I assume some of you are brave souls who have no difficulty in being the very one God groomed you to be. However, others of us don't find such ease. Rather we are exhausted while trying to live in a maze of men-pleasing pressure. We are weak from jumping many and eventual impossible hoops.
I saw something in study recently regarding young David; eventual King David.
Boy David was pressed from two strong and influential threats. Goliath is the obvious giant of intimidation. Yet, a second person is equally menacing.
David's older brother, Eliab, is thoroughly disgusted with his sibling. Eliab's anger burned against David and he said, "Why have you come down?" Now we see David in that religious Rock and a Hard Place. Huge need in front of him and an angered brotherhood beside him. From experience, I can tell you that Eliab's anger was intentional to do one thing; shut David down.
Always and ever always will it be true that many Eliabs stand by in their own cowardice of facing the tackling of giant causes only to harp and nip and complain in anger at the brothers and sisters who dare to take on impossible tasks in the church. This has gone on for years.
Our hope is found in the Davids among us. Ignore the whiners totally. They are not to enjoy our compromise. Neither are they to have any voice which would sap our courage; none. David wasn't harsh nor retributional toward Eliab. He simply gave him no audience.
Did not Jesus save the world by identical standards. Weren't constant voices around him declaring Wrong! Liar! False! Deceitful! Yet, forward in courage he moved.
It takes considerable courage to be who you are in God's call. His style for each of us will surely run into the Eliab assessment and opinion. Never are we to be of ego nor obnoxious. We are, though, going to necessarily learn to live as and with who we are in Christ because many in the brotherhood will do their best to intimidate.
Take courage. We will all need it.
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