PRAYER FOR ENEMIES (2 OF 4)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: I Timothy 2:1-8
This content is part of a series.
Prayer for Enemies (2 of 4)
Series: House of Prayer
Jeff Strite
I Timothy 2:1-8
OPEN: During the Korean war a certain military unit had hired a local boy to cook and clean for them. Being a bunch of jokesters, these guys soon took advantage of the boy's seeming naiveté'.
• They'd smear Vaseline on the stove handles so that when he'd turn the stove on in the morning he'd get grease all over his fingers.
• They'd put little water buckets over the door so he'd get soaked when he opened the door
• They'd even nail his shoes to the floor during the night.
Day after day the young Korean took the brunt of their practical jokes without saying anything. There was no blame, no self-pity, no temper tantrums.
Finally the men felt guilty about what they were doing, so they sat down with the boy and said, "Look, we know these pranks aren't funny for you, and we're sorry. We're never going to take advantage of you again." It seemed too good to be true to the houseboy.
"No more sticky on stove?" he asked.
"Nope."
"No more water on door."
"No."
"No more nail shoes to floor?"
"Nope, never again."
"Okay" the boy said with a smile, "no more spit in soup."
Apply: How many of you can think of someone that you dislike? Someone who has mistreated you or upset you in some way? Someone who you would like to spit in…
Nah. You wouldn't want to spit in anyone's soup would you?
But I imagine, there are some people that you'd prefer to ignore, or avoid as often as possible.
Or perhaps you find ways of talking them down when they're not around. I mean, you wouldn't necessarily say things that are "untrue" about them (that wouldn't be Christian)
- but you might say things you know would hurt them
- or damage their reputation
- or lower them in the eyes of those around us
Or, perhaps you might look for ways to conduct yourself around these special "someones" in a way that you know would bother or irritate them.
They're your enemies. I know we don't think ...
Series: House of Prayer
Jeff Strite
I Timothy 2:1-8
OPEN: During the Korean war a certain military unit had hired a local boy to cook and clean for them. Being a bunch of jokesters, these guys soon took advantage of the boy's seeming naiveté'.
• They'd smear Vaseline on the stove handles so that when he'd turn the stove on in the morning he'd get grease all over his fingers.
• They'd put little water buckets over the door so he'd get soaked when he opened the door
• They'd even nail his shoes to the floor during the night.
Day after day the young Korean took the brunt of their practical jokes without saying anything. There was no blame, no self-pity, no temper tantrums.
Finally the men felt guilty about what they were doing, so they sat down with the boy and said, "Look, we know these pranks aren't funny for you, and we're sorry. We're never going to take advantage of you again." It seemed too good to be true to the houseboy.
"No more sticky on stove?" he asked.
"Nope."
"No more water on door."
"No."
"No more nail shoes to floor?"
"Nope, never again."
"Okay" the boy said with a smile, "no more spit in soup."
Apply: How many of you can think of someone that you dislike? Someone who has mistreated you or upset you in some way? Someone who you would like to spit in…
Nah. You wouldn't want to spit in anyone's soup would you?
But I imagine, there are some people that you'd prefer to ignore, or avoid as often as possible.
Or perhaps you find ways of talking them down when they're not around. I mean, you wouldn't necessarily say things that are "untrue" about them (that wouldn't be Christian)
- but you might say things you know would hurt them
- or damage their reputation
- or lower them in the eyes of those around us
Or, perhaps you might look for ways to conduct yourself around these special "someones" in a way that you know would bother or irritate them.
They're your enemies. I know we don't think ...
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