Still Sticking to Your Guns?

 After I thought of the title for this post, I realized that I didn’t know where the expression comes from. I know its meaning— sticking to your position in the face of push-back or opposition—but the use of the word ‘guns’ makes it sound violent. So I looked it up, it comes from the idea of a soldier staying at their post and continuing to man their gun/weapon even under heavy attack.

Generally, I think of ‘sticking to your guns’ as being a positive thing, showing strength of character and commitment to your beliefs, but I wonder if sometimes sticking to our guns doesn’t create or prolong conflict. 

I have an island friend, a sister, who is very good at sticking to her guns. She will come to a conclusion or personal decision, often with well thought-out reasoning and then she will dig in and cannot be moved. In the past, we have applauded her ability to do this-- it has allowed her to stand strong and withstand persecution and temptation. This is a needed ability with all the opposition on the islands. But lately I have seen that sticking to her guns isn’t always a good thing. 

Ran into Clove Island friend at the airport

I come back to that noble picture of a soldier refusing to abandon his post as he fights off the enemy. It is a picture of war. But what if it isn’t a war anymore? What if the people approaching aren’t attacking, aren’t enemies? Suddenly the soldier sticking to their guns isn’t noble but unnecessarily hostile and combative. 

Our friend has some good ideas and thoughts about how other brothers and sisters should probably be changing and growing. She isn’t wrong, but she is fed up and has decided to draw a line in the sand, stand her ground and to make it a conflict. 

I guess the debate about whether to ‘stick to your guns’ requires contemplating some questions. Is this worth fighting over? Do we really want to call the people on the other side 'our enemies'? Is this a stand that God is calling me to make?

Heading to regional meetings

It is hard when we have an ideal in our head but then have the people we are asked to live and work with far from that ideal (or perhaps they don’t even accept our ideal as the goal). I have been encouraging our friend towards patience and bearing with others, to not declare them enemies and cut ties. I’ve tried to express it to her that sometimes we need to pray and allow God to work. He loved us while we were still sinners, his enemies, and he asks us to do the same for others. Sometimes we can’t just bombard people with our opinions, we have to give people time for God to soften their hearts and for them to come to those conclusions on their own. 

I think maybe I just don’t like this expression of 'sticking to your guns'. There is already a lot of war and conflict in the world.  I would prefer an expression that doesn’t commend guns—something that encapsulates standing strong but with a sense of perseverance, patience, hope and love.  Ultimately, we pray that we can find ways to walk with others, have the humility to fully consider their opinions and to help them to see our perspective without declaring war and seeing our brothers and sisters as our enemies.  Perhaps a single expression isn’t enough…

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:9-12

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We made it safely to mainland Africa for our annual regional leadership meetings. We’re halfway through and the first half has been encouraging. We thank God for the work happening across the region. Our youngest son has been having a great time playing with a bunch of kids near his age.  Megan got to see a physiotherapist and was given a bunch of exercises to aid in her back recovery. We had some encouraging reports from both the big island and the French Island of how God is moving in new ways and bringing more like-minded people together on the islands. 

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Tom is helping to lead some of the final sessions for the meeting where we try to bring everything together— pray that he can facilitate that time well and that as a group we could discern how God is leading us. Continue to pray for Megan’s back recovery, that the PT would help her to move in ways that will keep her back healthy.  We’ve heard that the gatherings in airport town haven’t been happening regularly since one sister traveled to the big island— pray that they would prioritize meeting and growing together.