Christian Chameleons

In greek, the word Chameleon translates as this:  Chamai- on the ground; Leon- lion.

This is interesting to me.  Lion that is on the ground.  I Peter 5:8 says, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour;" I've known this verse for years, I have studied it, and referenced it many times.  But the other day, I was learning about chameleons, and when I saw the greek meaning, my mind began spinning.....scary, isn't it??

Knowing that verse, I have always envisioned that big lion with his furry mane, charging down the streets, roaring at the top of his lungs, just waiting for someone to be in his path so that he may devour them.  Satan certainly does do that!  Then I began studying these 'lions on the ground'.  Chameleons' skin have a superficial layer which contain pigments.  Under this layer of skin are cells that have guanine crystals.  Light is reflected off the crystals causing them to change color. 

Functions for changing color are:  social signaling, reactions to temperature, and camouflage.  Color change signals a chameleons physiological condition and intentions to other chameleons.  They tend to show bright colors when displaying aggressively to other chameleons, darker colors when they submit or give up.  Like snakes, they have no middle ear so they have no ear opening or drum.  They detect sound frequencies.  They have long tongues, one and a half of it's body length (excluding the tail).  They ballistically project their tongue in order to catch their prey.

Now that I have given some chameleon facts, let me put this into a spiritual lesson.  While Satan is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, I believe that people can be a chameleon, a lion on the ground doing damage to your spiritual well being.  These chameleons can be sinners, but they can also be fellow Christians.  Sinners, I don't have as much of a problem with, because they are just that...sinners.  We all are born sinners, and but for the grace of God are we saved!  It's the Christian chameleon that can be such a problem!  James 1:26 says, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."  There are also those who say they are Christians, but in fact have never been saved.  In Matthew 7:21, Jesus says, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."  While these 'chameleons' can be very hurtful, they are still doing about their worldly father's business.

The chameleons that bother me the most are the Christian chameleons.  Psalm 55:21, "The word of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart;" Psalm 28:3, "Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts."  There are so many civil wars being fought in the Christian community.  It is sad, but it is just what that ole roaring lion loves!  If he can get enough chameleons (ground lions) working in the Christian community, then he is defeating us from the inside out!  No one wins as a whole, when there is war going on internally. 

We are all human, we all fail, and we are all sinners.  We must remember that, lest we turn into a chameleon ourselves.  Stop looking to that person and saying they hurt you.....they are a sinner, just like you, if grace has been applied, they are a Christian, but still having to battle that flesh!  Love that person, for they are God's creation, just as we all are.  It is the actions that have hurt you.  And those actions are from the enemy.  Turn your hurt to Satan, and not that person.  That is not easy, and will always be a struggle. However, by doing this, you can pray for that person easier, and you can forgive that person....even if they don't ask for it....to prevent bitterness from settling in your heart....and you turning into a chameleon as well.

Christian chameleons don't only fool the person looking at them, but they are fooling themselves.  They walk around the church....looking like the church.  They can look in the mirror and satan can blind them into seeing what they want to see....a good person, doing work for the Lord.  That is why it is so hard to detect them....they blend in.  That is why the hurt is so painful....they aren't what they appear to be.

Keep your eyes on the cross, stay in His Word daily, stay in a mindset of prayer, crucify your flesh daily!  Don't become a chameleon that appears to be right with God, only to project your tongue and hurt some fellow Christian, or God forbid, prevent a sinner from salvation!!  Matthew 7:16, "Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"  While we do not judge, we can be fruit inspectors. God gives discernment, stay in that spirit of prayer and He will guide you.  Vengence is the Lord's, and none of His children can do wrong and get by.  Love the person, hate the action....and know that it is Satan who has crept in and changed something in that person's life to make them 'change their colors'.  Pray for them!!

I have someone in my life who is not where they need to be, they are not walking according to the Bible.....but they are blinded by the colors of Satan, so they think they are in God's will.  Their actions, however, prove they are not.  I could be, and have been so hurt by this person....but, as I look at it differently, God has helped me.  That person is just a chameleon right now, projecting what they want others to see them to be....instead of what they are.  But for God, I could be in that same state.  And Satan would just love to start a civil war in the Christian community.  Get Thee Behind Me Satan.......I love this person, even though they don't acknowledge my existence.  I don't love their wrong doings.  But by taking what they are doing wrong away from the person, I can pray more effectively for this person, love this person, even feel sorrow for this person....and put those feelings of anger and hurt toward who has conjured them up....the devil!! 

One day we won't have to fight the enemy any more!!  His days are numbered!!  Let's keep God's army strong!!  We don't need any chameleons in this army!  Stay true to yourself, and more importantly to God!!!

Under His Feet

Ephesians 1:22, "And hath put all things under his feet...."

We've been studying the book of Ephesians in Sunday School.  And when we got to this verse, these words just kept speaking to my heart.  It was during the Christmas season, and this thought came to mind. With all the presents around the house, comes all the boxes, and paper, and trash.  That got me thinking.

My arms are loaded down with boxes, and I'm walking to the trash can, thinking, how am I going to make all this fit??  I try to push and squeeze the boxes in my arms, but that really doesn't do much good.  What do you do??  Well, you do what you've seen Mom and Dad do, you put the box on the floor and step on it!  And just like that, the box is flat and small and able to fit in the garbage can!  So much more force and weight are applied when you use your foot, the box is no match!

So then, I get a spiritual picture.  Here I am, carrying my heavy, big burdens around with me.  I don't know how I'm going to keep carrying them, or what I'm going to do with them.  I try to push on them, work on them, try to make a difference myself.  When, finally, I get self out of the way....and carry them to my Father.  He can do all things, and He puts my big ole burdens under His feet, and just like that, they are small and able to be managed!!  Why do we wear ourselves out wrestling with our burdens when, He 'hath put all things under his feet'?

Brings a song back into my remembrance that I used to sing with my Mother and Aunts:
"When Simon Peter walked abreast, putting his faith unto the test, he said, 'Master will thou bid me come unto thee?' Jesus said, come, so Peter went and when the faith he had was spent, Peter sank low but Jesus had waves roll under his feet

Under his feet, under his feet, there's not a problem that you'll face, he cannot meet.  Whenever you've waded out too far in waters too deep, remember when waves are over your head, they're under his feet!

He's got it!!  Trust in Him, put it under His feet!!  The load is so much lighter and easier to manage!!