Greetings Dear Reader,
There are watchfires that need tending, requiring an eye on
the fire and an eye outward toward those who would do us harm. We all have enemies. We all have detractors, opponents, and those
who hate who we are for their personal reasons.
We face them and we choose as keepers of the flame how we will deal with
them.
The difficulty is that we cannot prevent ourselves from
having enemies. There is evil in the world
that fights against good. There is our
own fallen nature that pushes us to be at enmity with the Father and with other
humans. We also indulge our own
selfishness in ways that cause others to hate us. We have enemies.
As we stand by the door for those who are wounded and
seeking a way home, we will encounter those who would distract us from our
watch and destroy that which we protect.
In truth, some make seek entry simply to destroy. Others will call what we do as Christ
followers wrong, hateful, and evil. I
say again, we have enemies.
The difficulty is that those fires we tend are tended for
them as well. When the enemy approaches,
we may see him as vile and evil. His
life and values may disgust us. His ways may be heinous and onerous to us. We may
even think our enemy worthy of death.
That fire which we tend is for him too Dear Reader. When he approaches us our hearts should be
filled with love. I know that sounds
hard. Vital truths are often hard to hear. They can be still more difficult to
live. We know this is true, that we may only
be good if we love our enemies.
Tending this fire is ironically dangerous. We will make enemies of our fellow travelers
simply for daring to say that we must all love our enemies. We will encounter hatred and rejection for
daring to love and accept everyone. We
have done so poorly at loving those who are against us that our reputation as
Christ followers is tarnished and torn.
I love Jesus and seek to follow him with all my heart. I and my fellow believers have done such a
poor job of loving our enemies that the name Christian no longer communicates
what it should.
Firewatch with me Dear Reader. Let us stand sentry and be the ones who are
first to love and show kindness to those who despitefully use us. We must be the ones who demand that all who
claim to follow Christ take this stand.
In doing so we will make more enemies.
We can counsel together on how to love them as well. There will be those who seek to douse this
fire or hide its light from those who so deeply need it. There is no power that may stand against love
when wielded at the fire of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. That warmth we get at this fire is enough for
us all. We can turn the watchfire that
warns our enemies into one that welcomes them and offers them the opportunity
to journey with us in peace. We must
remember that at one time we were also the enemies of those who follow Christ
and wield the weapon of his love.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
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