Armed Christian ready to defend themselves

Elizabeth, Grace and I just got back from a business trip to Chicago where we came close to getting mugged, twice in one day. Not that racism has anything to do with this sequence of events, but it is troubling to realize that in both instances, the would be assailants were of African American descent.

Was it racism, envy or poverty that motivated our aggressors? Either way, our Chicago adventure left a bitter taste in our mouths, one that will not soon be forgotten.

In a world where violent crimes seem to have become more common then acts of kindness, it is no surprise urban America features the highest mugging rate among any developed country on the planet. I am glad the Lord kept us from becoming a statistic among assault victims.

Jesus said “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:14) Although the bible is clear about violence, when facing assault it is true that scripture may not have quite the same effect as a weapon or, the appearance of a weapon. This is why as a father and follower of God’s commands I’ve decided to follow Jesus’ words and get a modern day weapon so to discourage anyone looking for an easy prey.

In Luke 22:36 Jesus says “But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one.”

It is obvious Jesus did not mind if His disciples carried weapons. We can safely assume along the many roads traveled by Jesus and His followers there were many dangerous places where bandits and pirates would attack and rob people, so most men tended to be armed. After all, when the mob came to take Jesus away, Peter drew his “sword“. (John 18:10) He obviously was used to carrying it around all the time, and Jesus never told him to get rid of it when He called him to be His disciple.”

I am curious to know what the bible says about protecting ourselves. Are we to let evil doers simply walk up to us and surrender our wallets? Or worse yet, let ourselves be physically abused, raped or killed without a fight? Of course not! We are to fight back, with any weapon available to us it being a sword, a handgun or faith itself!

Being Christian doesn’t mean we are to be pushovers. Though we are commanded to have a kind heart, we are not ordered to let evil beat over us without retaliation.

When faced with aggression, first try to reason with your assailant through faith. “But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thessalonians 5:8) Then if sharing God’s light won’t do, I say pull out your sword and start swinging!

I wish I had a sword in Chicago earlier this week, instead I fled and ran a red light putting my child’s safety at risk. It was obviously God’s plan to see us through each ordeal safely however, I’m also confident both experiences were meant to reinforce my belief in one’s right and need for weapons to assist in self-defense.

I sincerely hope and pray all of you will listen to what the spirit tells you and follow your instinct. As for me, I assure you next time I am approached by a potential criminal I will be better prepared. If anything, I plan on restricting our family walks to more respectable neighborhoods. I will be ready to pull out my sword if need be, even if it’s just pepper spray.

Let’s pray.

Father God;
We thank you for looking after us
And for keeping us from harm,
We thank you for being a part of our lives
And for leading us to the way everlasting.

Lord we pray you will continue to inspire us
And fill us with the Holy Spirit,
As we constantly struggle to keep our arrows
Pointing toward the Heavens.

We pray you will continue to walk with us along our spiritual path,
Shining your light bright upon us and those living in darkness
Helping all of us make the right choices
In this life so we can rejoice with you in the next.

God we love you and thank you for all that surrounds us!

Praise God,
Amen!

This message was written by Daniel St.Pierre
Email: DanielStPierre@ThriveThroughChrist.com

Posted in Bible Studies.

Daniel St.Pierre