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“And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for
‘God opposes the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.’
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” 1 Peter 5:5b-9
Generally, I would suppose it is not the roaring lion you see that poses the greatest threat; rather, it is the silent lion you do not see who poses the greater threat, because you certainly cannot escape what you don’t even know is there. It could be that the roaring lion is just warning you to back off –– Roar!!! (translation - “Don’t even think about it!”)
However, there are probably times when the loud roar is half of the weapon, paralyzing you with fear, such that you cannot react to the pounce. With that in mind, there are a whole host of roaring lions out there drawing closer and louder with the intent to freeze you in your steps, rob you of reason, discourage you from resistance, and hasten your submission to the discipline of going along to get along. The roaring lions would have you believe that resistance is futile, and that’s a problem if you claim to serve the One whose life contradicts what “going along” entails. If the roaring lions are exhorting you to –– never confess mistakes, be quick to blame, be suspicious of difference, be indifferent to suffering, lead with malevolence, abide prejudice, honor arrogance, assume God always agrees with you and despises the same people you do, or reject any responsibility for the common good –– then “going along” takes you down a path that dangerously diverges from the path of discipleship paved by Jesus Christ.
Remember that the community of early disciples often referred to themselves as The Way, a way where the signposts and billboards included the teachings, witness, and self-giving love of Jesus. If you don’t see those signs, you may be on a dangerously different road where roaring lions thrive. “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” So, let us follow the path that roaring lions dread, The Way of Jesus Christ.
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