Personal

“You should take it personal,” I told my seven-year-old. She was sad; she had just told me about a disparaging comment someone had made to her.

“Huh? Don't you mean I shouldn't take it personally?” she asked.

“I said what I said, take it personal. Think about it, that person who insulted you went out of their way to try to inflict pain upon you. They wanted you to feel sad, and it's working. They wanted to dim your light, even for a second, so that you don't affect the kingdom of God like you regularly do... that's personal.”

“I never thought of it that way before.”

“The enemy is out to get you, and he will use whoever is willing. That person probably doesn't even know they are being used, so you have to pray for them. Like Jesus said on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). It should be a red flag when people attack you. Don't get your feelings hurt, you're human, so it's understandable, but don't dwell on it. Think of it this way: when a patient goes to a doctor coughing and sneezing and says, ‘Doc, I'm sick,’ does the doctor respond with hurt feelings? No, they examine the patient and seek to provide a cure. When someone with an ill spirit comes to you spewing hatred, don't get hurt; examine the situation. ‘Oh, ok, I see you want me to be down, but I've got the cure for you. I'm going to pray for you and keep it moving.’ When the enemy uses others to attack you, it is personal, not on a human level, but on a spiritual level” (Ephesians 6:12).

“Oh,” she said. I could tell she was thinking things through.

“When you allow things that people say to affect you negatively, you are no longer a threat to the enemy. If you are down in the dumps because someone insulted you, then you are not uplifting others, and that is what the devil wants.”

“So, what you are saying is that the devil has a personal vendetta against me, and he uses others to try and damage me so that God cannot use me. I should not waste time being hurt; instead, I should recognize it for what it is and pray for that person, like it says in Matthew 5:44, about loving your enemies, blessing those who curse you, doing good to those who hate you, and praying for those who despitefully use you. Because this is just a part of being a child of God, right?”

“Well, we know one thing: you are much more articulate and concise than your old mama, but yes, that is correct. The best part is that God allows these things to happen, and that is where it gets really personal. God Almighty, the Creator of all things, allowed you to see the enemy at work. He allowed this person's true colors to be seen, so you would know that they are not your real friend. Little old you is on God's mind, can you believe that? You have to take it personal that the One who puts the sun in the sky actually took the time to pay attention to your matters and reveal something to you. That is a big deal.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” It does not get more personal than being handcrafted by God, fashioned after His own image, unlike any other creation. Then, He takes His time and works His will in us and through us. He even places within us a desire for Him, a longing for eternity.

I was listening to a praise song online the other day, and one of the comments caught my eye. It said, “I'm Islam and I don't know why... but when I listen to this song I want to cry... praise the LORD.” I smiled and teared up at the same time when I read that, because I thought about how much the LORD loves this young man. God has a personal interest in him, to the extent that even before accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior, a deep longing within him draws him towards God. Each of us has that yearning. Creation groans (Romans 8:18-23).

Believers, we serve a personal God. He is Almighty God, who personally oversees each of our lives. He is Jesus Christ, who personally died for the sins of every person in this world. He is the Holy Spirit who personally resides within each person who accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior. When the enemy attacks, take it personal. When you are going through trials, take it personal. When you are blessed beyond measure, take it personal. Take it personal, or as my daughter would say, take it personally, that you are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of the Creator of all things, who loves you and whose thoughts towards you outnumber the grains of sand (Psalm 139:18). That is a big deal.