Jesus challenges my thinking so often and so profoundly that I sometimes wonder how I can be so blind to how different he is than the world. It seems that I try to bring Christ into line with my thinking rather than bring my thinking into line with Christ. It's a struggle we all face.
Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 5:38-48. How often do our natural ways lead us to turn the other cheek? Never! We fight back. We say "It's not fair." We complain. We even strike the other person, all the while claiming: "You can't do that to me, you can't take away my right to happiness." This statement is what the world teaches and if anyone opposes you then you are to push and struggle until you break through.
We have not been called to this life. Jesus says to turn the other cheek, to give over your possessions, to go further even when you are forced against your will. Talk about counter cultural!
He also calls us to love our enemies and pray for those to persecute us. What? You mean I am supposed to love the person that has wronged me? I am supposed to pray for them? Yes, because we now have the love of Jesus in us. The same Jesus that prayed for the forgiveness of those who hung him on the cross.
The world views this behavior as weak. However, not retaliating and loving our enemies is the greatest showing of Christ's love in our lives. We must continually ask that God will bring this attitude out in us because it cannot come from our own effort.
What would the church look like if we really took Matthew 5:38-48 to heart?
What would your life look like?
Peace,
Jeff Moody
jeffmoody82@gmail.com
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