I didn’t see him. He blended into the background of warm Christian fellowship.
The sound of a whizzing bullet and stabbing pain put me on high alert.
Searching the last few minutes of the business meeting revealed only positive, productive comments. It wasn’t a time of constructive critiquing.
No warning of negativity at all. But the shot hit its mark. The searing wound was real, as destructive as any delivered by a wartime sniper.
It took a few moments to spot him, but there he was in the guise of smiling friendship and kind remarks. Had he appeared in his ungodly uniform, I’d have recognized the attack and avoided his weapon. But this soldier was the elite of gossip’s special forces, all decked out in good will.
Have you ever found yourself on the enemy’s battlefield? Click To TweetThe tattle-tale statement was meant to discredit a mutual friend, but the distress was mine. My conscience was injured in place of the intended victim’s reputation. Lord, what do I do now?
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Click To TweetErasing the put-down, the character of the sniper rose before me. If he was willing to fire on that close friend, who could escape his rifle sights? Limping away from the encounter, a fresh resolve is stirring.
- Stay out of his reach as much as possible.
- Ask Holy Spirit to empower me to stand and speak should he strike again.
Have you been hit by sniper fire?
How has God led you to respond?
I have been hit many times, often by the people closest to me. I have to ask God, repeatedly, to help me forgive, forgive, forgive… and not take revenge, verbally or otherwise. God is good! He sees and knows my pain and will take care of the injury (and the one who caused it) in His time.
You are so right, Michelle. In His time and in His way.
FYI It’s reasonable to stay out of sniper range whenever possible. 😉
I think everyone has had this experience. It’s hard to handle in the moment, and people rarely understand what a single comment can mean to another. Injury is definitely a part of life, but so is healing, and healing makes us stronger. Without those moments, how could we possibly understand others when they’re suffering? How could we learn to dodge the bullet in the first place? There are definitely powerful lessons to be learned, even from the worst experiences.
Thank you, Crystal. You’re absolutely right about such difficulties making us stronger and allowing us to care for others. They’re also helpful when we take the time to check out our own emotions and reactions. Think verifying the speck and plank of Matthew 7:3-5.