He Who Has Buccaneers Let Him Hear

A new crewman came aboard the old sailing ship and he was immediately struck by the grizzled first mate. You just tell by his appearance that he was a salty pirate. He had all the classic wounds, the peg leg, the eye patch, the hook for a hand. After a couple weeks at sea, he worked up the nerve to ask the first mate about his career. “Tell me,” he inquired “How did you end up with the peg-leg?” The mate replies, “We were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks, just as my men were pulling me out, a shark bit my leg off.” “Wow!” said the crewman. “What about your hook”? “Well”, replied the pirate, “We were boarding an enemy ship and were battling the other sailors with swords, and one of the enemy cut my hand off.” “Incredible!” remarked the crewman. “How did you get the eye patch”? The pirate remarked, "Well one I was staring into the sky trying to get my bearing, when a seagull flew over me and did, well, what birds do and it fell right into my eye. The crewman responded dumbfounded, “I didn't know bird droppings could put out someone eye! The pirate muttered, "It can’t but it was the first day with the hook."

You see sometimes things happen to us and sometimes we do it to ourselves.

In 1st Peter 4:14-16 we read:

“If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”

Because of the nature of this world and the nature of a true Christian, they will always be in conflict (John 15:19). As one of the faithful, people will attack you, malign you, accuse you, question you, and dismiss you. We can't control what they will say but we can make what they say be untrue. Persecution isn't a badge of honor if you brought on yourself because of your bad behavior. If the world hates you because you exemplify Christ, than that is OK. If the world hate you because you are the living embodiment of every negative Christian stereotype, then something is very wrong. Those that are mean spirited, judgmental, trouble makers don't glorify the name of Christ, they besmirch it.

Live your life in such a way that the negative accusation don't stick (1^st Peter 2:12). Don't bring suffering on yourself by your own dumb mistakes. Make sure you suffer for what is right than what is wrong.

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