In What Direction Do Your Standard’s Go… ▲▼?

Dictionary.com defines the term “loose cannon” as “a person whose reckless behavior endangers the efforts or welfare of others.”  Wiktionary describes it as “An uncontrolled or unpredictable person who causes damage to their faction, political party, etc…”  In all my years in management positions in the secular world as well as being on the staff at multiple churches, I have had firsthand experience in working with these types of individuals… and in attempting to clean up the messes they have left in their wakes!

It is interesting to me that the Wiktionary definition gets very specific in saying that these individuals words and actions cause damage to their own associations, be it a work group, a family, a church fellowship or any other social circle which they are a part of.  In my case, it affected the family unit, and the frustrating part to me is that I do not believe that the individuals involved have any inkling of what their words and actions did!  It can be likened to an army that moves through a once beautiful city with their weapons blazing away and never look back to see what damage they’ve left behind!

And while this behavior can be somewhat expected in the world without Jesus, it can come as a rude awakening in a dedicated Christian’s lifestyle.  2 Corinthians 10:3-5 in the God’s Word translation puts it this way: “Of course we are human, but we don’t fight like humans.  The weapons we use in our fight are not made by humans.  Rather they are powerful weapons from God.  With them we destroy people’s defenses, that is, their arguments and all their intellectual arrogance that oppose the knowledge of God.”

The King James Version says that our weapons “are not carnal” meaning that they are not to be “under the control of the animal appetites.” (Thayer’s)  It also puts it that “we do not war after the flesh.”  Once again, according to Thayer’s Greek Definitions, this implies that this reaction would be a step down.  In other words the Apostle Paul is telling us not to lower ourselves down to this beastly standard, but to keep our personal integrity, our personal response to life’s situations at the level of God’s standards!

It would seem that we can choose to react by focusing in on the limitations of fear driven implications or respond in love because we are aware or focused solely on and have our faith in God’s unlimited – GRACE DRIVEN – resources!  (see: Ephesians 3:19-20)  Remember 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 declares that with God’s weapons we can utterly destroy all of the enemy’s hand in any situation, but do so in such a way as to not leave a path of destruction, unforgiveness and anger behind you!

This path takes a little bit of homework in the Word of God, lots of patience and love and most times includes buckets full of self-control!  But the Good News is that we’ve got it!  For II Timothy 1:7 informs us that God Himself hasn’t given us the spirit of fear (so that we shouldn’t even consider reacting to it) but one of power (or of His ability),His love and of self-control, good judgment or discipline! (Depending on the translation you read!)

So what will it be?  Do you want people around you to cringe when you come in a room, or relax in knowing that a representative of God’s love and grace has arrived on the scene?  Have a great day!  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself “What am I expecting today?”