Nothing throws water on the fire than someone who doubts and knows they are correct. I've been out in my rose garden pruning, cleaning, weeding and such enough times to know that no matter what I wear for shirt, jacket and gloves I'm going to get stabbed by the thorns of the very pretty roses. It's not a matter "if" but more of a matter of "when". I also have to work in my yards were there are other thorny plants, bushes and plants. Some are pretty and remain so through the year. Others are ugly but produce nice flowers and berries in season. Then there are the noxious weeds of which there is nothing pretty or practical I've just described most Christian gatherings. You are amongst them. You are represented by them and you represent them. Remember that when you do nothing you are making a choice to be a part of the group. Despite the repeated effort of the many to quench the fire of those with the most prickly of thorns, the effort seems to be never ending. Those of you who actually read the Bible know that Jesus tells the followers of that day and this that if you are a disciple of His, get ready to be pruned, shaped and even thrown in the fire if you are dead and do nothing to further the kingdom. Christians who are thorns refuse to give up their thorns and continue to inflict pain upon those around them even if they are right.
Some of the thorn bearers are found in all parts of the church. Measure, if you will, by what you portray as your part in the body of believers. Are you a watcher or a doer? Do you find fault or find pleasure? Do you engage in gossip and tear down instead of build up? Are you a rumor monger or do you put rumors to rest? Do you encourage the best or only see the worst. Do you give out of your love for Jesus or love to be seen? Are you of the opinion that people should seek your most excellent advice before anything or do you bow down to Jesus and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit? You see, we can all be fault finders but that's not what Jesus wants. We can all tear down but that's not what Jesus wants. We can all live in the world but claim Jesus as Lord and Savior but, again, that's not what Jesus wants. We can all be either Martha's or Mary's but we need to be HIS! There are those who do good for the Lord, aid where they can and listen with their hearts. They pray and encourage while denying themselves their own issues. There are those pastors who preach the Gospel and then there are those who preach their gospel. You see, we all fit in somewhere. The question is not if you have thorns but if you are letting Jesus prune the thorns away.
Thorns are not relegated to roses or blackberries. I have a set of nice plum trees that I found have very long (3 inches average) that protrude wherever I've got to work at pruning them. Christians are like that as well. The thorns they've retrained are to keep people and the Holy Spirit from getting close enough to love them. The thorns serve an earthly purpose but are no heavenly good. Sometimes we need to consider being injured by the thorns in order to be close enough to see and do something about another's injuries. Help them to surrender the thorns for the Holy Spirits graceful embrace. Where the thorns may protect you; they also hinder you from being who and what Jesus has set you free to be. There are times when you will be persecuted and times coming where you will have to die for your love of Jesus. These things must come. How we live today amongst the thorns determines how we will die then. If we immunize ourselves from the world with rationalizing and arming us with thorns, we have done no one any favors. If you have thorns that keep people at a distance then how do you plan on showing, living and telling the love of Christ to those who are thirsty and hungry? Simply put, get rid of the thorns and love those who have them still in place. that's what Christians are supposed to do.
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