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To yield or not to yield? (29 September)

This week’s thought has been written by Beth Powney, EBA Regional Minister

What does it mean to yield?  To say to the person behind you in the petrol queue, please go first?

To stop at the hump back bridge and let the car coming the other way go first?

To hold your tongue in a discussion when you have an opinion which could harm someone else if you express it right now?

To agree to the colour paint for the new room you are decorating which your husband or wife prefers, even though you have been arguing vehemently for your choice for the last few weeks?

A dictionary defines it in two ways – to produce a crop, a harvest, or to give way to arguments, demands or pressures.

I think these two definitions actually have a synergy, because in the act of yielding, making that choice to give way, there can be great fruit.

In his letter James writes:

‘But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.’ James 3:17-18 (NRSV)

At this present time we are seeing all around us the fruit of selfishness and insecurity, as those petrol queues continue and as politicians score points off one another, in other words the wisdom that does not come from God, once again seems to be prevailing.  We as followers of Jesus, I believe, have a different furrow to plough. One where, when we intentionally yield, when we know what the Spirit is prompting us to do, even when we are reluctant to do so, then through our Godly yielding there will be a ‘harvest of righteousness’ and the fruit of peace emerging.

These are easy words to write and so much harder to live by.  For in all likelihood this probably demands sacrifice, unconditional love and letting go of things we may have held dear.  I know I can only do this through the constant receiving and filling of the love of Christ’s my life, in my humanness this is just not possible.

So I close by encouraging you to join with the prayer offered on the Lectio 365 app from Carla Harding on 27^th September:

‘God if I am honest I have many masters. I am a long way from fully dying to my opinions, preferences, tastes and will.  I choose to yield myself and let you take the lead again today. Teach me to care less about what others think and fix my eyes firmly on you.’

Photo by Joe Parkin on Unsplash