There have been times when humans have been referred to or described as being as stubborn as a mule. Those words are supposed to suggest that we just won’t listen to good sound advice. There is an attitude, “I am going to do what I want to do and how I want to do,” regardless of the consequences.
Let’s get back to the mule. A mule is really not stubborn, rather the animal is cautious. It has been said that a horse will push through dangerous situations when they are afraid, while a mule will freeze and refuse to move if the situation is unsafe. It sounds like a mule has a level of intelligence that we have not given him credit for. We are living in a season when we must be cautious and think through situations, especially if dangerous, before we act on them.
Lots of people are suffering in this country because of the hard heads and stubborn spirits in leadership positions. On the other hand, some of us are suffering because of personal stubbornness. Some of our leaders in government refuse to listen to sound and common-sense advice. There appears to be a spirit of stubbornness that is almost incomprehensible.
If you have ever had to deal with children, you realize they can be headstrong and bullheaded. Around the teenage years, they get to feeling like they know everything. Old folk used to say, we start smelling ourselves once we become teenagers. Just maybe they must be reminded repeatedly, that we have been where they are in life, and we do not want them to make the same mistakes we made.
The truth of the matter is that adults can be just as stubborn or more stubborn than children. We develop an attitude that we know everything, and no one can tell us anything. Or, we are told that something is dangerous and we should not get involved, but we ignore sound guidance. It is painful when stubbornness causes us to endure unnecessary negative consequences.
A good example of stubbornness in the Bible can be found in Exodus 7:13-14. Pharoah, the Egyptian king refused to let the Israelites go despite the devastating plagues. His heart became hard and he became increasingly stubborn against God’s commands. Please know that God used Pharoah to impress upon the Egyptians that He had more power than Pharoah. A matter of fact, it was God who hardened Pharoah’s heart. To God be the glory!
The Israelites are often referred to by Moses, the prophets and God as a stiff-necked people. As we see in Exodus 33:5, they repeatedly rebelled against God and turned to idols even after God had brought them out of bondage. It seemed as if the more God spoke to the Israelites and how they were to live, the more they deviated from His plan.
The Bible sheds light on this subject, for God sees stubbornness as a serious spiritual danger and a form of rebellion. From a spiritual standpoint, stubbornness means refusing to listen to God or refusing to accept wise counsel, choosing to follow our own paths.
Have you ever seen a child told to do something by a parent and the child looks at the ceiling as if the parent is not even speaking to him/her. The parent must make the request several times as the child continues to refuse to move. Proverbs 29:1 warns that anyone who refuses correction after being warned many times will suddenly be ruined. Well, this is when we simply say, “Help me Jesus!”
We have seen and heard in scripture that God wants everyone to be saved, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, which states that God desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. However, we must be reminded that faith must be a free choice, and it is our responsibility to extend the invitation, not force or coerce.
Children are going back to school this week and there will be some who will enter the classrooms with stubborn spirits. Let’s remain patient, calm, and under control. Pray on these stubborn situations and place them in God’s hands.
Just my thoughts!
Robert Earl Slade, Pastor
