Final Fantasy X is one of my personal favorites in the franchise for many different reasons, but the awareness level of Tidus, the game’s protagonist, is NOT one of those reasons. Throughout the game, it became obvious to every character EXCEPT for him that he was not who or where he thought he was, but rather than accept the truth of what was right in front of his eyes he continued along in a blissfully oblivious state until his reality could no longer be ignored. While Tidus still ultimately served his purpose to sacrificially save the world despite despite the ramifications this held for him personally, he could’ve saved himself a lot of heartache along the way if he had simply been willing to open up his eyes to the truth.
While there are many forms of deception that I’ve grappled with in my life, the most dangerous and costly has been self-deception. My stubborn refusal to follow the Lord’s clearly stated will for me because it was inconvenient for me to accept at the time has always ended badly and caused so much unnecessary pain. While I won’t always like or appreciate the mirror His Word holds up to my face, He challenges our thoughts and motives to reveal truth and prevent future pain. Let’s open our eyes to His guidance for us that we might prefer to ignore… His unpopular answers are for both our present as well as our eternal good.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”. 1 Corinthians 3:18-19
He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” Isaiah 44:20
Like most game series that have survived from their original 8-bit NES incarnations into the modern era of photo-realistic graphics, Final Fantasy has come a VERY long way. When this franchise first started in all of its original pixel-based glory, nobody would have ever imagined it would grow over the years and transform into some of the most graphically impressive games of each console generation. But while the dream was always there, the graphical capabilities of the hardware didn’t exist to fully realize that vision until now… and now that the technology has finally caught up with the imagination of the team, we get to experience these stories in all of the fullness of the design team’s intentions.
The Lord places dreams and desires in our hearts for us to fulfill them, but there is still a growing period we must experience before His vision will reach fruition. Just as Joseph grew his character and his leadership skills in his roles as a servant and a prisoner before he was elevated to his destiny as second in command of Egypt, the Lord builds each of us up slowly… not because He is testing us, but because He is TRAINING us. His plan for us requires our “hardware” to catch up to our calling, so let’s embrace each challenge we face as a part of growing into His larger destiny for us. These small beginnings have big endings.
I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land. Exodus 23:29-30
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. Zechariah 4:10a
While most traditional role-playing games tend to utilize a “party” system that involves an eclectic cast of characters, the Final Fantasy series has certainly demonstrated some exceptional range. From brooding protagonists like Cloud who had little to say to enthusiastic lead characters like Tidus who can’t seem to keep a single thought private, each game is filled with a selection of classic RPG archetypes like a soldier or a healer as well as a few unique choices like a robot cat or a big red lion. But this incredible diversity is one of the franchise’s greatest strengths, understanding that we don’t need copies of each character in our party. We need each of them to be exactly who they are, combining their unique gifts and skill sets together to deliver the victory as a team.
The body of Christ is full of an equally unique cast of characters, with each of us gifted in specific ways so we can serve Him in different capacities on this mission field. Just as a Final Fantasy party isn’t complete without each member serving a complimentary role that supports the needs of the squad, our differences are what the Lord uses to grow our ability to reach others and complete our mission. Let’s work together with respect for each others calling and gifts, even if some serve Him in a different manner than us. We are all part of one body, united by Christ to reach the world.
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 1 Corinthians 12:15-18
There are a handful of moments in gaming history that are forever etched in my memory for being undeniably shocking and painfully unforgettable… and (spoiler alert) the sudden ending of Aerith’s journey at the conclusion of disc one in Final Fantasy VII stands as one of the most prominent. While this is hardly the first time (or the last time) that I experienced a gaming character “moving on”, this one hit especially hard because of how unnecessary it felt at the time. But despite my disappointment at this unwanted plot twist, there were still two more discs left to complete… while this action couldn’t be prevented or undone, after respectfully mourning her loss it was time for me to move forward in hope and finish the story.
