The price of being too nice

Imagine Jesus walking into the temple and seeing the bartering, selling, and trading going on. The rage that arose in him because of his Father’s temple’s blatant disrespect by those who were supposed to be the gatekeepers and overseers of this sacred place. Image for a moment that upon feeling the rage in the depths of his soul if he would have chosen to stuff it and “be nice.” What if he would have walked up to the tables and throngs of people trading and making deals and said, “excuse me, but I need to ask you to leave and stop disrespecting the temple.” Do you think they would have stopped what they were doing and left? Do you think they would have given up the benefits and pleasures they received through the exchange of goods and services to benefit themselves? Heck no! The what’s in it for me, this mentality is at the core of the human ego way back then too. Instead, Jesus expressed the emotions of rage that arose in his soul. He flipped the tables, told the people what he thought of their disrespect, and scattered the doves. “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
Jesus’s life was a walking testimony and often is represented in parables and metaphors. How does this story apply to our lives today? 1 Corinthians gives some insight: 3:16-17
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” You are God’s temple! Now just think, are you “being too nice” when it comes to the care of God’s temple? Are you letting a den of thieves or just one thief take advantage, abuse, or disrespect you? Are you allowing them to steal your self-worth, rob you of your joy, and use you to fill their own selfish desires? Often those who are closest to us, the ones we have put our trust in, the ones that are supposed to be for us, love, and care about us, are the most dangerous of thieves. They know exactly how to manipulate and take advantage of our kindness and weaknesses. They pick away at our temple’s foundation with unloving disempowering words and actions attempting to minimize our strength. It’s so easy to trade and barter away your truth to keep the thief happy. Selling out to another at the cost of yourself is the worst of crimes to your soul. God did not create doormats; that was an invention of man! Maybe it’s time you take a stand for the temple dwelling inside you! What has “being nice” cost you? It does not get you anywhere with thieves of your soul. Express your rage, flip your lid, stand up for God’s temple just as Jesus did. You are the temple of the Most High. It is time to live in your truth. I know God said to turn the other cheek, but He only gave you 2 for a reason. Maybe it’s time some people in your life see your other set of cheeks as they walk away, preserving the sanctity of God’s temple in you! Be strong and courageous💪🙏🏼