Weekend-spiration: The Kudzu of Life

The verses in 1John inspired me this week. He spoke about the difference between living in the light and living in darkness. It took me to the picture below.

What an amazing view. The emerald landscape, straight out of a fairy tale, is truly beautiful, if little creepy. 

This is kudzu, a plant indigenous to China. It was brought to the United States on purpose during the 1876 and 1884 World's Fairs. Like a warm blanket or comfortable chair, the vine wraps around the host, bringing it beauty and choking away all life.

I'm convinced that bitterness is a
kudzu. Everyone deals with anger and the feelings, in themselves, are not sinful. Ephesians 4 encourages us to not sin when we get angry and to let it go before we sleep on it. So the anger itself isn't sin, but what we choose to do with it can be.

The kudzu of bitterness or even resentment wraps its encouragement around us when our friends whisper we're right. When our neighbors join in our righteous indignation over sorry treatment or bad manners. When insults aren't unnoticed and others rally to our side. In such times, the anger can be easily justified, excused because the ire is deserved. We tell ourselves it's not really sin, or blame our feelings on those who initiated the crimes. That's when the kudzu grips us.

We allow the anger to flourish, putting down roots of hatred in our hearts. "I don't hate her, but God only told me to love her; I don't have to like her." Again justified, we pack our feelings deep into the pit of our being and go on about our business thinking we are just fine. The kudzu has hidden our eyes, blinding us to our own faults.

As it keeps growing, it affects our relationships, with the Lord first and then with others who would speak to us with honesty. We decide not to listen to anyone except those who tell us we're right. Any other message comes from someone who isn't listening to the Lord. From someone who isn't on the same path that we follow. From someone on the wrong page. Kudzu covers our ears and immerses us in darkness and in our blind state, we don't even know it.

The ultimate end of the host is death. The kudzu makes it look lovely on the outside, having everything all together. Inside, though, is nothing, total darkness, void. The host is nothing but an empty shell.

The good news is that kudzu can be killed. It takes help. The host can't do it alone once the plant has been allowed to put down roots. The Spirit has to destroy the root of bitterness through prayer and the first step is total and utter forgiveness.

I had some trouble with this about a decade ago. I'd been dealt a blow; insulted, lied about, gossiped over. When I realized I needed to forgive, I was at a loss at how to do it. Every time I thought about the situation, I just got mad all over again. I would pray about the situation and end up telling God all about it, reliving the fury in my head again and again.

Finally I recognized that I needed to exchange the bad feelings I had for good ones. It wasn't easy. I had to pray that God would make me want to want to pray blessings on the creep. (My words, then, and yes, the repeat was on purpose!) But HE is faithful and only wants a willing heart. I began to pray for this person at every opportunity, and not blessings of conviction either! I prayed financial blessings, spiritual blessings, relational blessings, health, protection. Everything I would want to pray over my own family I prayed over this person.

What a huge blessing! God not only ripped out the kudzu that had been separating me from my Father for almost a year, but he restored a relationship I believed to be completely beyond repair. He's good that way!

All of this to say that the best way to thwart the kudzu of the evil one is to avoid the long term anger in the first place. Pray those blessings to facilitate forgiveness. God works a miracle and keeps our hearts soft when we are conscious of our devotion to Him.

When is a time you defeated kudzu?