FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
WHO’S IN YOUR HEAD?
“The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.”
Acts 16:22
This happened to our brothers Paul and Silas on the Second Missionary Journey. Beaten, put in stocks and locked in prison, and singing for the joy of being a son of God.
Consider: there will always be the crowds who follow the politically correct and almost always Biblically incorrect views of the day led by culture power players. They existed in the first century and they exist today.
The very real men who first promoted the Gospel and spread Christianity in the face of hostility were men who knew who they were in Christ- forgiven, freed and unleashed sons of God and of grace and truth. Christ was in their heads and hearts. God’s love for them was in their heads motivating their life.
Which raises a question for us today: Who’s in our heads?
Who’s in your head?
Who is dominating your thoughts? Who crowds out other and even more important thoughts? Who do you let define you? Who holds you back from being you, and God’s deeply beloved son? Who makes you fear? How did they get that power? Can you allow them to continue to have such power over you? What effect is that power having in your life?
Who’s in your head? A person? The crowd? The news? Government?
Do you want to follow the crowd or Christ? The mob or the Messiah?
We have to make that choice everyday.
In Psychology there’s a theory of “Self-consistency” which teaches that we act consistent with our self-concept, our self-image, our identity. I agree that is why in my DAWG each day I have to go back to square one, my identity as God’s son. If I do not I will follow the crowd not Christ. The mob, not the Messiah.
Which would be a huge mistake. A relapse of phenomenal foolishness.
So after my DAWG today I’m refocused. I know who I am again today, and I’m headed out there to be God’s deeply beloved son who is free from sin’s condemnation and sin’s control, and who is going to advance His agenda, not my agenda, and not the world’s agenda.
Sometimes unbelievers stumble onto truth. J.K. Rowling got it right when she wrote:
“It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.”
Yep. Here’s to following Christ not the crowd, no matter what!
By Grace we have been miraculously saved and made sons!
You take it to heart,
Pete Alwinson
