The difference between Good will versus God's will

My first blog post. Momentous.  Historical.  World Changing! Ok, that's a  bit much.  How about New Adventure, Step of Faith,  Liberating!  I have thought of this for a while, but now that I actually have the opportunity to do it, it's amazing how my thoughts disappear.  Suddenly the girl who ALWAYS has something to say is at a loss for words! So I thought I would begin with a story.  This is long, but it's my first blog.....give me a break! ;)

This past weekend we had a very interesting thing happen to us.  My family and I traveled to the Austin area to check it out and visit family.  While there, we made a pit stop into one of my new favorite stores - The Goodwill!  Now before you turn up  your nose the way I did when my sister used to mention 2nd hand stores, let me say this.  The Goodwill's in this area are clean, more organized than my closet, or purse for that matter, and are full of hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered.   It doesn't hurt that the proceeds go towards helping people get training and education to enter the workforce.  I have found many brand new items for a really good price and I am not ashamed to say so.  But I digress.....back to my story.

After playing my version of Indiana Jones at the Goodwill I found myself at the checkout counter with a stack of brand new children's books, some bibles and a cute fold out chair for the boys.  Feeling quite accomplished, I was paying for my purchases when my daughter walked up and said, "Mom, do you have my phone?" Now for all you mom's out there....you KNOW there are moments when your kids ask you something they already know the answer to, but it's there way of trying to ease into the real announcement.  "Mom, I can't find my phone.  It was in my pocket and now it's gone"

What followed were multiple calls to her number that went immediately to voicemail (which means someone had the phone) and frantic searching throughout the store.  Of course, no phone turned up.  We left our number should anyone turn it in, but we knew....it was gone.  The irony?  My child's phone was stolen at a place called GOOD WILL!?!?!?!?  HELLO!?!?

We loaded up our family and I was mad, partly at my child for not being responsible, but mostly at the nerve of people to feel like they can take whatever they want, even if it's not theirs.  When I find something, I turn it in to lost & found.  That's not just being a christian, but a decent human being.  Where we live, there is alot of stealing.  I have never seen so much stolen from us, and from friends, as I have while living in the Valley.  It's the truth.

I sat there thinking of the injustice of it and feeling stirred with a righteous anger.  We are tither's, givers, children of God and it's not OK!  Suddenly, I felt moved to send a text and so I did.  I sent two texts to my daughter's phone telling the thief to return the phone and letting them know that they had no idea what they were bringing on themselves by stealing from us.  I reminded them they were inviting a curse into their lives that comes from doing a child of God wrong......for a stupid phone!  Now, let me stop here.  I can already hear some of you saying that doesn't sound very christian like, but read on.

I sent the texts.  My husband put the line on hold and we went about the day.  Several hours later we received a phone call from a manager of a Sprint store about 4 miles away from the Goodwill.  He said a woman had come in and turned my daughter's phone in, in perfect condition.  Interesting, don't you think?  If she had really just "found it" she could have turned it into the store, but several hours later she walks into a store, miles away, and turns it in.

Here's my point. Many people (myself included) would have just counted it as a loss.  Some have even said when you are stolen from, declare that you have sowed it and expect a bigger return.  That's not scriptural and I certainly didn't feel in my spirit to bless a cowardly act.  While God loves people, even in their sin, He does not love their sin.  And neither should we.  So I did what most Christians nowadays are afraid to do.  I stood up to that spirit and reminded it of the consequences of coming against God and His children.  Perhaps, just maybe, the woman actually "found" it, but my prayer and declaration put the devil on notice.  Some would say that as children of God we should TURN the other cheek.  I submit that as children of God we must know when it is time to TURN OVER tables like Christ did.

You may argue - Wasn't that releasing a curse on them?  No.  I merely stated the facts.  Their OWN actions invited the consequences.  The devil likes to twist the truth so that we stop fighting.  I have seen people do wicked things and outside people put pressure on the victims saying "If you expose this it will hurt people."  That is a trick of the devil to keep sin covered up and to keep christians feeling responsible for being "nice", even if being "nice" according to some people's standards allows for sin and it's consequences to grow.   Is it love to let the phone thief walk away with a sense of "getting away with it" or is it more loving to let them know their choices could wreak havoc on their lives and their is hope for change?  I wasn't going to do anything to them.  That would be up to God.  I simply reminded them that we reap what we sow.

How many of you have allowed satan or someone to rob from you?  I can think of times when I have stayed quiet when I should have spoken up, times when I let things slide when I should have fought harder.   Enough is enough!  We must stand up and stand on God's word and His promises!  No the devil can't have your child to drugs!  No the that person can't lie about you anymore! No the enemy can't destroy your marriage, your finances, your health, your peace of mind!

We must walk in love, wisdom and discernment.  It's hard to turn the other cheek for sure, but it often necessary, to fulfill the will of God.  But sometimes....sometimes....in order to really be like Jesus... we must be willing to turn over the tables of injustice and say "Enough, is enough".  It might mean confronting an issue, or praying a different way, or telling the truth to expose a lie, or voting for the right candidate.  The world, and even many christians nowadays will want you to turn your cheek.....so they can hit the other side.  HA!HA!   Seriously though, its hard to turn over tables.  It was for Jesus.  People didn't like him, didn't understand him and even wanted him dead. And yet....He was right with God.  Amazing!  God is speaking...is it your time to TURN the other cheek or to TURN over tables?  Both have their place.  Either way, proceed with love, prayer and the grace of God....and take back what the devil has stolen from you!