Jujitsu and other fun stuffs

Jujitsu!
Did a red flag kinda raise when you read that? I know at one point in time, I was extremely wary about martial arts. Traditionally, martial arts seem to teach two things.

1) How to hurt people

2) Various forms of eastern mysticism

Being wary is not a bad thing. In fact, the Bible teaches that we should constantly guard our heart. This teaching is meant to permeate every aspect of our being. However, the Bible also teaches us to be guardians, protectors, of those who are weaker. God is not willing that any should perish. He is a loving God. Yet, He is not a pacifist. There are numerous examples in His Word that would suggest quite the opposite. As a Christian, I want to be like Christ. I want to be able to show His love to the world. In John chapter 2, Jesus goes to Jerusalem. When He went to the temple, there were merchants doing business there. The scriptures tell us that He made a whip of cords and drove them from the temple. It does not say whether He actually hit anyone with the whip, but He did drive them out of the temple. One of the teachings of Jujitsu as a form of self defense is how to identify a fight and avoid it. Another teaching is how to stop a fight with the smallest amount of people getting hurt. It combines self defense with the defense of others who cannot defend themselves.

I guess I'm just trying to say that tonight was the best night of practicing jujitsu because we talked about our role as Christians in this world and in jujitsu. At the end of our workout and practice, we prayed. It's interesting that with a small change of heart, every aspect of our lives can become a sacrifice. This includes jujitsu! Although many have learned and taught mysticism through martial arts, it doesn't have to be that way. God gives us the ability to reclaim lost ground for His glory. I am thankful for those who are learning jujitsu alongside me while keeping Christ in our foremost thoughts. Thanks to all of you who are there!