005 – JANUARY 2004
WATCH MY BACK
ROM 12:10 “ BE KINDLY AFFECTIONED ONE TO ANOTHER WITH BROTHERLY LOVE; IN HONOR PREFERRING ONE ANOTHER.”
THE GUEST SPEAKER COMMENTED TO HIS HOST THAT ONE OF THE GROUP MEMBERS “SEEMS TO BE VERY NICE”. TO WHICH THE HOST RESPONDED WITH A SERIES OF NEGATIVE OPINIONS … CLEVER OBSERVATIONS THAT HE FELT OBLIGATED TO SHARE.
THIS, UNFORTUNATELY, IS A TYPICAL SCENE. IT HAPPENS AT MEETINGS, PARTIES, AND EVEN IN CHURCH. RATHER THAN RESPOND WITH A “YES, HE IS VERY NICE.” - WE FIND IT TOO EASY TO SAY,“YES, HE CAN BE NICE BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW … BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.” THE FACT IS THAT THIS VISITOR TO OUR LITTLE GROUP DOES NOT “NEED TO KNOW”.
IT IS, QUITE SIMPLY, GOSSIP … A SIN OF THE FLESH THAT, FOR SOME ODD REASON, MAKES PEOPLE FEEL GOOD. SLANDEROUS GOSSIP IS USUALLY A RESULT OF JEALOUSY AND COVETOUSNESS. IT IS A BIASED OPINION THAT NEEDS TO REMAIN UNSPOKEN.
IT IS ALSO A VERY COWARDLY ACT BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT IS BEING SPOKEN ABOUT IS NOT THERE TO DEFEND THE CRITIQUE … THUS, WE HAVE THE TERM “SPEAKING BEHIND SOMEONE’S BACK.” AH YES, IT’S WHILE THEY HAVE THEIR BACK TURNED, WE FIND IT EASY TO THROW THE DAGGERS OF INSULT AND INJURY. IN A FEW PARTICULAR GROUP ENVIRONMENTS, I HAVE BEEN AMUSEDLY TEMPTED TO WEAR A TARGET ON MY BACK. IT WOULD DO NO GOOD TO HAVE IT ON THE FRONT BECAUSE NONE OF THE SHOOTING GOES ON FROM THAT DIRECTION.
THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, SOMEONE TOLD ME HOW HE OVERHEARD A SERIES OF UNFLATTERING REMARKS BEING SAID ABOUT ME. SOMEONE WHO OBVIOUSLY DIDN’T LIKE ME WAS SAYING THEM TO A GUEST SPEAKER (WHO DID NOT KNOW ME). THE SPY TOLD ME HOW HE WENT UP TO THE SPEAKER AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY DEFENDED ME. HE WATCHED MY BACK … REMEMBER THAT IS THE DIRECTION OF THE ATTACK. HE PROTECTED ME. HE COVERED FOR ME IN MY ABSENCE.
THIS IS NO SMALL MATTER BECAUSE MY DEFENDER COULD HAVE EASILY JOINED THE OTHER SIDE AND SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY TO “SHOOT” ALSO. HE WAS QUITE AWARE THAT I HAVE SHORTCOMINGS THAT COULD RIGHTFULLY INCITE THE ARROWS.
DAVID AND JONATHAN MADE A PACT OF FRIENDSHIP AND PLEDGED TO WATCH EACH OTHER’S BACK. WHAT A GREAT IDEA! MAYBE, YOU COULD TAKE A MOMENT TO DECIDE TO BE BACK WATCHER INSTEAD OF A BACK STABBER. DECIDE TO DEFEND THE ABSENTEE INSTEAD OF ATTACKING HIM. WATCHING SOMEONE’S BACK ACTUALLY MEANS SPEAKING UP. BE THE PERSON WHO IS UNAFRAID OF THE BULLY AND STICKS UP FOR THE DEFENSELESS. DISENGAGE INSTEAD OF ENGAGING IN JUNK TALK.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT THIS FELLOW DEFENDED ME. IT’S NICE TO KNOW THAT WHEN MY BACK IS TURNED SOMEONE IS WATCHING IT FOR ME. I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE. I HOPE THAT YOU ARE SOMEONE. ANYHOW, I THANKED HIM FOR IT. I SAID “THANK YOU FOR WATCHING MY BACK.”