Throughout our lives, we will all be faced with tragic events that threaten to steal our hope, break our spirits, and stall our journey. And while it is right for us to pause and mourn these losses, they don’t represent the conclusion of our story… just the end of this “disc”. As King David found when he was praying through a heartbreaking tragedy of his own, our loving Father sees and catches every tear that we cry… and even though He doesn’t always intervene the way we would prefer or reverse what has happened, the Lord has at least two more discs of content for us as well as an ending that will make this all worth it.
You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book? Psalm 56:8
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4
After the well-received adventures of the grittier and brooding protagonists of Final Fantasy VII (Cloud) and Final Fantasy VIII (Squall), the developers of Final Fantasy IX went in an entirely different creative direction for the next game in the series. The story of Zidane and his crew felt like a throwback to the games from the cartridge-based Nintendo era both in tone as well as in art style. While the initial reactions to this shift was mixed, FFIX provided fans with the perfect breath of fresh air for the Final Fantasy franchise as it transitioned into the PlayStation 2 era. It may not have felt like a logical progression for the series at that time, but it was exactly what was needed.
The ways that the Lord chooses to answer our prayers in life will rarely fit into a predictable pattern. Even when Jesus performed healings for those who were afflicted with blindness or born lame, He chose to perform each of those miracles in ways that were customized to the individual recipient… and to this day He still responds to our requests based on the specific needs of each of His unique children. Instead of expecting Him to answer our prayers in the same way that He has for others or in a manner that makes sense to us, let’s accept that the Lord may choose to respond to our situation in a different way… one we didn’t know we needed until His work is completed.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts”. Isaiah 55:8-9
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15
The Final Fantasy franchise is one of the longest-running gaming series in history, and while there are a handful of stories that have received a spin-off or a proper prequel/sequel, most of the games have very little in common with each other… at least on the surface. Almost every game in this collection features their own specific protagonist, takes place on different planets, and even have unique styles of gameplay. But they also share many similarities despite their unconnected plots, as each tends to feature some sort of “mana” to power special abilities, many include a “Cid” somewhere, and the story usually involves an eclectic cast of characters coming together to save their world. They are all part of one “family” of games, even if they each tell separate stories.
When reading the Bible it can be challenging to balance the wisdom and beauty of the Psalms and Proverbs with the bitterness and heartache of Ecclesiastes and Jeremiah. But the truth is that ALL of Scripture is inspired by the Lord, and that includes the parts that we don’t like or fully understand. Each story is part of an intricate tapestry… a series of books and letters written by multiple people that may seem to have little in common, but all of which share the same Author. And when they are combined together, they form one timeless love letter from our Savior to us all.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24:27
My favorite part of the Kingdom Hearts franchise has always been the incredible diversity of all of the characters that make it up. Gaming icons such as Cloud Strife and Auron from the Final Fantasy series battle alongside Disney’s Donald and Goofy… all while exploring levels based on films featuring cinematic icons like Jack Sparrow or Tron. But this incredible mix of complicated protagonists and larger-than-life cartoon characters works because they’re all serving the same story in different ways… saving the world takes a team who understands that the things that make each of them unique and different from each other is what gives this team its strength.
We’re all called to serve the same Lord, but we will each serve Him in different ways… and the uniqueness of our calling and purpose means it will look different for every one of us. The diverse ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus meant that one of them lived off of locusts and honey in the desert while the other ate and drank with those He was sent to save… each of them served the same kingdom in different ways based on the specific calling they were given by the Father. Rather than expect every member of this team to follow Christ in an identical manner, let’s embrace the way we’ve been gifted to serve Him… as a kingdom of unique hearts joined together as one.
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” But wisdom is justified by her children. Matthew 11:18-19
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:4-5a
While Kingdom Hearts is a fairly linear gaming experience, it doesn’t mean that every item that our missions require or each character we are tasked with helping are easily discovered… many are only revealed when we are forced off of our preferred path and into an area that we never intended to explore. While these moments may seem like an undesired time-wasting detour at first, they are often the places where I discovered something that I didn’t even know I should be searching for. Whether it was a valuable item that changed the way I played the game or a path to helping someone I didn’t know was there, these unwanted diversions helped to push Sora to places he wouldn’t have reached any other way.
