Monkey in the middle.. three people playing, two on the end are tossing something back and forth that the one in the middle wants? Can be played in fun, but can also be played in a teasing manner?
Being a middle child is sometimes like being a monkey in the middle.
The oldest ones are more experienced and old enough to not want to share with the bothersome younger sibling, and the youngest ones are so used to getting their own way that helping out the older sibling doesn't occur to them.
I am a middle child. Can't say it was all bad, could be a lot of fun, being older and younger at the same time. Teasing and being teased, always someone to play with, but hard when you need downtime as there's always someone around. :) BUT with families you take the good with the bad, you make a way because you want to fit in.
Lately I've been reading from Ezekiel, and right now I'm in a section where there are judgements against the nations surrounding Israel. And I think about how Israel so badly wanted to fit into the nations around them. How badly they wanted to fit in with gang.
But that's not what God wanted for them. God wanted them to be HIS people, called to HIS way and HIS purpose. He didn't want them fitting in with outside sources.
He calls the church to be family. And how many churches try to fit in with outside sources. Changing the church to fit society.
Will the church need to sit back and watch judgement being poured out on those sources just as Israel did? Will the church need to learn again that the Lord himself is GOD and there is none other?
Just something to ponder late on a Thursday night.
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This is a five minute Friday post. Visit us at Kate's blog eh?
Love your words! Glad to be your neighbor tonight. I am also a middle child-the only girl with two older and two younger brothers. It was mostly good but there are moments! Thank you for bringing in the story of Ezekiel.
ReplyDeleteah...the good and the bad.. it's part of being family eh? :)
DeleteGood job with this, Annette. I never wanted to fit in, but growing up I saw how hard it was for kids who did. And you made a fine connexion with Ezekiel.
ReplyDelete#2 at FMF this week.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/01/your-dying-spouse-258-why-i-believe-fmf.html
Thank you Andrew
DeleteHe truly doesn't call us to fit in. We have to choose which side we stand with either His or theirs there isn't a middle in that. Prayerfully, the church will make the better decision.
ReplyDeleteIndeed LaTonya
DeleteFitting in doesn't fit for those who "have been called out of darkness into his glorious light", does it? Thank you for these thoughts today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping in Charlie. :)
DeleteGreat comparison. It can be hard to be in the middle.
ReplyDeleteFor sure
DeleteLove the connection to Israel and being God's people. It is so easy to want to fit in but we are called to be separate from the world, aren't we? - Lori
ReplyDeleteindeed we are Lori, tough as it can be sometimes...
Delete