Luke 22 - Drop The Drama And Live In Peace

Luke 22:54-71 NIV
I was up very early this morning praying. There are days when one can't help but wonder what this world is coming to. There are days when it seems that no one cares for anyone else; for the right of others to live in peace (without the drama). There appears to be no room in their lives for anyone else unless it is going to be beneficial for them. There are many who are mocked and persecuted for no other reason than someone thinks they can mock and persecute others. It is a tragedy that there is so much trouble in this world just because people want to live in the drama and do not care what trouble they might be bringing upon others as well as themselves.

Jesus was mocked and persecuted. His friend and disciple, Judas has just betrayed him. His friend and disciple, Peter, disowns him to protect his own skin. The guards, for no better reason than they can, mock him. The chief priests and teachers of the law relentlessly question Jesus to try to coerce him into confessing that he broke the law.

Jesus was getting it from all sides. Remember his words from John 15:18-20a: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also."

Even though, others may choose drama over the abundant life; even though others may persecute those who don't benefit them personally; the disciples (followers) of Jesus don't have to join in the melee. We can (and are empowered by the Spirit of Christ) to follow in his footsteps of Jesus, loving our neighbors and doing all that we can to promote peace among people; peace among nations.

God's Peace - Pr. J
P.S. Peace is far better than drama. Shut off the video games, soap operas, and any other garbage that might be twisting your thinking and promoting the negative drama in your lives.

Psalm 120 - Too Much Drama!

Some people just like drama! I don't know why. But, some people just can't seem to live without it. So, when the drama is on the decline they will make things up, usually about other people, just to get the drama going, again. Maybe their lives are so empty that they are trying to fill them up.  It's kind of like they have to have their own personal soap operas going and they are the star. Personally, I have never made a habit of watching soap operas. I don't have the time. I have a pretty full life already and don't need to observe someone's fake life on television daily. There are way better things to focus on in life than this kind of drama.  The outcome of a lot of this drama is that the deceitful tongue that often goes with it hurts others and then it boomerangs and comes back on the one with the deceitful tongue. Everyone gets hurt.

You want a life? Skip the drama. "Live Life" in peace - in the peace of Jesus Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 120 (NIV)
I call on the Lord in my distress,
and he answers me.
Save me, Lord,
from lying lips
and from deceitful tongues.

What will he do to you,
and what more besides,
you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,
with burning coals of the broom bush.

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
that I live among the tents of Kedar!
Too long have I lived
among those who hate peace.

I am for peace;
but when I speak, they are for war.

2 Chronicles 22 - Soap Box and Soap Operas

As short as Ahaziah's reign and today's reading is, it is a major "soap opera!" 

Bad counsel leads to major disaster.  Not following in the ways the LORD directs us leads to death.  And, then the mother, the matriarch, of this family decides to destroy the rest of the family so that she will have control.  Bad business... this desire for power and control.

But, then I think we see that in many families.  Most of us are not after major kingdoms, because we know they're out of our reach.  Instead, we tend to make kingdoms and subjects out of the people around us, those closest to us.  How true the saying is in so many cases:  "A man home is his castle."  I don't think it's particularly men who like to subject their families to their rule, but many women desire to be "Queen for a day" or a year or a life-time.  But, not following in the ways of the LORD, not allowing God to rule our homes, leads to very poor counsel and very poor qualities of life. 

This manipulation of others for power, control, authority often extends beyond the family into the work place, even into the church on earth.  Following, listening to those who are out for their own glory is a recipe for disaster.  It is the making of a soap opera.

My husband and I own and (he) operates na adult foster care.  When I was more involved one of my "pet peeves" was watching soap operas in the dining area.  I would allow them to watch them in the living room as they are adults and can watch what they want.  But, it drove me just a little bonkers to have staff sitting at the table watching "soaps" with the residents  I could always tell what they (both staff and residents) had been watching because life around the house always became just a little more dramatic with the more hours spent watching all this drama.  Lots of bad counsel and lots of manipulating to get what we want, when we want it, in that television programming and somehow that attitude or lifestyle eventually creeps into our own.  We like to tell our children what they can or cannot watch, but are we really aware of and monitoring what we absorbing into our hearts and minds?

I think that there are times when we need to just say no.  We need to stay out of the drama because it will drag us and others down.  I think too, that we need to do what we can to not allow ourselves or others in our family manipulate anyone to do their will, rather than God's.  It is most beneficial for everyone to do what is right in the sight of the LORD.

Ok...  getting off the soap box.  Just really dislike soap operas....!