4:9 – Right Message, Wrong Messenger

#faithbites #faithjourney message

Setting

Today I was involved in a very heated debate on Facebook. It was around politics and beliefs. During the debate, it became clear that no matter what I said or what facts I shared, there was no way to convince this person of the truth. It was as if they were in an alternate reality. My heart truly hurts for this person. What really hurts is that no matter how far off base I feel that person is, they feel I am that far off. I even said that they could believe what we they wanted to but they were wrong in many things.

It got to the point I unfriended and blocked this person. That too made me feel bad about it. That I gave up and lost a chance to impact this person’s life. I try to think that maybe I’m just not the right messenger, even if my message us correct. Sometimes I just have to let it go and give it to God.

Scripture

• Proverbs 27:2 – Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
• Acts 16:16-17 – 16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

Reflection

Our first verse, from Proverbs, speaks to this. Sometimes another person needs the do the praising as you may not be the right one. I interpret this to be that while the message is right, the messenger is wrong.

In Acts, we see a woman who is a soothsayer, preaching that these men are from God, but she is the wrong messenger. She’s delivering the emssgae in a wrong way.

So where does that leave us? I have one less “friend”. One less opportunity to try to influence and share the gospekl of our forgiven Lord. I guess I should just let it go, even though it’s hard.

I pray that God sends this person the right messenger to soften their heart, let them see the truth, and help to heal them. Amen.

Challenge

Have you ever had the right message but we’re the wrong messenger? What did you do? How did you share the message? Share with us how you moved on.

Prayer

Father God, I pray that you heal the heart of my friend. Help them to see the truth. Remove the fog from their eyes. send the correct messenger to them to help grow.

Lord, please give us the strength to know when to move on and help those who are willing. We ask for your discernment on when and how move on. We also ask that your message is still given to those people.

We know that even if we disagree there is truth. Please, please be with all those people who need you. In your name, Amen.