We will all face unwanted detours in life, but these inconvenient situations are often used by the Lord to advance His kingdom in ways that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Many times, these are the paths that He uses to guide us to our destiny the same way Joseph found in his journey from prison to prince, and other times these diversions are actually a divine intersection to reach one singular soul for Christ like Paul and the repentant jailer. If we allow Him to open our eyes to the possibilities beyond our present discomfort, we will find that He truly does work out all things for good… according to His purposes, not ours.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:20
Who remembers the first big decision we all had to make in Kingdom Hearts… making the choice between taking the sword, the shield, or the staff? At such an early stage of the game, I didn’t feel prepared to make a decision that could have long-lasting ramifications on how I played the game. But that wasn’t the last choice I had to make… along the way, I made decisions about how to level up my party, which items to equip, and the order I took on challenges. Some were the right call for me and my style of play, and others were choices I’d later regret. Either way, the game would reveal if these were wise or foolish choices… and I was the one who’d have to deal with the fallout. All of us play the same game, but how we get to our ending is a unique story… no two play-throughs are identical.
It’s easy to be critical of the way others play the game of life, and judging how our fellow servants follow Christ (even with the best of intentions) is far above our pay grade. How do we know what choices others felt forced to make before they fully understood that decision? And how do we know what they had to give up in exchange? We will all start in different places, serve the Lord in different ways, and follow different paths to His endgame, so let’s resist the urge to judge. That is the fatal first step into self-righteousness.
There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? James 4:12
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. Romans 14:10-13
In Kingdom Hearts, I have often found that it is the intentional choices I make BEFORE a mission to prepare for it that determines how it winds up playing out. From deciding how to invest the skill points that I’ve acquired to which items I equip before entering into battle, I either set Sora and his pals up for success or unintentionally increase the degree of difficulty. A wise explorer takes the time to thoughtfully allocate their “XP” to critical skills and equip their very best gear before entering into areas that could potentially require them, and taking on the challenges of the game poorly equipped or under-prepared always ends with reloading a previous save to try again. We don’t always know what’s coming, but we should always be prepared and equipped for anything.
All of us will face some real-world battles today, and how we choose to prepare for them BEFORE they happen is the key to experiencing victory over these challenges. Let’s start our day out by putting our armor on… intentionally absorbing the Lord’s words into our hearts ensures we are fully equipped for whatever challenges we will face, and taking time to prayerfully seek His guidance before every decision we make opens us up to applying the “XP” of His divine wisdom. Let’s suit up… the Lord wouldn’t have provided us with all of this armor if we weren’t going to need it today.
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13
While each title in the original Halo trilogy has a small amount of exploration in it, the central storyline remains a linear experience. If we want to make progress, we must take on the missions and perform the actions that Master Chief has been assigned to do. Sure, we have the flexibility to either walk or pilot a vehicle to get to our destination and pick up a shotgun instead of a battle rifle, but at the end of the day we’re all still following the predetermined path John-117 was designed for. It may seem limiting that we don’t get to select what he says or how he saves the day, but that is kind of the point… this isn’t our story, it’s HIS. The fate of the universe is at stake, so the game doesn’t give us an option to do things our own way. The only question it allows us to answer is “What would the Master Chief do”?
The choice to accept the gift of Christ’s grace and follow Him places our feet on a path that is no longer about pursuing our own will, desires, or preferences. If truly we want to see His will done on this planet and experience the fullness of His blessings in our lives, we have to do it His way and live our lives on His terms. While it may feel reductive or simplistic to ask “What would Jesus do?” before each word we say or action we take, those are the guidelines for today’s missions… because there’s only one way to save the world.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5
The first time I played through the original Halo, I started the single-player campaign under normal difficulty and simply followed the story through to its’ conclusion… but that was only the beginning of my relationship with the game. If I stopped there, I would’ve missed the depth of what has made this series a defining experience for me in many different ways. From playing the game cooperatively and conquering the Legendary difficulty setting, seeking out and finding all of the hidden skulls, and of course the multiplayer matches that kept me coming back for more, my completion of the core campaign was only the beginning. There was so much more to explore, and the deepest rewards only reveal themselves to the most diligent and committed seekers.
