"Brother, when we fight the devil wins."

Henry in his happy place (on the tractor)

Ruby in her happy place (in Daddy's arms, holding her own apple)

Jonathan in his happy place (halfway up a cedar tree that I grew up playing in)

Ya know how as Mommas we often feel like 97% of the stuff we say to our kids goes in one ear and out the other? So often they are moving so fast that I don't realize how much they retain as they wiggle and race and jump and motorcycle-noise circles around me. One of my boys retained and regurgitated something recently that really hit me. As he recited my words to his brother, I heard it differently and more deeply than I had meant it the first time.

We were in the car going somewhere or another (seems like half the profound things any of us say happen to be said in the car...). All the kiddos were buckled into the back seat, and as we winded around the beautiful, scenic corners toward Daddy's shop, J leans toward H and says, "Brother, when we fight the devil wins."

I let that sink in for a bit... brother, when we fight the devil wins. It doesn't mean the devil wins the whole battle, just the in those moments where brother fights brother.

In the original conversation I had been telling them that they were created to be buddies, but that the enemy wanted to destroy that, and that it was really important for them to work hard to be buddies, so they could enjoy each other and have great friendship, like it was intended.

And as we drove, that concept seeped into my adult life, my adult relationships. When we fight, the devil wins...

It makes so much sense that the enemy would work hard to turn husband and wife (team-mates!) against each other, to claim a little victory. That he would pit believer against believer, church leader against church leader, parents against children, sibling against sibling, friend against friend. All to claim a little victory.

The best part is, we have a choice.

It is possible to have different perspectives, to have hurts that are still healing, and still be on the same team.

The challenge for us all: in each relationship I have,  I must decide what team I'm on, and MAINTAIN THAT CHOICE. I don't mean choosing sides in circular gossip. I mean whose team are we on REALLY.

God's.

Let us remember  next time we are hurt or in conflict, that when we allow the enemy to convince us that our battle is against each other, he successfully places us on different sides. We can't be on different sides and on the same team. Next time the enemy tries to deceive you with that one, call him out with this:

 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood (people), but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (demons/the devil).
 Ephesians 6:12

Dear Father, teach us to navigate hurt and conflict while consciously maintaining our choice to be on YOUR TEAM. 

 

 ** side note: I think it's HUGE that we not hide behind this concept either. If we hurt someone, make a mistake, mess up, we have to own it, and not blame it on the devil. The enemy's specialty is deception, but we still have our free will.  If we CHOOSE to allow ourselves to forget whose side we're really on, we need to own it, and make a better choice!