You cannot Live with a Tumor

In 2003 when a CT scan found a tumor in Steve Jobs’ pancreas, doctors urged him to have an operation, but Steve chose alternative remedies. Nine months later, when the tumor had grown, he agreed to surgery, but by then, the cancer had spread to his liver. Though a liver transplant bought him a few years, ultimately his battle strategy failed.

You will recall that God's strategy for dealing with cancerous idolatry in Canaan was total annihilation.  Sadly, Israel compromised, choosing alternative remedies. Fast forward 4,000 years, and we now have two generations of Americans who have grown up without another world war. Our strategy has been diplomacy: peace at all costs. However, recent unofficial talks by our government with Iran seem to be demonstrating a national naiveté that we can make peace with an avowed enemy.

Canaan illustrates the necessity of a good battle strategy against the enemies of our soul—both within and without.  Coincidentally, we are living at a time in history when God's People are being asked to make peace with a sensually-driven culture. But it is a strategy as perilous as living with a tumor.

Listen to Your Frenemies

Have you ever said to yourself “with friends like this, who needs enemies?” Thus, the post-modern term was coined:“frenemy”— an ‘enemy disguised as a friend.’ Granted, most of us are pretty quick to dismiss criticism that comes from a frenemy.

But if we begin with the assumption that God is always speaking to us (certainly by His Word but also through our circumstances), then logically we must accept that He may even be speaking to us (getting our attention for sure!) through people we might rather dismiss or disregard. And if we have prejudged them as our enemies, we will not consider that the Lord may be speaking to us through them.

This “frenemy” principle is illustrated in an episode in King David’s life. As David and his men were traveling home from battle, an antagonist named Shimei started throwing stones and cursing David from the other side of the river (2 Sam. 16:5-12). David’s loyal men asked if they should cross over and kill the man. But David response was to leave the man alone—maybe God was trying to tell David something. And by disregarding the denigration, David received a correction from the Lord.

When you are being criticized, do not be quick to dismiss those words. Maybe God has a message for you through the mouth of a frenemy? One final thought: God rebuked the prophet Balaam by speaking through a donkey (Numbers 22: 30). If God can speak through a donkey, surely He can speak through a frenemy!