While Christ’s work on the cross has offered all of us forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with the Father, our acceptance of this gift is only the beginning of our lifelong pursuit of seeking and finding God. We are called to grow in our faith, continually building a deeper relationship with the Lord by studying and applying His written words, speaking to Him intentionally throughout the day in prayer, and purposefully participating with our fellow members in the body of Christ. His richest treasures are only revealed to those who dig the deepest, so let’s actively seek Him every day.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
The Covenant plasma pistol is often one of the most underrated weapons in the Halo series because it is the one that is most frequently used incorrectly. While its’ basic setting can be used to rapidly fire off small pulses of energy, they aren’t very powerful compared to the larger options available in the armory. But when it has been patiently charged for maximum effectiveness, one blast will completely decimate a full energy shield and even stop vehicles dead in their tracks. Firing it impatiently only generates a lot of noise without making much of an impact… but in the hands of a patient gamer who understands how to wield it properly, it is a total game-changer.
Waiting for the Lord to act on my prayers is not always easy, but trying to take matters into my own hands rather than patiently resting in faith is about as useful as rapidly firing a plasma pistol at an incoming Banshee. As excruciating as it can be to wait, it is the combination of our faith in His promises as well as our patience with His timing that results in us seeing the largest mountains in our lives move. Let’s endure our current waiting season in life with the confidence of a Spartan wielding a fully charged plasma pistol… the Lord is never too early or too late, and as we stand firm in our faith we’ll find that we aren’t just sitting and waiting for Him to act. We are charging up.
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:25-26
Driving the Warthog in Halo all by yourself works just fine if you are trying to enjoy a nice, leisurely cruise around the installation, but if you are trying to take down an enemy stronghold it sure helps to have a support partner manning the turret. The Warthog has room for three for a reason… it was designed for cooperation across multiple different functions. A stationary player in the turret is a sitting duck who won’t get very far on their own, and a lone driver without support will quickly find themselves stranded behind enemy lines, sitting next to a useless flaming pile of metal that no longer resembles a vehicle. Operated individually, the turret is exposed to enemy fire and the driver is ineffective at advancing the objective, but when partnered together they are unstoppable.
There are no “lone wolves” in the body of Christ, and seeking to accomplish His purposes without working in tandem with the rest of the body will leave us feeling alone, overwhelmed, frustrated, and ineffective. Some are called to minister with words or songs, others will use their platforms to share those messages, and the entire body will put those words into action in their daily lives to truly advance the cause of Christ on this planet. Let’s each operate in our God-given roles with excellence and gratitude today… every role is essential, and none work without each other.
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:4-6b
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1 Corinthians 3:6-8
The “Needler” in Halo may not pack the same punch as a shotgun or a rocket launcher, but its’ ordnance is capable of defeating even the most powerful Spartan because of one devastating detail… the needles track and attach themselves to their target and then explode, draining their protective energy shield and leaving the victim vulnerable for a follow-up attack. Getting stuck by one lone needle typically represents a short-term irritation that can be easily shaken off, but there is typically more where that came from… and as the Needler rains down a “death by a thousand cuts”, these small annoyances can quickly turn into a fatal disruption for any of us.
In my life, I’ve found that it isn’t necessarily the big problems that pull me away from the Lord… those tend to push me directly into His arms for His support. Instead, it’s the small, daily irritants of chronic pain, work stress, or household tasks that slowly weaken my connection with Christ and leave me feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable to the most basic of enemy attacks. These needles that serve as “thorns in the flesh” can be easy to underestimate and difficult to appreciate, but we shouldn’t ignore them or resent them. Instead, let’s recognize them as reminders of our need for the Lord’s grace throughout our day… and when a needle hits, let’s stop and recharge our shields.
