Life Lessons with Lindsay

Y’all already know that I’m a slow learner. The things that it has taken me forty one years to figure out is sometimes embarrassing. For example, did y’all know that AD does not stand for “after death?” Also, this one is significantly more embarrassing, but did you know that pineapples don’t grow on trees? I just learned that this past March while visiting family in Hawaii.

But aside from some of those less important things (I’ll never grow a pineapple in Arkansas so it really isn’t that important to me), I am slow on the uptake on some pretty big things. There are some lessons that could have saved me so much heartache if I had just paid attention earlier in life. Today I learned another one of those lessons. The person who is not against me is for me.

I know that seems like such a simple statement, and some could even argue that it isn’t accurate, but in its simplest form it is such a powerfully true statement. If they aren’t against me, they’re for me. You are wondering why this matters at all (or maybe why you are reading this blog) so let me share a bit about why.

I asked Big Daddy his opinion on the Super Bowl halftime show performer choice today. I expected one of his passionate political speeches, but instead I got this response. Well I really don’t know much about him, I don’t really watch professional football, and I don’t spend any resources on NFL, so it really doesn’t affect me. What?! What is this passive statement that my high strung husband just made? But it’s true! We don’t have a dog in this fight, so we have no reason to be offended or up in arms.

In the meantime, I read Luke 9:50 that says “But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.” I won’t go into the context of the verse, but I will go into the deep meaning of the verse. If someone isn’t impeding my worship, they are not my enemy. We can’t expect people who are not like-minded to behave in a similar manner. If they aren’t standing in my way, then they are just someone with different opinions and norms, not the enemy.

I think about the many times that I feel at odds with people for various reasons. I also think about the times that I had preconceived ideas of people only to find out I was completely wrong after getting to know them. What is it about humans that makes us want to put our guard up and prepare for a fight that need not happen? Why do I place people in the enemy group when they are not against me?

We do this because we are filled with pride and cannot imagine someone not seeing how right and wise we truly are. Imagine the gall of him disagreeing with me. Imagine the half-time performer dressing differently than me or speaking a different language than I do. How dare every person not think and act exactly like I do?! (The world does not need an abundance of my behavior) That seems extreme, but it is often the way we see the world. We see enemies where, in truth, we should only see different people needing the same kind of love.

Today I was reminded that every person that disagrees or lives differently from me is not the enemy. They are either a sinner saved by grace or a sinner who has not found the amazing love of our Father. If we are unwilling to visit with the woman at the well or have dinner with the tax collector, how can we truly serve like Jesus?

So again I say, if they aren’t against me, they’re for me. If they aren’t standing in my way then I have no reason to fight them. But, I do have every reason to love them right where they are at.