Return

 A soldier tasked with a duty remains at his post until his commanding officer delivers new orders. It doesn’t matter how long it takes or how difficult the task; they were entrusted with a responsibility. Whether to stand guard, to protect a battlement, to watch from the towers to man the drawbridge, to ready the horses, to supply the archers, whatever it is they were commanded to do, they must do to the best of their ability for as long as it is required.

Whether they’re comfortable while carrying out their duties, whether they enjoy what they’ve been tasked with, whether it’s intellectually fulfilling, or draws the envious eyes of peers doesn’t enter into the equation. Orders were given, orders must be carried out, and failure to do so will result in disciplinary action.

The only people I’m willing to baby in this world are my daughters, and they’re eight and five. The older one’s already on the outs, and she doesn’t like it one bit, and the little one’s getting close to the threshold where kid cloves are more of a detriment than they are a necessary tool to spare your children’s feelings.

To be expected to infantilize adults is one bridge too far for me, and though some might deem it cruel, cold, heartless, or unloving, it’s their perception and not the reality of the situation. It’s not about sparing their feelings. It’s about making you feel some type of way so that you agree with their position or give license to the sin that they love more than they love God. Life’s too short to play stupid games because I know what kind of prizes such games hand out.

Unless someone is standing behind you, pulling your eyelids apart, forcing you to read what I write, the remedy is simple. Click away, and thank you for visiting.

No, I will not make allowances just because some people think I should, not because I’m stiff-necked as I’ve been accused of being, but because the Bible will not make those allowances. If I were to insist that the way is wider than the Bible says it is, you shouldn’t be listening to me, never mind taking my word over the Bible’s.

There are plenty of scripture twisters out there. Throw a stone at your television set ,and you’re bound to hit one. Why do some people insist that everyone should be a scripture twister just to pacify them? Seek out those who would tickle your ears. Seek out those who would tell you what you want to hear. Why do I have to damn myself to hell because the truth grates on you?

You’ve got your four hundred telling you what you want to hear. Could there not be one who will tell you what you need to hear? When the king’s messenger went to Micaiah, he was quick to inform him that there was a consensus regarding his query. All the prophets encourage the king with one accord. Don’t be a wet blanket, don’t be a stick in the mud, let your words be like theirs, and speak encouragement.

Micaiah’s answer was short and to the point: whatever the Lord speaks to me, that I will speak. I could just imagine the messenger’s face, the hand wringing, and the flustered look. Just go along, buddy. Four hundred prophets can’t all be wrong; you’re just one guy. Do you want to be like that one out of thirty dentists that doesn’t recommend Crest whitening toothpaste? You think you’re better than your peers? Are you too good for Crest?

If the retelling of Micaiah’s experience teaches us anything, it’s that majority consensus is irrelevant and meaningless. A majority can agree on something, and a majority can be wrong. The mere fact that they are a majority does not bestow them with infallibility. That one guy the king hated and who was encouraged to go along had the truth of it, not because he was smarter than the four hundred who got it wrong but because he relied on the Lord to speak to Him.

Some people say things because they seem reasonable enough in their own minds. Others do it because they want to ingratiate themselves with someone in power or authority. Then there are those who care nothing for ingratiating themselves or trusting the musings of their own intellect but rely on God to speak and remain silent when He doesn’t.

Our general commanded us to occupy until He comes, so here I am, and here I will remain, because what He stated both implicitly and explicitly is that He will return. Jesus was the first to coin “I’ll be back,” and not only did He mean it, but He also has the power and authority to make it so.

Jesus said He would return, and that’s enough for me. Until such a time, I have my orders, and so do you. I don’t know about your orders but my orders aren’t to bicker and infight, my orders aren’t to be distracted or careless, my orders are to watch and pray and spot the approaching enemy before he reaches the gates and lays siege to the city.

Jesus never asked me to understand the enemy’s motivations, or take his feelings into account, or try to walk a mile in his shoes. He didn’t ask me to try and hammer out a truce or a cessation of hostilities. He commanded me to occupy until He comes - anything other than that I do of my own volition and by definition, outside of His will.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.