Hill To Die On

Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you things that are counter-intuitive, counter-culture, counter-human-nature, counter-natural-instinct.  It tells you what brings success, not what most people do.  Your natural instinct is self-preservation, which easily becomes self-preference, not others-preference – which is love.  How often have you heard this advice...  “In life, you need to learn to pick your battles.  Choose wisely, not every hill, is the hill to die on.  Sometimes you need to learn - to live to fight another day.”  Kinda funny in a way… I guess you’ll just die tomorrow instead.  And even then, probably not the hill you wanted to die on.  Same death, just different hill, different day.  The truth is, there are just not that many hills to die on.  How many things are that important?  The toothpaste?  People have a right to be wrong.  Let them.  And then, learn a deeper way, a different perspective.  What is right about it?  Even the worst, petty, vindictive criticism of you – from someone who can’t stand you - may actually have some merit.  One percent is still some. Just because they are wrong or immature, the wise realize they still have more to learn.   God said let the wise listen and add to their learning.  Did you catch that?  A secret of gaining wisdom… listening required.  Not hill-dying required.  That’s not how you gain wisdom.  The wise want to gain wisdom, no matter how God brings it.  Would you be offended if driving by, - someone yelled, “The bridge is out! Moron!”  Would you look at your wife and say, ‘Can you believe how rude that guy was!  I can’t believe they would say thaaaaaat!!  Some people, are so offended by the delivery, they miss the truth, the wisdom – even if there's just 1%...  Praying that you won’t pick hills to die on, very few are.  Praying that you won’t live to fight another day, why do that?  What if you live to love another day, to find agreement another day.  It’s easy to find things to fight about.  Not much creativity or intelligence required there, much less humility.  God said, as much as it depends on you, live at peace with all men.  It doesn’t matter what they do?  Passing on an argument, is a demonstration of humility.  God said He opposes the proud, but gives grace (divine power) to the humble.  One He exalts, the other He opposes.  What will you do?  Remember what “WIN” means   Will  I  Now?  Not will they now?  That’s WTN – that’s not even a word, it’s just three letters.  Win means Will I Now – what will you choose?  Will I take the low place?  Will I let them talk, or insist on talking?  Have you noticed something that people say that’s just funny…  when they let you know…  “I’m just going to take the high road.”  No, that’s just humble arrogance, or arrogant humility, really false-humility, not humility.  Humility is taking the low place, not the high road.  When arguments entice you, or not even arguments, in any situation in life.  Three seconds to go in the championship game, or the first day of the off season.  The question if you are going to win, in this situation you face…  - Will I Now?  Will I listen instead of talk?  Will I be diligent, instead of lazy, will I obey, or delay?  Will I choose God’s way, or man’s way? Will I focus on them feeling heard, instead of me feeling heard?  Will I listen til I understand them, instead of talk until they understand me?  Will I let them be wrong, (or maybe right).  Will I pursue agreement, not disagreement?  Will I listen for the wisdom, and ignore the delivery?  Will I Now – humble myself, take the low place, do what is righteous, prefer them over me, seek peace and pursue it?  Praying that you will always W-I-N.  Doesn’t mean they lose, Let God bring the best for both of you.  Will I Now?  Is always a question when faced with any decision  - to walk in the Spirit, or let the flesh remain in control.  Praying that you’ll walk in the Spirit, your new nature, not in the flesh, your old nature.  Praying that Holy Spirit will lead you in love, not your human nature lead you in error.    Praying that you won’t pick hills to die on, to fight another day, but fields to live in! so you can love another day, just like today.  So God’s love shines through you.    
 
Love you all,
dad