Be Righteously On Guard

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.’ (1 Peter 5:8); ‘Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; <act like men;> be courageous; be strong.’ (1 Corinthians 16:13)

The warning of agents provocateur crossing the US border is something to be watchful for, and just a much of a warning is the care we need to take not to become prejudicial to the point of becoming genocidal.  We must defend and be on guard of the external threats we face, and be watchful of the internal threats that Satan can provide in our minds in response to the external threats.  Having grown up with ‘World War II’ parents, family members, and neighbors as a kid in Pennsylvania, there was indeed a lingering hatred and distrust for Germany, Japan, and (in a ‘red menace’ post-World War II fashion) Russia, and the people of those countries.  Fortunately, those attitudes slowly were toned down and now, with the ‘Greatest’ generation almost gone, those attitudes have virtually disappeared.

Today, we have threats (real and perceived) from the likes of China, Russia (reignited thanks to the Russo-Ukrainian Conflict) and after years of war and terrorist attacks, the Mid-Eastern/Muslim region of people.  We can, based on examining facts, state that these are nations and groups we need to watch carefully, and have a bit of caution if we see something amiss.  However, we must apply the instructions of 1 Corinthians 16:13 that we are to be strong and be courageous when called upon, but also be Faithful to God’s precepts. 

In some translations, the phase ‘act like men’ in the set of instructions; we may need to be ready to ‘rumble’ if warranted, but we also must be ready to provide the Gospel message when warranted as well.  We cannot simply jump to conclusions and make accusations upon innocent people.  We must be ready to stand up and defend our Faith, our neighbors and families, and ourselves if we see something amiss.

It is a very fine line; for many of us who were ‘unvaxxed’, as an example, became persecuted by those who were ‘vaxxed’ for COVID; we saw internment camps stood up in Australia, and people fired in the US for not getting ‘vaxxed’.  Some were calling for arrests and even extermination of the unvaccinated, even though the evidence was very clear that the unvaccinated were not spreading COVID and were not catching COVID in the numbers as those who were vaxxed.  ‘Acting like men’ is acting responsibly and acting in Righteousness, without hatred or discrimination.  We need to be wary, but our response must be righteous, without malice, and just.