Oh, I love this psalm!!!
Ever felt like you needed to vindicate yourself? You have been unjustly characterized but you were not able to defend yourself? I have. Many times over the past ten years or so I have had to close my mouth and say nothing as I was excoriated by a few people. People who should have known my heart and some who could not have.
The most disappointing thing about this kind of scourging is that I never was able to say what might have convinced the other person or persons that there was another side to what was being said. Most recently, a young man who does not really know me that well told me many of the things he felt were wrong about me and how I do business. I was not aggressive enough. Then I was too pushy. I did not work hard enough, then I should wait for them to call me. He spent two hours pelting me with his ideas of me. Because he talked so much, I never really felt the opportunity was right for me to speak the truth of the situation as I saw it. He wasn't going to listen anyway. It was as though he had put his hand over my mouth while he told me stuff about me. When he was done, he removed his hand, left my house and there I was. Unvindicated. What to do?
Lord, hear my just cause. Pay attention to my cry. Listen to my prayer -- from lips free of deceit. Let my vindication come from You, for You see what is right. You have tested my heart. You have examined me at night. You have tried me and found nothing evil. I have determined that my mouth will not sin. (vs. 1-3)
What I did was take my case to God. He listens when others put their hands over their ears. He lets me speak when others don't care what I think. The picture in this psalm is of going before a judge. Yahweh, of course, and presenting your case before Him as a just cause. I meant to help this young couple. Had only that in mind. This Judge is ever mindful of my heart. That is all He cares about. Motive. I could argue my intent with the one who misjudges me until I run out of breath, but the kind of person who would clap a hand across my mouth is usually not the person who will hear me anyway. The more I say in the situation, the more my opportunities to sin with my own mouth. Say things out of my hurt that are not true of her/him.
That God could look at my heart and find nothing evil is preposterous in the flesh. What David is going for is the fact that he is living a life that is habitually faithful to God, not one of rebellion and blatant sinfulness. Of course, I don't always know my motives or my own heart. But God does. So when I take my just cause before Him for defense and vindication, I let Him take over from there.
It has been a few months since the conversation above. In that time, my prayer has been that God would vindicate me in the eyes of this young man and his wife. It has been interesting to watch things play out that he decided were wisdom against what my advice was to them. They will be out the exact amount of money I warned them of, and that is no small amount. Time has slogged on, as I said it would, for their business opportunity, with no closure really in sight. I am still hoping for their absolute best. I want them to have what their hearts desire, so I am not glorying in their situation, but noticing that things have not played out far from my prediction. Will that ever be acknowledged? Probably not. But, seeing God come to my defense is satisfying. Knowing that I was not so wrong as the young man said.
The thing about vindication is that I usually see justice from my own perspective without real consideration of the other side. Isn't that why we need vindication in the first place? Perhaps when we feel the need to attack another person for her/his actions toward us, we should stop first and ask them why. Without assuming we already know the answer. So many offenses would probably be squelched in the moment if we thought the way our adversary did. And, many times the adversary, as in this case, is a Christian brother or sister. Creating an offense with another Christian is counterproductive and ridiculous. What if we listened to each other? What if we determined not to sin with our mouths? What if we decided to let our Father mediate our differences and defend us from evil others might plan against us? That would allow us to still love the brother without judging his actions in return. Not sure that takes maturity so much as focus. "Abba, here is what was said or done. Judge between me and him because You know both hearts." Then leave it there. Don't play the "trial" over and over in your mind while being your own defense attorney. Trust me. You will always win the judgment.
When it comes right down to it, only your Father deeply understands where you are coming from. Your heart is an open book before Him. Only He can truly defend you. Take offense to Him and leave it there.
For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. And he must turn away from evil and do good. He must seek peace and pursue it. Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3: 10-12)
Ever felt like you needed to vindicate yourself? You have been unjustly characterized but you were not able to defend yourself? I have. Many times over the past ten years or so I have had to close my mouth and say nothing as I was excoriated by a few people. People who should have known my heart and some who could not have.
The most disappointing thing about this kind of scourging is that I never was able to say what might have convinced the other person or persons that there was another side to what was being said. Most recently, a young man who does not really know me that well told me many of the things he felt were wrong about me and how I do business. I was not aggressive enough. Then I was too pushy. I did not work hard enough, then I should wait for them to call me. He spent two hours pelting me with his ideas of me. Because he talked so much, I never really felt the opportunity was right for me to speak the truth of the situation as I saw it. He wasn't going to listen anyway. It was as though he had put his hand over my mouth while he told me stuff about me. When he was done, he removed his hand, left my house and there I was. Unvindicated. What to do?
Lord, hear my just cause. Pay attention to my cry. Listen to my prayer -- from lips free of deceit. Let my vindication come from You, for You see what is right. You have tested my heart. You have examined me at night. You have tried me and found nothing evil. I have determined that my mouth will not sin. (vs. 1-3)
What I did was take my case to God. He listens when others put their hands over their ears. He lets me speak when others don't care what I think. The picture in this psalm is of going before a judge. Yahweh, of course, and presenting your case before Him as a just cause. I meant to help this young couple. Had only that in mind. This Judge is ever mindful of my heart. That is all He cares about. Motive. I could argue my intent with the one who misjudges me until I run out of breath, but the kind of person who would clap a hand across my mouth is usually not the person who will hear me anyway. The more I say in the situation, the more my opportunities to sin with my own mouth. Say things out of my hurt that are not true of her/him.
That God could look at my heart and find nothing evil is preposterous in the flesh. What David is going for is the fact that he is living a life that is habitually faithful to God, not one of rebellion and blatant sinfulness. Of course, I don't always know my motives or my own heart. But God does. So when I take my just cause before Him for defense and vindication, I let Him take over from there.
It has been a few months since the conversation above. In that time, my prayer has been that God would vindicate me in the eyes of this young man and his wife. It has been interesting to watch things play out that he decided were wisdom against what my advice was to them. They will be out the exact amount of money I warned them of, and that is no small amount. Time has slogged on, as I said it would, for their business opportunity, with no closure really in sight. I am still hoping for their absolute best. I want them to have what their hearts desire, so I am not glorying in their situation, but noticing that things have not played out far from my prediction. Will that ever be acknowledged? Probably not. But, seeing God come to my defense is satisfying. Knowing that I was not so wrong as the young man said.
The thing about vindication is that I usually see justice from my own perspective without real consideration of the other side. Isn't that why we need vindication in the first place? Perhaps when we feel the need to attack another person for her/his actions toward us, we should stop first and ask them why. Without assuming we already know the answer. So many offenses would probably be squelched in the moment if we thought the way our adversary did. And, many times the adversary, as in this case, is a Christian brother or sister. Creating an offense with another Christian is counterproductive and ridiculous. What if we listened to each other? What if we determined not to sin with our mouths? What if we decided to let our Father mediate our differences and defend us from evil others might plan against us? That would allow us to still love the brother without judging his actions in return. Not sure that takes maturity so much as focus. "Abba, here is what was said or done. Judge between me and him because You know both hearts." Then leave it there. Don't play the "trial" over and over in your mind while being your own defense attorney. Trust me. You will always win the judgment.
When it comes right down to it, only your Father deeply understands where you are coming from. Your heart is an open book before Him. Only He can truly defend you. Take offense to Him and leave it there.
For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. And he must turn away from evil and do good. He must seek peace and pursue it. Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3: 10-12)
No comments:
Post a Comment