BÊTE NOIRE

I Was Just Thinking About – BÊTE NOIRE.

Bête Noire is defined as: “a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded.” The Thesaurus adds the following: “adversary; anathema; bane; enemy; competitor; opponent; rival.” It is inevitable in one’s life – both physical and spiritual – that a Bête Noire situation will arise. The question is not IF it will occur but WHEN it occurs – how will one respond or react to it? 

It can occur in various forms and manner. There are two possible ways to deal with this situation: (1) Retaliate in kind or (2) Humbly accept it as falling within God’s plan for one’s life. This would be similar to Joseph when he had the power to retaliate against his brothers, but instead concluded (Genesis 50:20) “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

It is difficult to step back and let a colleague or an arrogant fellow-believer dominate, gaining recognition and winning a battle (without his/her thought about losing the war). There is a quality about Jesus Christ that needs to be embraced in a practical way. Philippians 2:5-7 shares, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave…” 

In John 13:12-17, at the Passover Meal, Jesus first washes his disciples’ feet. He then asks them: “Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you. Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” No room for the display of bête noire here.

One last illustration is in Matthew 5:3-12, The Beatitudes. Four highlights are: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…Blessed are the meek… Blessed are the peacemakers…Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and celebrate, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.”

Nowhere in Scripture is the Biblical Christian encouraged to embrace a bête noire toward anyone or any circumstance. The guideline for response and reaction is Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.