Chinks in the Armor

According to the legend, Sir Lancelot was an amazing knight but because there was a chink in his armor, the enemy was able to inflict a flesh wound.

So a chink is a vulnerability, a soft spot.  We all have them, and some we know well.  Other faults have done a good job of hiding and only show themselves in times of extreme stress.  That's how the stressful times in our lives test us and help us to know ourselves better.

Going to my class reunion meetings means that I've gotten to know the people I spent the formative years with.  And I genuinely like them.  But all the way down to my core, whether it blends or not, I am a conservative person.  My values were shaped as a child by my wonderful mother who always got to the quick of something.  And then moving to this small town and working in a conservative academic department (an oxymoron in some places in the U.S.) for 17 years, my conservatism was well rooted.

The world might not make much sense these days, but my world does.  When we are doing our watercolor painting, my friend and I often remember Bob Ross, the television painter, who always says you can make the painting whatever you want -- it's your world.

Wish that were so sometimes, but I have to live in this world and watch the news.  The real test of your own belief system is to watch the news and weigh this and that without a lot of distress.  That's because down deep, in the soul, you know what's what.  Some say that this might be that great and misunderstood gift -- discernment. 

Let's set up a scenario here -- a young Christian woman meets a man and he seems like a great guy.  BUT, there is just something that doesn't set right for the woman.  She just has this feeling that won't go away, won't quit, won't diminish and she follows her feeling.  She keeps the relationship superficial and protects herself.  He moves on.  Maybe one day she finds out that the guy is really bad, or he is married, or he lies.  Whatever -- the gift of discernment has given her the opportunity to make a better choice.

The gift of discernment helps us to know with certainty something that has others much in the dark.  Sometimes it brings about an awareness that is extremely uncomfortable. 

My classmates have experienced the numbing experiences of President Kennedy's death, the War in Vietnam footage, and what I call the "jading" of America, where we tend not to take anything at face value.  But we've processed all of those experiences in different ways, and have come up with different conclusions.  It's okay.  Like I said, I still like them.  It just makes me think, that's all.

From a website, yourspiritualgifts.com -- I found this excellent material about discernment:

The spiritual gift of discernment is also known as the gift of "discernment of spirits" or "distinguishing between spirits."  The Greek word for the gift of discernment is Diakrisis.  The word describes being able to distinguish, discern, judge or appraise a person, statement, situation, or environment.  In the New Testament it describes the ability to distinguish between spirits as in 1 Corinthians 12:10, and to discern good and evil as in Hebrews 5:14.

The Holy Spirit gives the gift of discernment to enable certain Christians to clearly recognize and distinguish between the influence of God, Satan, the world, and the flesh in a given situation. The church needs those with this gift to warn believers in times of danger or keep them from being led astray by false teaching.  See also I Corinthians 12:10, Acts 5:3-6; 16:16-18; 1 John 4:1.

So you can see that this is a very special gift for a Christian person to have.  I pray that you have it.

Enjoy your Friday!!