Sometimes, the Apostle Paul is just too blunt. Seriously. The way he phrases things (inspired by the Holy Spirit, of course) isn’t always tempered the way I’d like them. I prefer sugar and spice (and everything nice), but the man just gets to the point, and leaves us, undeniably clear as to what he’s trying to say. One thing is for sure, we’re never confused.
Having just finished Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, I’m more convinced than ever that Paul wouldn’t preach long in any church pulpit…anywhere in America. However, in his defense, the Corinthian church was pretty messed up. They were cliquish, divisive, self-centered, immoral, unloving, unfocused, forgetful, immature, and prideful. Other than that, they were a great group of folks. Sadly, I see myself in that list on multiple counts. So, Paul’s words still ring through the ages right down to my self-centered, immature heart. His letter is instructional; it’s convicting; and, it’s filled with reproof and admonition. Sometimes, I need to hear those things; and, I don’t need them wrapped in a pretty package. I just need straight-talk.
As the letter winds down, Paul summarizes his instructions with five authoritative and specific reminders. Here’s his list:
It’s the one in the middle that stabbed me. “Act like men!” (But, Paul, I’m a woman????) In some translations, the literal rendering of these words are given, “Quit like men!” In other words, if Paul were standing in my church pulpit, he’d be saying:
“Grow up!”
“Mature!”
“Go out of this world valiantly!”
“Put away childish things!”
“Stop with the bottle-feedings.”
“Man up!”
This brief life story is A LOT embarrassing. Here it comes. When I was little, I loved to stay with the two aunts who raised my mother. Mostly, I loved to stay with them, because they coddled me. I was the baby, and, even as a six, seven, yep, even as an eight year old, they let me BE THE BABY. I’d get rocked before bed, and sung to each night. They let me have my favorite “blankie” – the one with the satin edging – so I could suck my thumb as I went to sleep. Probably worst of all, they’d still let me go to bed with a bottle of warm milk (oh, yes, they did…BUT, they hid it from my folks…it was OUR SECRET, until the secret came out). In their house, I didn’t have to grow up. Until I did.
It would be a very sad thing, if that were still my response to life. Right? If I still wanted to suck my thumb and sip from a baby bottle? It was bad enough as an eight year old! However, with another birthday approaching soon, it wouldn’t be right for a 63-year-old, old lady to want to continue to be coddled. It’s just so…so….so…UNNATURAL! Yet, spiritually speaking, I’m still there. Sometimes, I still want to be bottle fed. Sometimes, I still want to be swaddled and held and rocked and sung over. Sometimes, I don’t want to have to be responsible, or to adult…. Sometimes, I still wish I could just be the new-born-infant where spiritual matters are concerned; but it’s so…so…so…unnatural!
I know, you expected me to say, “it’s ok.” That would be the graceful way to respond. After all, Zechariah makes it clear that the Lord does, indeed, sing over us with delight…but, that’s not where I’m headed. Where I’m headed (stay tuned for next week) is a bit uncomfortable. It won’t be popular. It’s a place where I’ve been doing some wrestling. In the mean time, Paul has been saying this to me, specifically:
This week’s “words of wisdom” from Scripture are these two: MAN UP! So, what does that look like, practically? What is God really saying to us? In light of these words, what does He want from us? From me?
Come back next Thursday…I’ve been given a couple of thoughts… For now, what do those words written from Paul’s hand from the whispering of the Holy Spirit mean to you? Soak in it…and let’s compare notes.
