Live
“I always feel like somebody’s watching me”
-Rockwell
"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." -Brennan Manning
Christ has set no limits of what he expects of us. Much of what He insists on goes against what we find comfortable or more exactly against what we want to do. We set limits on what we will do by not practicing the things that don’t come naturally to us.
But Christ has always set no limits of what we are capable of doing...
Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
-Matthew 5/39-42
Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. -Matthew 5/11-12
I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.- Matthew 5/44
At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?"
Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven. -Matthew 18/21-22
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13/34-35
Jesus told them, "Go back and tell John what's going on:
The blind see,
The lame walk,
Lepers are cleansed,
The deaf hear,
The dead are raised,
The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.
"Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!"
What if the world sees us practicing the hard things in front of them. What if those who are dismissing God from their lives watch us walking with God in ours? What if they catch us in difficult but evident moments of forgiveness? What if we live honestly and work diligently to not hold grudges? What if we understand that our words are either like swords or honey and they notice we don’t gossip. What if we let them “ride shotgun” as part of our living generously. What if they see us loving each other and as best as we can-our enemies? What if we know the poor and call them ‘friend?’ What if someone is curiously compelled toward the shadow of the cross not by what we say, but by how we live?
-g
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
-Philippians 4/8-9
