“2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.” (Gal 2:1-10 ESV)

Curiosity has replaced conviction with gawking. By definition, to be curious is to be a bit blase or passive as to Ultimate Things. That is, when we are Engaged in the fight, our interests are aggressively pursued because they are Relevant and of manifest Concern. But when we have not that inkling of association with the Cause, then well one curiosity factor is as good as another… to pause, to delay, to prevaricate, to hold up.

More, there is deep pity around the levels of spiritual warfare our people undergo. God is “praying for us, that our faith will not fail”. Two peas in a pod, we and the Discipler, we and the alternate brother or sister, we and the suitable companion or two to choose from: we are not so big and bad as to “solve” everything in the marriage chambers of life. We cannot merge curiosity factor alone as our impetus or goal post: the alternate One, he or she has some pointers on the matter, has some ability to Represent the cause of that same curiosity.

To the spiritual warfare: somehow the horror on film can almost seem to be misguided, even in the best films. Our horror factor is one less cause of concern, because it is amenable to Peaceful Coexistence or Peaceful and sublime “getting along”. We get along with the possessed soul, because our firm footing is in Christ, and none shall take that away from us. Our “conviction” (spelled out as that which gets confused with gawking curiosity) is that in the peaceful dying hour, we can meld with the ill natured ghost without losing our principles and footing.

Heroic soldier then, is she or he Elsewhere in the witching hour? What are the chances that the prophets and emissaries, the presidents and the drill sergeants, those in the chain of command, “get it right”? Are we in the right place at the right time? Surprisingly, often we are. But it is a cagey crew, a surreptitious mob, a subtle Presence, that earns the high paygrade of Acolyte, Soldier, Ambassador. Here, and then all evidence dispelled, it never even happened! Or, it is told in a very different way. But the elements remain, that God is for us, and His causes, they are causes for real human concern: Something had to be done. And dear friends, we were even in the end of dove-like behavior, forced to prod a bit and Ask: is there strife, me and you? Only we are those Forward-Minded as to war, and dare to probe the scene that is absent of strife but just as absent of manifest, acknowledged, leadership: fearing that to do so, to do the right thing and raise a flag, propose a headship, that this will land us in hot water.

Timing is everything, and God’s people now more than ever are coaxed or rather acclimated, accustomed, to working on do-or-die crazy reliance on His Spirit, Holy by Name. Always lives are on the line: these are forward assets and forward-in-time Movements. To be sure, many will respond to the curious one who has come clean. Many will be saved by the class-blind, social heights-blind Agreement, Deference, Respect for elders. So we agree to work wherever the Lord would have us, to take along whomsoever He would pair us with, to go forth and to heal and wage the good warfare, because He loved us unto Death. And then Rose Again.