You are dismissed!

“Talk to the hand!” was an expression utilized several years ago. This indicated to someone you no longer wished to be in conversation with them. It was most often accompanied by showing the person the palm of your hand and a dismissive facial expression. Upon receiving this message, you knew right away the conversation had abruptly ended and a respectful and healthy conclusion would not be reached. “You are dismissed” has been communicated verbally and non-verbally for centuries. 1 King chapter 12 tells the story of King Rehoboam who rejected the advice of elders and dismissed them only to seek the advice of his peer group. His peers told him what he wanted to hear and the results produced the divided kingdom. He was conflicted with the advice of the elders but instead of resolving this conflict he sought the easy self-serving path provided by his peers.

We live in a world which lacks the ability to conduct conflict resolution. Conflict resolution is one of the core tenets of a healthy relationship and conflict is part of the human experience. We experience disagreements, disappointment and difficulty in all of our relationships from the moment we come into this world. Healthy conflict allows us to resolve these situations and it begins with love, respect and honesty. It concludes with reconciliation and restoration. It may conclude with parties agreeing to disagree but the relationship remains intact. In some cases, the relationship is ended but God’s desire is for us to always pursue reconciliation.

Our world is full of people like Rehoboam. We dismiss the council of elders, God’s truth and basic common sense while seeking the advice of the world, immature peers and secular humanist. Teenagers have always used the “you are dismissed” approach with adults but it seems today the consequences for both adult and child are lifelong. In many cases this dismissal approach is accompanied with veil or direct threats of being completely cut off from the person. None of us will be faced with dividing a kingdom through seeking the wrong advice but we can promote the division of our families and churches.

Our sinful nature promotes the desire to be god with no restrictions or limits. The book of Proverbs offers some direct warnings and advice regarding dismissing counsel and calls many of these people fools. “The word fool hurts my feelings and is judgmental and harmful so therefore, you are dismissed” replies the self-confident fool.

Proverbs 14:16 A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident.

I am afraid if we don’t begin to utilize healthy conflict resolution based upon love, respect and honesty and a goal to reconcile then we will become a foolish divided nation. J. Vernon McGee was once asked where he saw the United States in the Book of Revelation. His response was he did not see it and believed it would not exist when the final prophecies occurred. Satan wants us all to tell God “you are dismissed” and to seek self-rule with a hedonistic approach to life. The worst thing that can happen is for God to give you what you want.

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Dismissing God’s truth has never worked and never will. Let’s commit to pray for His Spirit to sweep this land. We may not be taken off to a foreign land as the Israelites were but a country without His covering is a wasteland.

Jonathan Jones, President and Founder of Perfect Hope

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