Standpoints 

Pastor Duck's Weekly Column

Taiwan Church News 2677, June 22, 2003 

Translated by David Alexander 

...As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand,... (I Kings 17:1) 

Three young students got into an argument, then a fistfight, at school. Some teachers separated them. Then they were scolded by the principal and sent home. 

When one boy told his parents what had happened, he was scolded again. His family ran a seafood stall in a night market. The head of the market's management committee was the father of one of the other "fighters", and the mother of the third one was the current neighborhood chief! The parents who ran the seafood stall cared little about the reasons for the argument and fight. They only said, "You cannot get into conflict with those boys. Their parents have power to harm our entire family." 

After being scolded by his parents this child changed his demeanor. He became fearful of offending anyone in power. He felt that, in the face of authority, he was nothing. 

The prophet Elijah came out of nowhere and stood before the king and people of Israel. Though they didn't believe in God, he did. Confident in his relationship to God, he courageously spoke words that neither king nor country wanted to hear. 

As we carefully discern the intention of God for our family, political, social and church life, we can speak as courageously as Elijah. But we must take care that we are not just stringing together several scripture verses that reflect our desires. The one before whom we stand is God, not the scriptures. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, move in us so we can confidently stand before God. AMEN