Paper and Plastic

A few Thursdays ago, we finished the third season of Men's Fraternity at church. On the last day Dane had a huge sword for an illustration. This thing was massive! It had to be at least three feet tall. After the session, Delaney thought it would be funny if I took a picture with Dane with him holding the sword and me holding a plastic knife. We thought it was pretty ridiculous looking. I joked with Dane that it could be used as a "before" Men's Frat picture of manhood (plastic knife) and an "after" picture (massive sword). It was just a joke, but I like the picture. I'll come back to it in a second.

Recently, God has been doing some incredible things in SHIFT Student Ministries and CCV. We've seen passionate worship, lives changed, baptisms, and students excited about what God is doing. Needless to say though, the enemy is at work. He is a prowling lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). He has been attacking me, pastors, volunteer staff, and students. On the one hand, it's an encouragement to know that God is doing something that is striking fear into the heart of the enemy. That's the kind of movement I want to be part of! But on the other hand, it's hard being under attack. The enemy knows how to go after each of us and I know he knows how to come after me.

As I was praying a week and a half ago, I realized that there has been an area of prayer in which I have been lacking. When I first became a Christian 6 1/2 years ago, I used to pray through the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) all the time. I knew I was in a battle and knew that I needed the Armor of God to protect me. I haven't done that recently. I became comfortable and lost the realization that I was in a battle and that the enemy would love to tear me down. I needed to pray for protection. I got the image of myself trying to fight the onslaught of the enemy with nothing more than a plastic knife and a paper plate. I had the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) and the shield of faith "with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one" (Ephesians 6:16). His arrows were blasting through my "shield" (apparently paper plates aren't very effective against flaming arrows...who knew?) and my "sword" was weak and wildly ineffective. God had given me the armor; I had just chosen not to put it on daily. Whose fault is that? I only have myself to blame.

Do you go to battle with an armor made of paper and plastic or with the Armor of God? Back to the picture of me and Dane. What started as a funny picture became a conviction in my life. No longer will I go to battle with a plastic knife and paper plate. On my own, that's the best armor I can come up with. I want to go to battle with the massive Sword of the Spirit and the Shield of Faith. That's why God gave it to us. We need it. We need Him.

Are you ready for battle?


Random Thought: Americans toss out enough paper & plastic cups, forks and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times.

For a better use of plastic cutlery, check this out.