{"id":23787,"date":"2018-09-06T03:30:05","date_gmt":"2018-09-06T10:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=23787"},"modified":"2018-08-31T12:04:18","modified_gmt":"2018-08-31T19:04:18","slug":"september-6-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2018\/09\/06\/september-6-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"September 6, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cDo all that you can to live in peace with everyone.\u201d <\/em>Romans 12:18 NLT<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Walk the Plank!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cIf a pirate is a Christian and walks the plank, and gets eaten by a shark, he\u2019ll still go to heaven, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

There are a few things wrong with that statement, but coming from my 7-year-old grandson, it brought a huge smile to my face.<\/p>\n

Since the commitment of a pirate would be to rob and pillage, and the commitment of a Christian would be to love and serve people as Jesus did, a Christian could not, would not, be a pirate. Therefore, if a pirate became a Christian he would have to leave his profession of pirating.<\/p>\n

In such a scenario as the one in my grandson\u2019s thoughtful head, if a pirate became a Christian, he would probably be made to \u201cwalk the plank,\u201d in which case he would go to heaven.<\/p>\n

In all seriousness, some of us have faced or will face \u201cwalk the plank\u201d scenarios in our workplace or at school.\u00a0This world does not tolerate Christianity as it did in the past. We are called \u201cthe haters,\u201d directly opposite of the teachings of Jesus.<\/p>\n

2 Timothy 2:24, 25, states, \u201c<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>\u2026 a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, be patient, and <\/em>in humility correcting those who are in opposition; God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth\u2026.\u201d <\/em>We must continue to show love and compassion to those calling us haters and not react by responding in like manner. Pirates do what pirates do. Sinners do what sinners do, which is to sin.\u00a0We need to look past their sin to love them as Jesus does.<\/p>\n

Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek, so when we reach for our sword, \u201cMatey,\u201d be sure it is the sword of the Spirit.\u00a0Reach out, show love, and bring them a plate of homemade cookies or a flower in a vase for their desk. If they continue to hate, pray for them like never before. Walking the plank\u2014going out on a limb for someone\u2014leaves us vulnerable. It is a sacrifice of love to lay down one’s life for a friend. When persecution comes, let us picture ourselves as the pirate who became a Christian, walking the plank with joy. Hopefully, that will bring a smile to our faces, and make them wonder what we have up our sleeve!<\/p>\n

\u201cLord, please give renewed joy and love to face each day to those who are \u201cwalking the plank\u201d because of their belief in You. Sometimes it seems You reveal to us a person’s dark side so that we can pray for them with more passion than before.\u00a0 Thank You, Lord, that even when we do not feel like it, You are loving through us in the workplace, at school, and even at home. May Your love be felt through our kindness toward everyone.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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