Finessing Love

Finessing Love

Picture four people at a bridge table. The deck is dealt, the cards sorted.

After a moment, the first bid is spoken. “Two clubs.” It’s a fairly strong pitch.

The next player doesn’t hesitate. “Four hearts,” he says, stunning everyone.

After that, the third and fourth players pass. All three look at the original bidder. Going to five clubs would be over the top, but it could mean less of a loss. A decision is weighed. The outcome remains unknown.

The gist of that scene came from a dream. Because dreams are highly symbolic, think with me about possible interpretations.

Justice and truth are necessary forces in the world.

Justice and truth are necessary forces in the world.

What if Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades stood for different forces at work in our world? Hearts would obviously embody love, mercy, and grace. Diamonds could signify wealth or greed. Perhaps Spades represent labor, as the word is synonymous with “shovel.” Spade, if seen as a spear, might symbolize war. And what if Clubs pointed to the power of government and the rule of law. All these forces profoundly affect the human story.

In addition, bidding in a bridge game determines the trump suit. In the same way, how do forces of love, mercy, grace, wealth, greed, labor, war, government and law shape our lives? Does one trump the other depending on circumstance?

This particular dream highlighted Hearts and Clubs and could portray the tension of love, mercy, and grace—versus—truth, justice and righteousness. The human condition requires that both “hands are played,” but this difficult balance has brought turmoil through the ages.

As believers, our challenge is to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God. Being “just” in our behavior toward others is not the same a bringing justice on others. If we don’t understand the difference, we may get branded as judgmental—a popular adjective, marring Christians today.

Pastor and teacher, Rick Joyner, gave keen insight on that distinction. Continue reading

Paradoxical Keys

Paradoxical Keys

In the stillness, I heard the Lord speak.

I’d just returned from a restaurant and entered my hotel room. In some places, housekeeping staff can be snoopy or worse, so I used two tiny padlocks on my suitcases as a deterrent.

I opened the first lock and rummaged around looking for my phone cord. When I went to unfasten the other lock, the key was gone! I’d only laid it down for a second. How could it disappear? A frantic search ensued. Would I have to cut open my bag?

Finally, I entered the dark bathroom, took a deep breath, and prayed. That’s when God whispered. “I am going to give you a key.” It wasn’t audible. The phrase just floated to the surface of my mind. I paused to think. He meant something beyond the luggage key—another double meaning.

My spiritual antenna went up.

I returned to my suitcase and almost immediately found the little lock key. It had slipped out of sight between some folded shirts. I thanked God, but remained alert.

What are you saying to me, God? At the time, I felt very angry and unresolved with someone in my life. Still, nothing happened right away.

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The speaker had one word printed on it…

An hour later, I watched a movie on a laptop, using a small amplifying appliance to increase the sound. All at once, I noticed the brand name of the appliance: Edifier. Made by a Chinese company, Edifier International specializes in audio equipment. But the term is well known in Christianese because it’s used nearly a dozen times in the New Testament. (KJV)

An edifier, by definition, is a person who instructs in order to encourage intellectual, moral, or spiritual improvement. And God spoke this word to me with metaphorical emphasis through “amplifying speakers,” making His message loud and clear. The creative language of God is surprising and even funny at times.

She hurt me...

She hurt me…

However, it wasn’t funny to me then. To edify was the key—but it was the last thing I wanted to do. In essence God was saying, “Don’t rip into this person regarding her failures. Instead, remind her who she really is—the person I made her to be before all the disappointments.”

God was asking me to move in the opposite spirit.Continue reading

Kind Warnings

Kind Warnings

So by now, you’re probably wondering about the third word. Several weeks ago I wrote about three words that flashed through my mind one night, when I was nearly asleep. I wrenched myself awake to find a notebook in the dark. I didn’t understand what God might be saying, but jotted the words down anyway.

The words were BEMOAN, REDRESS, and RECRIMINATE. Thirty-six hours later, my bemoaning surfaced, and I cried my eyes out. Two days after that fitful episode, God redressed the issue through a dream. And that led to the significance of the third word.

one couple man and woman screaming shouting diputeRecriminate means to accuse somebody in return, a countercharge or retaliation.

One dictionary said “endless accusation.”

Bemoaning becomes recrimination if we fail to redress root issues. In other words, unresolved pain becomes a festering wound that triggers perpetual conflict—the rip-and-tear kind. Sounds like hell, right?

Years ago, I came across this quote on quarreling:

“As Christians we must of course repent of all the anger, malice, and self-will which allowed the discussion to become, on our side, a quarrel at all. But there is also the question on a far lower level: “granted the quarrel…did you fight fair?”Continue reading