Yelling seldom works

Yesterday I watched a video of a young man who says he loves Jesus yet was upset because another Christian “agreed with his message” but was against him because of his tattoos. He called his video a ‘rant’ and sounded off at the organized church for not being biblical but critical of whatever didn’t fit their traditions.

I felt sorry that he had been judged for a cultural issue but sad because he was also judging other Christians who were letting him down. He did say that we all fail in many ways, yet didn’t seem to realize that God rarely asks us to point fingers and yell at each other. The NT is filled with admonitions to love, care for and encourage our brothers and sisters in the Lord. If anyone falls into sin, we are supposed to be filled with the Spirit and restore them.

Today’s devotional reading comes from a passage describing what Jesus did with our sin and how we are to live in this land as His representatives because of his mercy:

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 5:20–6:2)

An ambassador represents his/her homeland with tact and decorum. As a child of God, I’m responsible to take care of the reputation of my King AND of His subjects. Some of them are wonderful examples of what it means to be included in the kingdom of God. Sadly, some fail in that assignment. However, Jesus has saved both, not based on their behavior but by His grace. He also says our testimony to the world is our unconditional love for each other. Jesus demonstrated this when He washed the feet of His disciples and told us to do likewise:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34–35)

I must remind myself that Judas was there too and that God’s love includes the worst of the worst.

The Apostle Paul also loved the family of God. For them, he says:

“We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.” (2 Corinthians 6:2–13)

This man suffered greatly for the church. He had a big heart, even for the Christians at Corinth to whom he gave many rebukes. Also, he was like Jesus in that he loved righteousness and hated iniquity. He knew that he could not claim any good thing and could say with Martin Luther: “Oh, Lord Jesus, Thou art my righteousness— I am Thy sin!”

^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, You are sinless yet You bore my sin that I might have Your righteousness. When my focus is on Your great salvation without any claim that I earned or deserved it, then judging others is a non-issue. We are all in the same privileged place of mercy and grace. May You keep my heart ‘wide’ so I can endure all things for Your glory and for the sake of Your people.

Do unto others . . .

Are children the only ones who wish for a genie in a bottle who would grant all their wishes? Or am I the only adult that wishes it was possible?

When I read today’s Scripture, I started to think how much these two verses make God sound like a genie in a bottle, a mighty person who makes our every wish His command.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)

Anyone who has ever prayed knows that no one can tell God what to do and He does it. He is not our slave. But why then did Jesus say these words? Has this given false hope to some who, after asking, seeking and knocking without answers, went away discouraged?

This morning’s newspaper tells of a Christian family on vacation. Their church prayed for them before they left, asking God for a safe journey. The father and daughter were killed in what seems like an unexplainable accident. The mother was asleep and is still alive, but she does not know why their car went through the highway median into the path of a truck. The church spokesperson said that they not only have to deal with this tragedy, but with the question of why God did not answer their prayers.

I relate. I’ve prayed hundreds, maybe thousands of prayers that have not been answered yet. God is either saying No, or Wait. I am sometimes confused as well. Most of my prayers seem to be clearly requests that are in the realm of His revealed will. That is, I am certain He wants the same thing, such as the salvation of souls or a holy and pleasing life for myself and other believers. Yet those souls are still lost and most of us continually struggle with sin.

I know God is not a cosmic genie, nor is He the slave and I am the master. God is God. Part of being a Christian is realizing that this is so. He does what He does and, whether we understand it or not, He has every right and all wisdom to rule the world and our lives in whatever way He knows best.

These verses from Matthew are not a blank check for us to fill in with all those things we want, or cannot find, or wish were opened up to us. Instead, they need to be understood in their context.

In previous verses, Jesus was talking about how Christians can polarize their responses to people who are antagonistic toward Him and toward our faith. He told us not to judge them (we are just as guilty of sin), but also not to treat them as if they were buddies and offer them God’s good news if they are going to reject it anyway.

When I hear these commands, I seriously wonder how I am supposed to respond to people like this. Then Jesus says “ask, seek and knock.” This encouragement about prayer is for me when I am in a situation with another person who stands against what I believe and what the Bible says. In that situation, if I ask God for wisdom, I will receive it. If I seek words to say or correct responses, He will give them to me. If I want doors opened in the form of opportunities to treat this person with Christian love, He will open those doors.

In other words, instead of judging them for their lack of faith or their sins, and instead of trying to overlook what they do and “cast my pearls” only to have them rejected, I am to pray, asking, seeking, knocking. Prayer is the Christian response rather than the polar extremes of rejection and blind acceptance. Jesus then sums it up with the familiar words of verse 12, in the words we have come to call the Golden Rule.

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

I want intolerant people who despise Christianity to treat me with respect, not harshly judge me, or worse, treat me as if I am the same as they are. While I know they will not pray for me (because most do not believe God answers prayer), Jesus assures me that my response must be prayer for them and for myself, so I can obey this wonderful rule from the bottom of my heart. It is this kind of praying that He promises will always receive a YES answer.