Claudette's Blog

How You Respond

I remember when I was a kid watching TV when all of a sudden this loud noise would start blaring on the TV and a announcer would come on and say "this is a test", "this is only a test".  What I was hearing was the Emergency Broadcast System established to provide the President of the United States with a swift method of communicating with the American public in the event of war, or grave national crisis.

Have you ever had something get your attention abruptly? I know when the Emergency Broadcast System would come on the TV it got my attention, because it would interrupt my favorite program, and I did not like it.   I did not respond kindly to being interrupted, after all it was cartoon time.

The Lord has us go through test.

You have cause for great joy in this, though it may have been necessary for you to be troubled for a little time, being tested in all sorts of ways, 1 Peter 1:6

There are test we will go through that will test how we respond, we like to think that when a person in are life says something nasty and senseless about us, that they are going to get theirs, they are going to get what they deserve for being nasty to me, on the contrary, probably what is happening is that they are the abrupt loud noise coming through to test you on how you respond.  Yes, the test is about you.

The Lord does care how you respond, because if you are a child of God how you respond says a lot about who you serve. Let me say it again how you respond says a lot about who you serve.  We are to emulate who we serve.  I am not saying you are a Christian door mat for people to stomp on, quite the opposite however; we do need to have the wisdom of the Lord on how to respond to situations.

 No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

The Lord gives us a very well to do scripture in Proverbs, it teaches us on how to respond.

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

If the President of the United States came on the air to announce a national crisis, look at how he responds as he addresses the Nation.  Do you think how he is addressing us on the TV or internet says a lot about his character?  Even if he is trained to know how to respond to the public in a crisis don?t you think that is good?  I could not imagine having a President freaking out on TV and cussing with profanity because he did not have wisdom or training to handle a serious situation.

In the same way the Lord wants to test and train you on how to respond to situations in your own life.

Example:  An Individual came up to me and said your husband is not going to make it (meaning life in general),  it was nasty and unwarranted, but I knew this was only a test it was a loud abrupt noise, it was an emergency response test,  Want to know how I responded?   I simply softly said I have faith in him.   I could have come unglued and said things unwarranted right back, but that is exactly what that individual was looking for, I would have been pleasing man if that was my response.

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.  1 Thessalonians 2:4

I hope this helps you to better understand the response test, for you the believer in Christ, and know that the Lord is testing you and approves you.

Prayer: Lord help me and strengthen me as I go through the response test, give me the wisdom I need to respond correctly.   Amen.

Blessings,

Claudette