Act in triumph

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

The splintering sound of wood hitting the concrete pavement sent chills through my already overwrought nerves. Prickly sensations ran from the back of my neck clear down to my toes.

Our two-month stay in a temporary apartment was ending. Household goods, packed weeks earlier into 16 crate-style pods for warehouse storage, were finally being delivered.

Unfortunately, due to misinformation, lack of communication, or just poor planning, a scheduled one-day unload turned into a three-day event. Each day a team of men dropped off just enough items that we couldn't do anything with what they delivered. Refrigerator, but no pots, pans, or utensils to prepare meals. Bed frame, but no bedding or mattress on which to sleep. Television stand, but no television to watch. Computer, but no hardware to connect the system. By the third day I was edgy; my typical good-natured temperament was tenuous, at best.

I heard the racket and turned slowly to face the direction of the sound. There in the moving van's open doorway, surrounded by a mountain of boxes, stood the young man who was responsible for transporting our belongings. We locked eyes. Everyone around us stopped what they were doing. They watched and waited.

Instantly, my mind began to play a lively game of ping-pong. "Take every thought captive, Bon. Make it obedient to Christ!" volleyed back-and-forth with, "Remember Bon. Cheerfully refuse to be embittered by the stupidities of daily life."

We experience challenging situations every day. Some involve downright ridiculous circumstances. Whether we follow Paul's directive in 2 Corinthians or the more lighthearted expression, the notion is the same. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to think and equipped to act with gentleness (Hebrews 9:14).

I smiled at the distraught-looking man, nodded my head, and returned to what I'd been doing previously. The young man, encouraged by my reaction, continued unloading the truck. His team members followed suit. And, thanks to a local craftsman's talents, the dropped desktop hutch was restored to like-new condition.

What about you, friend. Are you pushed to end of your limits?

When we take action to capture our thoughts and deliberately choose to respond kindly, we start a trend that honors Christ. You are empowered to ACT. Cheers!

Blessings, dear friend.
Faithfully Following