READ ABOUT DAVID & JONATHAN 1 SAMUEL, CHAPTERS 18 - 20
CHRIS
WATCH MY BACK
ROM 12:10 “ BE KINDLY AFFECTIONED ONE TO ANOTHER WITH BROTHERLY LOVE; IN HONOR PREFERRING ONE ANOTHER.”
THE GUEST SPEAKER COMMENTED TO HIS HOST THAT ONE OF THE GROUP MEMBERS “SEEMS TO BE VERY NICE”. TO WHICH THE HOST RESPONDED WITH A SERIES OF NEGATIVE OPINIONS … CLEVER OBSERVATIONS THAT HE FELT OBLIGATED TO SHARE.
THIS, UNFORTUNATELY, IS A TYPICAL SCENE. IT HAPPENS AT MEETINGS, PARTIES, AND EVEN IN CHURCH. RATHER THAN RESPOND WITH A “YES, HE IS VERY NICE.” - WE FIND IT TOO EASY TO SAY,“YES, HE CAN BE NICE BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW … BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.” THE FACT IS THAT THIS VISITOR TO OUR LITTLE GROUP DOES NOT “NEED TO KNOW”.
IT IS, QUITE SIMPLY, GOSSIP … A SIN OF THE FLESH THAT, FOR SOME ODD REASON, MAKES PEOPLE FEEL GOOD. SLANDEROUS GOSSIP IS USUALLY A RESULT OF JEALOUSY AND COVETOUSNESS. IT IS A BIASED OPINION THAT NEEDS TO REMAIN UNSPOKEN.
IT IS ALSO A VERY COWARDLY ACT BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT IS BEING SPOKEN ABOUT IS NOT THERE TO DEFEND THE CRITIQUE … THUS, WE HAVE THE TERM “SPEAKING BEHIND SOMEONE’S BACK.” AH YES, IT’S WHILE THEY HAVE THEIR BACK TURNED, WE FIND IT EASY TO THROW THE DAGGERS OF INSULT AND INJURY. IN A FEW PARTICULAR GROUP ENVIRONMENTS, I HAVE BEEN AMUSEDLY TEMPTED TO WEAR A TARGET ON MY BACK. IT WOULD DO NO GOOD TO HAVE IT ON THE FRONT BECAUSE NONE OF THE SHOOTING GOES ON FROM THAT DIRECTION.
THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, SOMEONE TOLD ME HOW HE OVERHEARD A SERIES OF UNFLATTERING REMARKS BEING SAID ABOUT ME. SOMEONE WHO OBVIOUSLY DIDN’T LIKE ME WAS SAYING THEM TO A GUEST SPEAKER (WHO DID NOT KNOW ME). THE SPY TOLD ME HOW HE WENT UP TO THE SPEAKER AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY DEFENDED ME. HE WATCHED MY BACK … REMEMBER THAT IS THE DIRECTION OF THE ATTACK. HE PROTECTED ME. HE COVERED FOR ME IN MY ABSENCE.
THIS IS NO SMALL MATTER BECAUSE MY DEFENDER COULD HAVE EASILY JOINED THE OTHER SIDE AND SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY TO “SHOOT” ALSO. HE WAS QUITE AWARE THAT I HAVE SHORTCOMINGS THAT COULD RIGHTFULLY INCITE THE ARROWS.
DAVID AND JONATHAN MADE A PACT OF FRIENDSHIP AND PLEDGED TO WATCH EACH OTHER’S BACK. WHAT A GREAT IDEA! MAYBE, YOU COULD TAKE A MOMENT TO DECIDE TO BE BACK WATCHER INSTEAD OF A BACK STABBER. DECIDE TO DEFEND THE ABSENTEE INSTEAD OF ATTACKING HIM. WATCHING SOMEONE’S BACK ACTUALLY MEANS SPEAKING UP. BE THE PERSON WHO IS UNAFRAID OF THE BULLY AND STICKS UP FOR THE DEFENSELESS. DISENGAGE INSTEAD OF ENGAGING IN JUNK TALK.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT THIS FELLOW DEFENDED ME. IT’S NICE TO KNOW THAT WHEN MY BACK IS TURNED SOMEONE IS WATCHING IT FOR ME. I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE. I HOPE THAT YOU ARE SOMEONE. ANYHOW, I THANKED HIM FOR IT. I SAID “THANK YOU FOR WATCHING MY BACK.”
READ ABOUT DAVID & JONATHAN 1 SAMUEL, CHAPTERS 18 - 20
CHRIS
