“I can’t figure how to ‘turn the other cheek’ without being walked on.”—Katie
“Turning the other cheek” is a radical departure from our “normal” response to insult. Most of us are inclined to want to slap in return!
Why would Jesus say that the “normal” response (even if it is justified!) should not only be resisted, but should be replaced with an offer of the other cheek—and why would He make this one of His important points in the “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt. 5:38-42)?
Consider these truths:
Anger and revenge will get you nowhere. They only incite more anger and retaliation. Better, He said, to stop the anger cycle before it goes any further.
Your response says something about you. Self-discipline that does not repay a base action with a base reaction makes you a stronger person than the one who thinks he must fight to earn respect.
Vengeance is not yours to take. God will balance things out in His way, in His time. That’s what faith is about. With no retaliation, you demonstrate that you are trusting God to take care of you (Rom. 12:19; 13:4; II Thess. 3:2-3).
Humility, meekness (Gal. 5:22-23), forgiveness and graciousness are powerful forces in a world where humans seek to gain power over each other. The opposite of “being walked on,” non-retaliation will show itself to be the more powerful recourse.
Jesus demonstrated this principle at His trial and in His death (Lk. 23:1-9, 34; Mt. 26:63; 27:12; Jn. 19:9-10.) He revealed an inner strength, free from enslavement to hatred and vengefulness.
When God works in you through your faith in Him, He sets you free also. The subsequent acts of grace and forgiveness you extend will possess a redemptive message far more eloquent than retaliation could ever speak.
See Part II for a discussion on how this pertains to injustice.
Showing posts with label Sermon on the Mount. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sermon on the Mount. Show all posts
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
What Would God Say?
“If there was one thing God would say to me today, what would it be?”—Joy
Often we want God to speak to us directly, offering guidance, solving problems and providing answers to the “big” questions that confront us. Actually, God does address us individually—our problem is we do not often listen very well.
Generally, God speaks through the inspired record of His revelation of Himself to humanity—a book we call the Bible. Through a wide variety of literary styles and genre, God covers a lot of issues! Truth and reality, law and grace, freedom and responsibility, justice and mercy, judgment and forgiveness, and holiness and purity are all encompassed within His message to us.
Scripture consistently teaches that people are most blessed if they love God above all else and love people. For the Hebrews, the distillation of these instructions was given in the Decalogue. Wise Solomon advised, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart . . . ” (Prov.3:5-6). Through the prophets, God instructed His people to, “Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Me” (Mic. 6:8). Jesus defined the greatest commandments in this way, “Love God and love your neighbor” (Mt. 22:36-39). Other texts such as the Sermon on the Mount and Paul’s letters offer theology and ethics which are powerful guides for living today. God likely would want us to hear all of this.
Christians believe that God’s most significant message to humankind is that God Himself has come among us in the person of Jesus Christ. The prominent theologian of the early 20th century, Karl Barth, once declared this statement to be the most profound truth he had ever heard, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
So, what one thing might God say? “Read My Book. It’s all in there. Then, let’s talk.”
Often we want God to speak to us directly, offering guidance, solving problems and providing answers to the “big” questions that confront us. Actually, God does address us individually—our problem is we do not often listen very well.
Generally, God speaks through the inspired record of His revelation of Himself to humanity—a book we call the Bible. Through a wide variety of literary styles and genre, God covers a lot of issues! Truth and reality, law and grace, freedom and responsibility, justice and mercy, judgment and forgiveness, and holiness and purity are all encompassed within His message to us.
Scripture consistently teaches that people are most blessed if they love God above all else and love people. For the Hebrews, the distillation of these instructions was given in the Decalogue. Wise Solomon advised, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart . . . ” (Prov.3:5-6). Through the prophets, God instructed His people to, “Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Me” (Mic. 6:8). Jesus defined the greatest commandments in this way, “Love God and love your neighbor” (Mt. 22:36-39). Other texts such as the Sermon on the Mount and Paul’s letters offer theology and ethics which are powerful guides for living today. God likely would want us to hear all of this.
Christians believe that God’s most significant message to humankind is that God Himself has come among us in the person of Jesus Christ. The prominent theologian of the early 20th century, Karl Barth, once declared this statement to be the most profound truth he had ever heard, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
So, what one thing might God say? “Read My Book. It’s all in there. Then, let’s talk.”
Worry about Tomorrow
“I’m confused. Should I make plans for the future or should I just live today and trust God for tomorrow?”—Anne
The simple answer is “Yes!” Today is all you have, so make the most of every opportunity to live, love, learn, serve, share, celebrate, work well and play freely. Little is gained by worrying excessively about a tomorrow that you cannot control (Matt. 6:25, 34).
At the same time, life in this world requires (for most of us, at least) that we prepare for the future, planning for our education and career, saving some money and investing wisely, and setting something aside for later years of life. Our plans may and often do change, and change presents challenges of its own, but some kind of plan is typically better than no plan at all.
The question goes beyond simply whether or not we have a plan, however. The issue also involves matters of attitude and faith. James warns against making plans in a cocky, cavalier fashion (James 4:13-16). We are not told in this text to give up our plans and live only for today, but we are reminded that we neither know the future nor control the length of our days. Thus, we should face the future with a little humility and a lot of faith. James enjoins us to seek the will of the One who holds the future.
We may consider the issue in light of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:11, 19-34). He taught His followers to trust God for “today’s bread” and to keep their priorities straight: “Store up treasures in heaven . . . put God first in your life . . .then stop worrying. Trust this God who knows what you really need to provide for today and tomorrow.”
The simple answer is “Yes!” Today is all you have, so make the most of every opportunity to live, love, learn, serve, share, celebrate, work well and play freely. Little is gained by worrying excessively about a tomorrow that you cannot control (Matt. 6:25, 34).
At the same time, life in this world requires (for most of us, at least) that we prepare for the future, planning for our education and career, saving some money and investing wisely, and setting something aside for later years of life. Our plans may and often do change, and change presents challenges of its own, but some kind of plan is typically better than no plan at all.
The question goes beyond simply whether or not we have a plan, however. The issue also involves matters of attitude and faith. James warns against making plans in a cocky, cavalier fashion (James 4:13-16). We are not told in this text to give up our plans and live only for today, but we are reminded that we neither know the future nor control the length of our days. Thus, we should face the future with a little humility and a lot of faith. James enjoins us to seek the will of the One who holds the future.
We may consider the issue in light of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:11, 19-34). He taught His followers to trust God for “today’s bread” and to keep their priorities straight: “Store up treasures in heaven . . . put God first in your life . . .then stop worrying. Trust this God who knows what you really need to provide for today and tomorrow.”
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