Declaring War

Living Lessons:  Declare War!

By: Christopher Wiles

     It didn’t take long for the leaders to declare war.  The very first moment when it was realized that an enemy had crept into our territory, total war while the goal of total annihilation was declared.  All the troops were mustered.  High grade weapons were purchased.  Defensive and offensive tactics were researched.  Biochemical vs. natural warfare was a hot topic due to the possible long term effect on the innocent.  Within minutes we had the enemy contained and within a couple hours, the total extermination of a race had begun within our borders. 

     That race that faced  instant wrath of our efforts was known as “Pediculus humanus capitis.” 

You may know it by the common name “Head Lice”.  I had sisters and I remember how awful it was in our household when I was young, how hard it was to get rid of once it spread to other members of the family.  The itching and scratching of head lice is a common problem to school aged children, second in the United States only to the common cold. Yet this commonality of the occurrence didn’t abate our swift and decisive actions to exterminate the enemy of head lice from our home.

     Within hours, every boy in our family had a hair cut, as longer hair is a breeding ground for our opposition.  Every scalp of each member of the family was meticulously combed by both Ashley and I in search of this enemy.  Every member had showers.  The only member who was visited with the rotten pests had their head coated in coconut oil (look up this natural remedy here) then wrapped with saran wrap and a shower cap for hours, on top of being combed at least 20 times within the first day alone.  Everyone has been combed every day since, in which we are glad to say, there has been no more evidence of our enemy.  Yet this won’t stop us from combing every day for the next two weeks to ensure victory.

     Ashley and I are quick to unite in eradicating things like head lice when they invade our home as I’m sure you are too.  Even more devastating than head lice, what do we do when sin enters our life?  When a family member comes home drunk, what do we do?  When a husband cheats on the family taxes, what is our response?  When our teenager accesses pornography on their Twitter account, how do we handle it?  When a child is openly defiant and disobedient to parents.  When an older child declares “there are no good churches to go to”, thereby ignoring the commandments of fellowship and encouragement given by God and disregarding the examples of His people in the Holy Scripture, what do we do in this spiritual war? 

     

     Paul says we are in a spiritual battle again forces arrayed against us and he urges us to fight against invading sin! “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12) “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Rom 6:1-2)
      You are called to fight, to wage war, to do battle against the foes that rise up in your home. Would you turn a blind eye to head lice? Of course you wouldn’t, then don’t ignore sin. Brothers and sisters, the cost of sin is far worse than head lice. Remove it completely from your home by swift, decisive, and gentle (Gal 6:1) action, and there will be sweet relief. “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 1:5) “The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. “ (Isaiah 25:8)