Reforming Reality--by Linden Malki

We are usually our own worst enemy--this is why we need God's grace.  He created us and knows better than we do what we are capable of,  both the good and the evil.  Actually, where we need help is doing good; we can do evil pretty well on our own.  (And what we do "on our own" is usually not the good.)

The current study series where we are now is getting specific. The idea is that most people behave in variations of nine different ways. All of them have good and bad variations, and it is our challenge to work with God, His Son and His Spirit to respond in spiritually healthy ways. 

The first one we looked at this week is probably the most obvious way many people react: anger.  I have heard it said that we cannot control anger, because it is always set off by someone or something else, and we have no  ability to react any other way. (Note: this is very common in  Middle Eastern cultures.)  My own observation, the more I look at it, is that it grows out of the angry individual themself.  I realized that my own anger was usually triggered by what I described as "sabotage": I had been inconvenienced, damaged, or frustrated by someone or something.  And then, one evening when my kids were little, I was blazingly angry about something (I don't even remember what), and as I tucked the kids in,  I recall grabbing on a crib railing and found myself saying "God, You need to deal with this. because I can't."  It was like pulling a drain plug. As I stood there thinking and praying, I realized that I had a choice: I could carry on like a madwoman and accomplish nothing good, or I could look at the situation calmly, and apply His Wisdom. Arguing with people doesn't get you very far, either; say what you have to say as simply and calmly as you can, and then shut up. And pray for the evil in the situation to be gone. (Some of it might even be in your corner.) And yes, I have restored relationships this way.

it is significant that in the study series, this is called "Reformation."  This is the goal, isn't it?  It goes beyond recognizing a problem, even goes beyond restoration. The idea is to make good come out of evil; to make something better than expected. Jesus could "pull the teeth" out of almost any confrontation;  one that stands out as an exception is the incident in the Temple where He drove out the merchants and moneychangers that were making the Temple into a marketplace--and 40 years later the Romans put an end to it. Even the confrontations leading to the Crucifixion were meek and dignified on Jesus' side--and He had the last word a few days later.

Our calling is to "Follow Jesus"--not just on the roadsides through life, but recognizing that He is the standard and pattern for His followers everywhere.  When we fall short is when we need to allow Him to pick us up, clean us off, help us give up the anger and dissention, forgive where appropriate, and reform where needed. And His result is much better than anything we can do ourselves, or even imagine!