Sarcasm?

I've had some thoughts like this floating around my head for a while, and just today I gave it some more thought. Sarcasm. That one thing we're all so good at, and love using so often. Also something that I feel should be addressed.

My main point: Hebrews 12:14 - "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." I admittedly use some heavy sarcasm with my friends in regular conversation; however, the difference I want to distinguish here is between sarcastically joking around with friends and using sarcasm in a provocatory, argumentative manner. This might seem like a pointless note to those reading it, but after reading a facebook note recently written by a friend, and watching the responding believers (people whom I respect, no less) try to destroy each other with sarcastic comments over whether or not their respective opinions were Biblical, I think it important to offer up a reminder. Sarcasm is fine when you're having fun with friends who can handle it; this is not what was happening, though. The sarcasm I am opposing is that which is meant to tear down others, to build up one's own opinion, and which causes strife among the Church. It's not about whether or not your opinion is right...seriously. You may very well be correct, but that doesn't give you the right to force people into your way of thinking by tearing them apart with logic. 1 Peter 3:8-11 - "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For 'Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.'" Trying to destroy someone else's opinion in order to prove that you are correct is the opposite of having a humble mind. Using sarcasm to this end is not striving after peace or holiness. Its sole purpose is to make someone feel guilty or inferior, which is NOT what we have been called to do.

In the end, though, this is my opinion. I've been throwing around Scripture just like everyone else who wants to prove a point. If you call me a hypocrite for this, I accept the title, haha. After that, though, let's both consider how we can better submit our lives to Christ by living out Hebrews 12:14.

Peace.

Jesus. The end.

Ok, so, here's the deal. God is way bigger than us, yes? God is way more powerful than us, yes? God is way smarter than us, yes? The best laid plans for how the student leaders at Spring Arbor want the year to go are NOT necessarily the same plans that God has for the campus this year. We have our planned events and our ideas and our structures for how things are going to go, but God might have something else to say about those. We, with all these things, cannot bring people to Christ. We cannot save ANYONE. Jesus does that. The Holy Spirit does that. The Father does that. Pardon my Batman reference, but I dare say God is an Agent of holy chaos. Not craziness, but chaos according to how we think things should go.

We had chapel this morning, and it was intense. Some people didn't think very highly of it. Many did. I am not going to state my straight opinion on whether or not I thought it was "good," or on the speaker, Rick Amato. He presented the Gospel, had an altar call, and praised God a lot. There are already disagreements on his methods, though. I just want to say that when a guy I don't know very well comes to me afterward in my room, tells me about his former addictions to prescription drugs, his six-year addiction to pornography, and the fact that he hasn't even picked up his Bible in nearly a year, and THEN proceeds to tell me that this is the greatest day of his life, that he's had a spiritual renewal like he's never had before, that his burdens have been lifted, and that he wants to read his Bible now and be on fire for CHRIST...I can see that God was working on people today. And you CANNOT POSSIBLY convince me otherwise. Now comes the follow-up: What are we going to do about it?

I ALMOST thought about getting rid of this...and then this morning happened. ugh.

Yeah, it's been awhile since my last post. Sorry about that. I don't think I'll be blogging about my summer at camp...if there was a way for me to easily do it throughout the summer, it would be nice, but it's really hard to summarize everything easily now that it's over.

Anyways, apologies are not the point of me writing this at 6:00 AM. I've been awake all night, and I am not happy about it. I'm at Spring Arbor right now; the freshmen all moved in yesterday. I am what is known as the Spiritual Life Adviser for my dorm floor. Since I got here 2 days ago, all everyone has been talking about is how this year could be amazing: people on fire for God, preparing in prayers for humility and servant-like attitudes, and just really excited in general. This also applies to my RA, Casey Mellinger. He's shared with me some really awesome hopes he has for our floor this year, and we both are pretty pumped for it. So, naturally, Satan wants to throw a wrench in things and screw it up as much as he possibly can. I found that out tonight when I tried to go to sleep. I did not sleep; instead, I got hit with some tough warfare. I prayed, and I prayed, and I told Satan he was retarded for even THINKING he could mess with my God's plans (a few choice words came to mind that I won't share here), and I prayed some more...and after a while, it was over...not that I could sleep afterward or anything, but at least it was done. So, here I am, telling you about this. I would really appreciate prayer for the guys on my floor, the guys in my dorm, and the student leaders here especially. We need God's strength.