I hate flies.
With a passion.
When I was around 14 years old, I was trying to kill one of the buzzing, unsanitary nuisances after it had landed on my window. Unfortunately, in my attempts to smash the insect with the curtain (Eeeew! Why would I do that anyway?), I used way too much force and accidentally put my hand through the window. The deep gash in my left wrist landed me in the ER where I had to get stitches to close up the nasty wound.
Though that happened many years ago, my deep and abiding contempt for flies, lives on.
The other day, I was in my bedroom when I heard that familiarly maddening racket coming from my window. Before I could make it over there, my husband Kenya had already grabbed the fly swatter. He always gets nervous when a fly lights onto the glass because he thinks that, somehow, I will revert back to my early teen years and shatter the pane.
“Some folks will never let you live down a mistake,” I often joke with him. You see, I shared the “fly story” with Kenya the very first time he called me on the phone (I was so psyched!). I know, I know. It was a weird conversation piece. But it was brought on by the presence of a fly inside the room I had locked myself in; I didn’t want to be interrupted as I excitedly accepted my first phone call from Kenya, whom I was seriously crushing on at that time.
I was 18 when I told him that story and now, I can’t live it down.
“I don’t know if I can trust you,” Kenya tells me. “You get this crazy look in your eyes when you see a fly and I don’t want to have to repair any windows.”
“Ha, ha, ha,” I consistently reply. I must admit, however, if I notice one buzzing around—no matter how big or small—I cannot concentrate on anything else until it is gone. I stop everything to stalk the little insect until it is no more.
So anyway, Kenya headed over to the window and swatted several times, missing with each swipe.
“Amateurs,” I quipped, shaking my head and sliding the plastic weapon out of his grip. “I’ll take that,” I said haughtily.
Whack!
With one stroke, the fly fell dead and I, the master fly annihilator, was satisfied. *Insert diabolical laughter*
As I lifted its lifeless body with a wad of tissue, I told Kenya, “Hatred is the key to killing a fly this efficiently.”
“You are a psychopath,” he said chuckling. “You should really seek professional help.”
Perhaps I am forever scarred from my original accident and a bit extreme with my fly-killing escapades, but there is indeed a valuable lesson to be taken away from this fly story.
Hatred can be a good thing when directed toward the right thing. The kind of hatred I’m encouraging is also called “righteous indignation,” which will cause us to get up and take steps to smack down what goes against God’s will.
You remember when the moneychangers were disrespecting the temple and Jesus went in there, turned over tables, and forcefully drove them out (See Mark 11:15-19)? That’s what righteous indignation looks like and it’s exactly what I’m mixing into your cup of inspiration today. When you drink it down, you’ll become even more passionate about driving out those things that don’t line up with the will of God.
When you notice that something has infiltrated your life that is displeasing to God and detrimental to your divine purpose, you’ll annihilate it immediately.
Righteous indignation will be stirred up in you and you’ll do what Jesus did.
You'll flip the script, turn over some tables, and set some stuff in order. You'll declare your house, a house of prayer, and not a house of drama or foolishness. The latter prt of Joshua 24:15 will become your motto, which says, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Because, let's face it. Some things, like a dirty fly, simply don’t belong in your space.
Can I get an “amen” right there from some of my righteously indignant daily cup readers?
Now let’s pray.
Lord, please stir up my passion to please You in all I say and do; let righteous indignation rise up within me, so I will drive out whatever is displeasing in Your sight. I want to love what You love and hate what You hate. I want to serve You and live a life that brings You glory. So purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Drive out any sin and iniquity from within, so that I will exemplify righteousness in my daily life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, empower, and encourage you!
