SIDES

No matter where we go in life there are always sides. People take sides. As if playing a game—call it the ‘game of life’ I suppose—we choose with our gut and select our allegiance, mostly without knowing the folly of such partiality.

Sides of partiality truly are an abomination.

The philosophy behind it harbours stubbornness; the antithesis of fresh, fair-minded thought.

Sides are Everywhere – But They Needn’t ‘Take’ Us

It is even a surprise how elevated the problem is—how wide and vast—from business to politics to the justice system to education; all the places we’d expect the best of objectiveness. But people are central to this problem. It’s a blight over the entire population, barring only the person who sets themselves beyond being trapped to a belief system apart from God.

Every time we take this side or that side we choose against a God who fought for us, and won us, in truth. We sell him out in an instant over a ‘comfortable’ lie.

Our goal is to be reminded daily—even as the moments take us—to remember the truth lies beyond our fanciful minds, beyond gaining another’s favour, beyond even the self-centred leanings of our gentle ambition. The truth is well beyond all these.

Earning Respect the ‘Hard Way’

Deference is conferred on us against the flow of ourselves—as we resist the urges of our manipulating flesh in gaining ‘our own way,’ against ourselves! Of course, gaining our own way is always against our true selves, no matter what we gain from the world.

True esteem is bestowed after the event of faith.

Only after we show faith in something, and maintain it with integrity, will we stand to receive the esteem we so often clamour subconsciously for.

The world is screaming out for more people to hearken resiliently to truth—against the insistence of our own wanton, childish desires; these against godly reason.

A Suitable Proverb - Focus the Heart on ‘Integrity’

There are many proverbs to store in guiding us to the destination we need to aim for, but this one stands out with particular adroitness:

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,

but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.”

~Proverbs 10:9 (TNIV).

The lesson is this. Be wary of the personal propensity to take a side. Once we are aware we’re favouring one side over another, we must then swiftly and routinely react—equalising the imbalance—attending to the truth God’s just shown us.

Integrity is the key to our spiritual survival and growth.

As we interact with our world, full of as much integrity as we can muster, we’re found likeable, respectable and dependable—for the right reasons; then eventually we’re blessed.

We become known for not taking sides, and hence we’re noted for our reliably-worthy beneficence.

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.