Staying Out Of The Middle Is The Best Policy
Did you ever try to defend someone only to find yourself right smack in the middle of two people? It was definitely a place you didn’t want to be in. Or maybe you acted like a mediator between two friends resulting in both of them being upset with you. We usually learn the hard way that staying out of the middle is the best policy.
In today’s verse, we see that the Archangel Michael knew better than to overstep his bounds and end up in the middle of anything.
But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) Jude 1:9
Michael the Archangel was present when Lucifer decided to oppose God. It happened just before Lucifer and his followers were thrown out of heaven. Did you ever wonder what heaven was like right after it was emptied of a third of its angelic force?
Was it business as usual or was there a time of morning as if a death had occurred? I’m sure there were no Lucifer bashing moments, or gatherings around the water cooler talking about him. Michael and Lucifer may have had close to the same status in the ranks of the angels.
Michael Stayed Out of the Middle
But, however, when they had a face-to-face encounter, Michael refrained from any blasphemous accusations. Neither did he resort to nasty talk when they argued over Moses’ body. No, Michael referred him straight to the Lord. Thus, showing us how staying out of the middle is the best policy.
“The LORD rebuke you,” he said. Not I rebuke you nor anyone else for that matter. It was the Lord, Lucifer sinned against not Michael. So the archangel stayed away from getting in the middle of it.
Maybe we should take a lesson from Michael’s response. What happens when people gossip about others, even in the name of the truth? They end up putting themselves right in the middle of whatever is going on.
Or how about when that waitress or sales clerk treats you badly? You just have to tell someone else about it. When you do, aren’t you putting the person you’re telling right smack in the middle? Sure you are! It’s bad enough when we judge someone who we know. But you’re causing your friend to make a judgment about someone they don’t know.
There is only one person I want to put in the middle of anything going on in my life. And that person is my Lord and Savior Jesus. He is the liaison between God and me. He is the go-to person when it comes to dealing with others.
The Holy Spirit Will Help Us
He sent His Holy Spirit to counsel and teach me how to love those I am tempted to talk about. It is much better to talk to God about others than to talk others down to others. Let’s stay away from accusations and let God do any rebuking that needs to be done.
God is good at helping us to change if we will let Him. A related post called How To Supplement Your Faith In God might be beneficial for you.
Lord, we can easily fail in the way we react toward others. We can also be quick to talk down about people as well. Help us to be responsive as the Holy Spirit guides us in the paths of righteousness.
Read the Book of Jude, it is only one chapter
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