Have you ever had to defend yourself and prove you’re right? Have you had to set boundaries to protect yourself?
Unfortunately, people take advantage of each other, and so it’s important to be ready to get “armed” and defend yourself. While by no means am I calling to carry a gun to literally defend yourself, I do want to encourage you to meditate on Ephesians 6:14 that calls us to
“stand strong, with the belt of truth tied around our waist. And on our chest wear the protection of right living.”
When we read this verse, we might think that we will never need to put any armor on ourselves, much less go and fight for the truth. So, we just move on. However, it’s a mistake to do that, because we might not even suspect that we need that belt of truth right now, in our current situation right where we are!
Everyday we encounter someone who mistreats us so we have to stand up for ourselves and prove that we are right. Sometimes it works out well, sometimes it doesn’t. No one wanted to listen to Jesus. The truth He preached was rejected many times, and yet he kept pursuing it. You know how it all ended. In spite of the unhappy ending (for us, believers, though, it was a happy one! Thank you, Lord!), Jesus modeled us on his patience and love which we must use to fight our own good fights.
A friend told me her story about the family feud that’d been going on between her and her sister-in-law over the property they both owned for many years now. As a Christian, she has to remain loving, but armed with the facts, the “truth”, to be able to keep what belongs to her by the law. It’s not easy to be involved in a family conflict, but some healthy and proper boundaries must be set. It will get ugly; but patience, faith and courage are necessary to win the fight.
Jesus “wore the belt of truth” all the time during his ministry. He wasn’t afraid to be rejected, mocked, or even defeated. He did what was right. He lived a righteous life and had nothing to hide. He was betrayed by his friend…
When we are equipped with the truth, victory is always on our side, regardless of the outcome. We might not win from the worldly, corrupt perspective, but we will always win in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.
Is there any situation in your life right now that requires you to wear the belt of truth? What is stopping you from being courageous? Do you believe that God is with you in it?
I want to encourage you to remember that when we go out to stand up for the truth, we shouldn’t expect an easy fight. We might get hurt and treated unfairly, but God is always on our side.
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