself."  Like the boxer hitting himself with rights, and jabs and upper-cuts.  That's the way unbelievers are.  We are to be patient as we deal with them and teach them the ways of God.  That doesn't mean that it will always turn out the way we want it, but it then leaves it in God's hands, "peradventure He will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." 

Question to ponder:  Is fighting for your rights causing you to fight your rights?

Carlen