For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4

For Meditation

Until that day in Reston, Virginia, USA, I did not know that my signature would be the source of such a cruel assault on my humanity. It was payday, and I had gone for my check from my supervisor. He looked at my signature and asked, “What is this?”

“My signature,” I said.

I never expected what came after my response. The man took my check, and when I stretched my hand to receive it, he threw it on the floor and looked spitefully at me. I knew what he was expecting from me, but I was not going to delight his heart with a reciprocal response. I picked my check, thanked him, and walked away.

One of my colleagues came running after me.

“Kwame! What was that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“With Brathwaite. Why did you let him treat you that way?” 

I calmly showed him my check and asked if the amount on it had changed by Brathwaite’s offense. He looked at me, shook his head, and turned away sizzling. And we were all blacks.

I was a baby Christian, brimming with love for my Lord, who had so graciously saved me from myself and from the dark world in which I lived, and “brought me into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14).

My colleague expected me to fight back with the weapons of this world. I know them very well, for I lived there before Christ took hold of me. But my new Master tells me that His kingdom citizens do not fight with the weapons of this world, though they live in it. Instead, we should fight back with weapons of “love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, …self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23) and much more. They are the fruit of the Spirit, and they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Cor. 10:4). They quench the fury of hell and calm the storms of life. Moses deployed them very well until he lost it with the Israelites (Numbers 20:9-12).

I do not know who your Brathwaite is today. Please do not let them push the button to your old self. You have Christ to exalt in your response. He was no fool for not reciprocating when they spat in his face and slapped him before nailing Him to the cross. And I was not, on that day in Reston.

So, for the Father’s glory, let us follow Christ’s example and overcome the devil’s schemes.