September 17, 2008
Courtesy
I just watched a snippet of Secondhand Lions (2003) on TV. In a scene at the general store, four young-adult bullies strut in and pick a fight with old timer Hub, played by Robert Duvall. Turning his attention away from the bullies, yet speaking so they can hear, Hub tells his brother and young nephew, ‘[The problem is] everyone’s always been too courteous to stand up to these boys.’ A scuffle ensues and taking on all four punks at once, Hub teaches them a lesson. Webster’s Dictionary defines ‘courteous’ as: general allowance despite facts. I think we believers are often guilty of being too courteous when we fail to stand up to bullies in the church. Oh, we may do pretty good in a one on one situation, but let someone forcefully put an issue before a Sunday school class, a Bible Study or the congregation and all a sudden we’re uncomfortable and don’t want a confrontation. Case in point, when was the last time you saw someone of Hub’s character in action in the church?
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----I admired Hub. He lived a full life, not perfectly, but he evidently received the corrections to his course necessary to produce character. And that character brought forth his response to the bullies. But it was not the character alone which made his stand. Combined with the love for his neighbors that abhorred the bullies’ effect and with the will to act against it was a grounding in reality. I believe most of us in our Sunday School classes, Bible studies, and congregations love the brotherhood and will that bullies do not practice in it. But few actually realize that if no one is standing up against them, then the call to do so rests even more upon yourself. Of those few who do understand this, fewer yet believe they have the Biblical prowess to support a reasonable objection or the tempered character to do it in a gentle and loving, yet firm, manner. I may be wrong, but I reckoned that Hub had lived his life understanding the reality of each moment and bringing forth his responses to that moment, not from what he desired, but from what reality called forth. There is nothing more real than Jesus Christ and His Word. Mixing those into our moments adds temperament and courage to wisdom and understanding. And from that mix comes the stand.
Love,
Steve Corey
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