Ephesians 4 Don’t leave the door wide open … My first call was to a thriving metropolis of 314 in Northeast Arkansas called Lafe. The church building itself was worthy of a photo in a coffee table book of picturesque country churches. It sat up on the hill with the cemetery next to it and the parsonage (where we would live for four and a half years) at the end of the parking lot. (In other words I could never claim that traffic issues made me late to the office.) I still remember our move there like it was yesterday. We were following the Ryder truck all the way down from Fort Wayne straight into the heat of July in the south. It was a long day as we made trip after trip from the moving van into the newly remodeled home they were providing. To say we were exhausted by the end of the day would be understatement. We were sweaty and tired as we made our way into “town” where we had one of the most wonderful meals we still talk about today. What five star restaurant is found in Paragould, Arkansas? I don’t even remember the name but it served fried catfish and even deeper fried hush puppies. But what made it among the most memorable meals was that the restaurant’s air conditioning was winning the war against the outside temperatures, and the glasses of iced cold sweet tea were large and the refills were plentiful. It was like a magic elixir to welcome these weary northerners to the joys of southern culture. We made that eleven mile trek back to Lafe to spend our first night in our new home and that’s when we made an unexpected discovery. During that day, we had left the door propped open as we carried our earthly belongings from the moving truck into that little brick house. We welcomed the folks who could spare time away from the fields or the factories to give us a hand, but we had also made the entrance easy for some unwelcome guests as well. When we arrived home and turned on the lights, we realized that every mosquito from a two mile square radius had decided to throw a housewarming party for us. They were everywhere. We were still up at 3am doing battle with these little bloodsucking intruders and every time we thought we weathered the assault, we’d turn off the lights and soon we’d hear another tiny vampire bug buzzing within ear shot. So why the trip down memory lane? Because as I read through chapter four, the verses that stuck with me right away were these: “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” That image of giving “the devil a foothold” jumped out at me. Paul is using the example of anger in particular. It is part of the emotional package that comes with being human. It is not a sin in and of itself. In fact, even Jesus seemed more than slightly perturbed on at least one occasion when he tried to squeeze into the temple courts, and found out they had crowded out the Gentiles from even begin able to come and learn about God. Suddenly tables were flying and moneychangers were scrambling. But anger can also give Satan a wide open door to come into our hearts and wreck havoc with our lives. Anger combined with wounded pride or selfish motives can tear into others - leaving a path of destruction in our relationships. That’s why Paul pleas with us to not allow that anger to be carried into our sleep – leaving the door wide open for such life-sucking thoughts to multiply and grow. And what do we use to counteract such an attack? Certainly not our own cunning and skills. Paul ends the chapter with the power that can bring resolution and restoration. He puts it this way: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Don’t leave the door wide open. Don’t give the devil a foothold. Drink deep of the waters of compassion and forgiveness.
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 12:05:37 +0000
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