My act of rebellion
Waking to a new day, the urge to do something really rebellious came to mind. I didn’t want to go to jail or lose my license to preach. I just wanted to be a little bit defiant.
Maybe it is the rancor coming out of Washington, or the constant drumbeat of ungodliness belching out of Hollywood. Whatever the source, it was my day to do something recalcitrant. The world is consumed with arguments, insolence, and narcissism. It’s like walking through a campy melodrama where you cannot make the distinction between the hero and the villain. At least in the old Westerns, the hero wore a white hat.
So here I am, facing the morning mirror with blood pressure rising, and feeling that I will no longer take it, whatever it is. Move over world, Dave is coming through.
During my sunrise devotions, I brought my thoughts of non-compliance to the Lord. It seemed right to categorize this prayer under the guise of seeking wisdom for a decision. God was silent. This was concerning, but not enough to change my mind. As the old Latin phrase states, “qui tacet consentire videtur,” or “he who is silent is taken to agree.” By the way, Scripture does not support this common assumption. Just saying.
Being rebellious is not as easy as it seems. Especially if you want to stay out of jail and keep your license to preach. In the Bible, there were some really rebellious people. Satan started it, and Adam and Eve added their own version of insurgence.
But there were others who took their turn at doing their own thing. Why would Jonah just defy the call of God (Jonah 1:3)? And how could Peter deny his relationship with Jesus when confronted by the little peasant girl (Matthew 26:72)? How could Judas experience the Presence of our sweet Jesus, and plan insurrection (Matthew 26:14)? And don’t get me started on Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:2).
As my devotions concluded in uncertainty, I was unfairly reminded of 1 Samuel 15:23 (NLT), “Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.” Suddenly, there was a thunder cloud raining over my suspect plans. Too bad. Maybe I should have skipped devotions that day.
In the end, I decided to please God and myself. I wore a blue sock on one foot and a black sock on the other. It was my small mutiny against a quarrelsome world that expects you to wear matching socks, if you wear socks at all. And the best part is, I can do it again tomorrow with a second clean pair of socks just like them. Smartly done!