Our biggest local news story is now a huge national news story. Michael Vick grew up here in I cannot help but wonder if there was not someone close to Vick that recognized the brutality and cruelty of this “sport” that could have been an "ear-whisperer" for Vick. Surely there was a friend, associate or teammate who had Vick’s ear that could have whispered to that that this was a federal crime and that the NFL is getting tough on players who break the law. Sure someone could have pulled him aside and whispered in his ear, “Man, this is NOT a good idea. This is very wrong, and you need to get away from this and right now.” But see, when you are a celebrity, what people tend to whisper in your ear is what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.
There is a lesson here for us all. God has placed us in a community of faith, surrounded by brothers and sisters with a common commitment to living for God. We are not called in scripture “associates” but rather “brothers and sisters.” The church is a spiritual community in which we are tied to one another because we share the same Father. What practical good does that do, however, if we don’t at times whisper in each other’s ear, “This isn’t a good idea. This is wrong, and you need to get away from this right now.” Paul says this in Galatians 6:1--
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path” (NLT).
If we don’t care enough (or aren’t godly enough) to step in and help out when a brother or sister is making a bad choice, then we are missing something vital in our Christian lives. If we are going to tell people what they WANT to hear rather than what they NEED to hear, we might as well not be part of a church at all... and join the NFL.
6 comments:
(What does the bible say?) A friend will and should speak up (be an ear whisperer) and say you’re a friend if we are going astray. . . tell us right away. The hard things good friends tell one another in love are sometimes hurtful but we should be thankful for those wounds inflicted for our good by a friend who is not afraid to say what we need to hear in love.
The “calm nature” and “the intuitive empathy toward the weak and handicapped” that is found in the breeds that most people desire for companionship is a liability and an undesirable trait to those who want fighting dogs; thus the ones used for fighting have become more and more aggressive. The problem with “dog fighting”, “survival of the fittest”,“selective breeding of (relentless aggression)” and the attitude that says, “kill the losers” etc. is that it has evolved such dangerous and unpredictable destructive animals that dominate others as they destroy or be destroyed. (That is not good to have in any neighborhood)
Dogs have no soul and like all animals they have been put on earth for man to dominate and use, but there is no need for dogfighting. Those who “enjoy” dogfighting” have a serious problem that if (encouraged),(allowed to go unchecked) and not “nipped in the bud”) could in some minds lead to the unraveling of the fabric of a civilized society and it has been outlawed in our country. There is no need for it! (Those who do such things should be corrected and know that we will not tolerate dog fighting!) Dogfighting is a violent display and it is despicable to most people. The main problem with those who practice and encourage it seems to stem from it’s desensitizing effect on the participants and that it appears to damage their ability to empathize. It is a dangerous thing to be associated with such people and a caring society does not want it. If you know of anyone participating in such, warn them and if they will not heed the warning, turn them and their associates over at the same time. When aggression goes unchecked it clouds judgement and bad things happen, (to dogs and people) those who take part or look the other way will be held accountable for their actions or lack there of. (“Dogs don’t have souls. That is all I have to say about dogs and the “neutralization” of the “dangerous pile of dirt” that was a wounded “fighting dog”.) Give me a break, in some counties they would have the dog for dinner.
Please forgive me, I do not enjoy seeing animals suffer, I am not a fan of dogfighting as some have suggested after reading my previous comment, I have more than a little trouble getting emotional over the deaths of beasts when so many peoples lives hang in the balance. Dogs are dogs, "People are what is important it is in them that is housed the precious eternal soul that is God's and to him it will return and answer for the deeds done while in it’s material vehicle." Please, (Consider forward vectored thrust to facilitate the change of direction as actions require if the collective guidance is in agreement.)
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