In listening to a message recently the minister spoke of the issue of being noncomplimentary. For example, if someone yells at you, the response would be to yell back. Or if you are cut off by a driver perhaps you would do the same to them. It’s complimentary.  But what happens when one is non-complimentary?

In the fourth chapter of Mark Jesus said to the disciples to “go across to the other side.” And then while all were in the ship, Jesus went asleep. Then in their attempt to get to the other side, a storm came, tossing the ship back and forth, water filling up the ship, and fear enveloped them. But the majority of them were professional fishermen, and they were disciples. They had received teachings from Jesus. They were chosen, people of The Way, and yet, they were acting in a noncomplimentary way, as though they were never taught to believe, to have faith the size of a grain of mustard seed, to say to the mountain to be removed in faith believing and it will be cast into the sea (Matthew 17:20). In the midst of the storm, their focus was not on faith, but on the storm. They needed to speak to the storm, because Jesus had given them authority to do so; that would have been the complimentary way of living life in The Way. The speaker of the message I listened to said after the disciples woke up Jesus, complaining that he didn’t care that they perished or not, Jesus looked at them as though they were unrecognizable. What Jesus saw were cloaks of fear, not clothing of righteous, and certainly not of faith. Do we wear the same type of clothing from the Fear brand (false evidence appearing real)?

If that is what’s worn, it’s no wonder Jesus doesn’t recognize us, and in fact, we don’t recognize ourselves. This noncomplimentary way of existence causes us to not to go forward, but be consumed with fear that has no factual grounds of authentic truth. But, like the disciples, we can go God and ask for help. But after Jesus calmed the sea and the storm ceased, he asked them why they were so afraid and still had no faith? After what the disciples saw Jesus do, he outwardly wondered aloud why it was that still faith was not being activated. After many a time of your seeing what God has done in your life, is God saying the same about you? Are you unrecognizable in your noncomplimentary ways?

So here is the challenge for those who claim to be believers. The following is complimentary:

• Decide whose report you will believe:  the one full of fear or the report of the Lord. God will be please if you chose the latter.
• When fear presents itself, make the complimentary choice of not wearing the fear brand
• “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23