If you are a long-time reader of mine, you know fear is a monster I fight regularly. If it were possible, I would pay an outrageous price just to be rid of it, but the more I grow in self-improvement, it’s becoming clear this monster will never be tamed in this life.

One of this monster’s weapons is using confrontation and conflict with others against me. I can count on one hand the times I have escaped this arena feeling like a victor. I have a terrible time sticking up for myself.

As I consider the opportunities I may have to defend myself, I fight the built-in Christian concept of not being selfish is a formidable battle. On the one hand, I am to look out for others, modeling my life after Christ who said we are to love our neighbor as ourself. (Matthew 12:30-31) On the other hand, I don’t believe Jesus wants us to be doormats; to just take anything someone dishes out and keep quiet.

I know Jesus was not a doormat. He allowed some interactions when people mistreated him (and, ultimately, his crucifixion) but at other times, he didn’t. He told Judas when he was about to betray him, “It would be better for (Judas) not to have been born.” (Mark 14:21). In Luke 12:14, Jesus let someone know his job was not to be an arbitrator between two brothers; he didn’t feel the need to do everything someone asked him.

Finally, there were certain people who constantly criticized Jesus. There were times Jesus confronted and/or interacted with them and other times, he let it go and even leaves the situation. So, perhaps a better question for me to ask is whether I should interact with people I become entangled with or leave the situation alone.

Bottom line–should Christians stick up for themselves? I believe the answer is sometimes. We’ll need the wisdom God promises to provide to discern when we should and when we shouldn’t.