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
One of the most surprising moments in the entire Halo series was when both the Master Chief and the Arbiter found themselves captured by the hive mind behind the flood, the “Gravemind”. In that moment, these hostile adversaries came to the realization that there was a much greater threat to their existence than the disagreements that brought them to this moment of clarity… the activation of the Halo rings that would result in the destruction of every life form in the universe. The bitter war they had waged against each other had to be put behind them so they could work together and battle the true enemy that had manipulated both of them into this position of division, and by choosing to move forward in unity, they accomplished the mission that neither of them could have achieved without the other.
As long as humans walk this earth we will find areas of disagreement to divide us, but our battles are NOT with flesh and blood… they’re with demonic principalities that set us against each other with a mission of destroying us all. With our TRUE spiritual enemy in mind, let’s align our hearts with the true mission of Christ, not the petty conflicts that are designed to distract us with smaller battles while we lose the war for souls. He came to seek and save, and if we are truly following Him, that’s our priority today, too.
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
The “Brutes” that were introduced in Halo 2 are an interesting character study, demonstrating a fairly nuanced battle strategy that can make them quite difficult to take down… until you learn the secret of disrupting their tactics. While they utilize ranged weapons incredibly effectively and take cover like a disciplined soldier under normal circumstances, if you can pop their helmet off with a well-placed shot they will abandon sound reasoning and enter “berserker” mode. Once they are “enraged” in this manner, they lose all sense of battlefield perspective and begin recklessly pursuing the individual that caused it, making them much easier to outsmart and defeat.
In the battleground of our minds, the enemy of our souls would like nothing more than to push us into acting from a place of rage and frustration than with the mind of Christ… and if we aren’t careful, we can easily mistake our anger and passion as a form of “holy zeal”. The battles we are called to fight on the behalf of the Lord will never require us to operate outside of His principles of peace, gentleness, and mercy, and the temptation to engage in these conflicts while “enraged” will never generate the righteousness of Christ. Fighting fire with fire is a fool’s errand… let’s keep our helmet of salvation fully secured today so His wisdom can prevail in our minds.
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:17-18
The original Halo games that were crafted by Bungie are widely regarded as not only the high points in the series, but rank among some of the best video game experiences of their generation… unfortunately, the campaigns developed by Microsoft’s 343 studios after Bungie’s departure haven’t achieved the same level of success. While the recent titles in the series continue the original story, feature the same characters, and even possess many new and impressive technical enhancements, the original “creator’s touch” is clearly absent from these releases… no matter how hard they try, we can all tell that these games were not made by the original team. Nobody knows Halo better than the hands that lovingly designed this franchise in the first place.
No matter how well intentioned our efforts are in the activities we take on in life, the Lord simply can not bless what He didn’t originate. As our Creator, He designed us with a specific destiny in mind, and only what we build on His foundation will last, both on this planet and in eternity. Rather than waste our time and efforts on pursuits that only advance self-serving goals, let’s prayerfully align our intentions, words, and actions with His divine purposes in all that we do. The Lord will always bless and protect the work of our hands when we build on His unbreakable foundation.
Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1
Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:3
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. Matthew 7:24-26
The Master Chief carried the weight of saving the entire universe on his shoulders, so he is never found wasting his limited time or his even more limited words engaging in pointless arguments or unproductive disputes. But being a man of few words has some pretty valuable benefits… rather than expending his energy participating in lengthy dialogue trees that don’t actually resolve any of the conflicts surrounding him, he ignored the comments of others and focused on completing his mission. And because the Chief demonstrated restraint in what he chose to say and when he chose to say it, it added greater meaning and value to his words when he did choose to speak.
Thanks to all of our modern technology, the ability to communicate with each other across the entire planet has never been greater… but to our shame, we often use these gifts to engage in pointless, divisive arguments with others that only diminish the value of our words and distract us from our actual mission. Christ didn’t waste His limited time engaging in petty verbal conflicts, so let’s follow His example and avoid the pitfall of engaging in unproductive conversations that are often fueled by anger rather than guided by His Spirit to share His truth in compassion and love. Harsh words (even when true) spoken without mercy and grace doesn’t save souls… love does.
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth. 2 Timothy 2:22-25
