Perceptions #43

THE GREAT CONFRONTATION

by Monroe Hawley

This is the age of confrontation. I heard of a group leader who remarked that the only way you can get what you want today is to make your demands and then provoke a confrontation by mans of a demonstration. This seems to be the theory and often it works. It reminds me of the child who throws a tantrum until his parents cave in out of sheer frustration and let him have his way. He continues to throw tantrums until they get wise and apply some psychology to the right part of his anatomy.

It seems to me that most of us are not too willing to engage in confrontations. Rather than face them when they are forced on us we use every conceivable stratagem to avoid them. For example, when you are tempted, are you willing to confront sin? Or do you passively yield to it, hoping no one will see you and vowing that it will never happen again? The Lord has promised a way of escape from every temptation (1 Cor. 10:13), but you must look for the way and then confront the sin when it is discovered.

Are you willing to confront self? It is mighty easy to be critical of others. It is also easy to become critical when another criticizes. But will you face up to your shortcomings, and having faced them, do something about them? Alcoholic's Anonymous says that you can't help an alcoholic unless he admits to himself that he is one. Neither your fellow Christians nor God can help you unless you are willing to honestly face yourself.

Most importantly, are you ready to face God? "It is appointed for men to die once, and after that come judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). This is a confrontation you cannot escape. You can refuse to face up to sin, you can shut your ears to the counsel of friends, you can even refuse to look at yourself in the mirror - BUT YOU CANNOT TURN YOUR BACK ON GOD.

Norman's e-mail address is: nlbales@allaboutfamilies.org

top of page    previous article    Perceptions Index