It Would Change The World

They deserved it! They had it coming! They started it! That’s justice! I have a right to…

These are statements I think we have all have made at some point in our lives. Maybe we hear them more from our kids, but in reality we definitely have adult versions of these phrases that we live out in our lives. Usually they are said after someone has hurt us or wronged us. Maybe we respond to that hurt by putting that person in their place, seeking justice to see them suffer the consequences of their actions or maybe even taking action against them (“justifiably” of course) for what they did.

How we handle those who wrong us is one of the greatest indicators that either mark us as followers of Christ or hypocrites who act just like an unbelieving world. Jesus calls each of us to a standard of living that removes all “rights”we think we have when we are wronged and He says this in Luke.

Luke 6:27-31“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

You know, every time I read this, it's like BAM! I respond to these words and feel them smack me right in the face. What is Jesus saying? He is saying that we have no rights! That we are a slave to righteousness and righteous living (Romans 6:18) under the new standard that He calls his followers to.

When someone wrongs us, Jesus is not a situational based teacher. In fact he really makes this one pretty straight up. Love those that show you no love. Bless those who keep attacking you. Show kindness to those who show you none. If someone wrongs you, give to them even more.

This is one of the HARDEST callings of Jesus to live by. I honestly don’t see it lived out much at all. What do you think would happen if Christians took this command from Jesus and let it change how we act in response to every person we know and encounter? Do you think an unbelieving world might look and see something so different in us they would come to ask what it is? I do! It would be the most incredible life changing testimony we could have if we learn to just love like Jesus already loved us and see our friends and enemies come to a life-changing encounter with God. It would change our lives and the world’s around us!

Do They See What They Hear?

I was thinking about the words and teachings of Jesus today, nothing specific but more about the entire breadth and power of his words. These are words I read, memorize, try to live by and even quote as a regular part of my life. So a random thought popped in my head today, "So what makes the words of Jesus powerful". I know this might seem like a silly or even easy question but I had the thought and then a simple answer that kind of hit me right in the face.

  The words and teachings of Jesus had the power they did because his life matched them completely. Jesus never taught a message he was not already living out. His great teaching, even great "sermons", as some might call them, flowed out of a life that lived out each word he said. Ok, I know some of you might be thinking "well duh". And yes you might be right, but then that very idea caused me to say, so if I am not living them, will they have power when I say them?

  I taught on Zacchaeus a few Sundays back and the main point I saw in the text is that it was not a deep intense teaching or sermon of Jesus that led Zacchaeus to repent, rather it was the life that Jesus lived that accompanied his teachings and led Zacchaeus to a life changing encounter with God. Zacchaeus knew the teaching of Jesus, but in that moment, what led him to repent were the actions of Jesus. He could see that Jesus’ actions matched His teachings, and in that moment, Christ SHOWED him the very love of God that He taught. 

  So maybe you might have said "duh" when I first mentioned my thoughts but what about it. Do our lives give better sermons then our mouths? If they don't then no matter how much scripture we know or how many great teachings of the Bible we can quote, unless our lives match our words the teachings will hold little power to the world around us.

  My encouragement would be to take some time to focus our lives on living out the words before we say them. Because it’s easy to give someone a Bible verse that shows them a truth or the error of their ways but the power of that Truth becomes real when they see it in us more then they hear it from us.