Sword Safety 101

Today's N.T. reading is John 18. When Judas led the mob out to arrest Jesus, Simon Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant. We always think about Peter's denial of Christ, but at first he was willing to fight and die for Jesus. The only problem was the fact that his zeal was misdirected. Why didn't Peter understand what was happening? Remember (from the other Gospel's accounts), Peter and the rest of the disciples had been sleeping while Jesus was praying. So Peter wakes up, rubbing his eyes, sees a confrontation brewing, whips out his sword, and swings it wildly at the first 'bad guy' he sees.
Too often, we hurt people as we whip out the sword (the Word of God) and swing it wildly at those we deem as the 'bad guys'. And like Peter, we cause pain and hurt whenever our zeal is misdirected. How can we know when to rightly use the Word/Sword? How would Peter had known? He would have known the Lord's will had he stayed awake in prayer. Swinging the Word of God at people before spending time in prayer can do more harm than good. You end up cutting off their ear, and remember, "faith comes by HEARING, and hearing by the Word of God." Rom.10:17. In other words, if you take the Word of God and beat somebody up with it, they won't listen to you anymore. They've turned you off. It's better that we spend time in prayer, seeking God's will on how to use the Word of God in speaking to our lost friends or wayward Christians. Sometimes we need to put up the sword and take the cup (see v.11). What's in your hand? A sword causing pain or the cup of suffering that brings about humility and unity in the Body of Christ? Meditate on this today.