Month: July 2012

Loving Our Enemies

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Luke 6

One of the greatest differences between Christianity and religions is the way we are called to treat our enemies. We are not called to destroy or even get back at our enemies, but rather to love them. What does that mean?

First of all, do you have an enemy? Someone with a grudge against you, real or perceived? Someone who has tried to hurt you? Someone who is trying to get back at you for something you did or said, real or perceived? Someone who is persecuting you, mocking you, or ridiculing you because of your faith? (Frankly, we probably don’t have enough enemies for this last reason, do we?)

Jesus said that loving those who love us, doing good to those who do good to us, lending to those who can repay — that’s easy, and doing that accrues no credit to our “spiritual account.” Even sinners do that, He said. Christians are called to go beyond that.

Do good to those who hate you.

Don’t retaliate if someone takes your personal property, your dignity, or even infringes on your personal liberty.

Don’t judge. This words comes from a word meaning “to separate.” Whenever we start thinking in terms of “us vs. them,” we are judging. We have separated ourselves from them. We stand in the place of a judge.

Don’t condemn. Don’t judge and sentence someone. What are some sentences we give out? silence? excluding them? the cold shoulder? mean words? refusing to forgive or reconcile?

Forgive. Let them loose. Release them. Set them free from your personal judging and sentencing.

Give. After you stop trying to extract some kind of payment from your enemy, then give to them. Be generous with your love and your mercy.  Jesus promised that with the same measure we use, it will be given back to us.

Jesus calls us hypocrites when we judge and condemn others, because we have even greater sins, greater faults than they do. He tells us to deal with our own faults first before condemning others. And since getting the logs out of our own eyes is a lifelong job, we will never get around to judging others!

So, why are we asked to do good to those who don’t do good to us? to love those who hate us? to forgive those who have wronged us? to let others infringe on our personal rights? That’s a fair question, one with an eternally minded answer.

We are asked to do all these things so we can show the world who our Father is, what His characteristics are, what His nature is like. He is good to all. He extends forgiveness for all who choose to receive it. He judged and sentenced Jesus so He wouldn’t have to judge and sentence us. He sends His rain on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. He is merciful.

So we are to be all those things also, so the world can see the Father in us, and turn, and be saved.

Are you up for the challenge?

Leadership Test

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Numbers 11-12

Are you a true leader? Let’s look at what Moses says to get a handle on what a true leader is like.

In just the second year of a 40-year journey, the Israelites (probably numbering at least 2 million) complained. They were palate-deprived, eating only manna…. missing the tastes of meat and melons and onions. This made the Lord “exceedingly angry,” which, in turn, troubled Moses. He felt the burden, asking God, “What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?. . . Where can I get meat for all these people?. . . I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.”

God had a solution. He asked Moses to gather 70 elders from among the people. He told Moses, “I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.” God set a time for them to go to the Tent of Meeting, and there the men received the Spirit and prophesied. Two of the men, however, didn’t show up (for some unknown reason). Yet they were found in the camp prophesying anyway. This upset Moses’ aide, Joshua, who wanted Moses to stop them.

Instead Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!”

Moses wanted the anointing multipled to many, to ALL. He did not covet leadership or authority. He had no ego, no desire to be honored or respected above others. He was not jealous that another would have the same Spirit he did. Instead, he wanted ALL to have the Spirit and be able to hear from God for themselves.

Miriam and Aaron (Moses’ siblings) also talked against Moses, saying, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? . . . Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” It’s so easy to feel that way when you are under authority, not in authority; under leadership, not in leadership. The tendency of the sinful nature is to exalt self.

Then comes the verse pointing out Moses’ character: “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” He wasn’t jealous for his own leadership. God, however, was angry, and punished Miriam (and also Aaron through seeing Miriam suffer). Yet, even after being challenged by his own brother and sister, Moses was so humble that he cried out on Miriam’s behalf, and God listened and healed her.

Those who aren’t leading, especially those who are under leaders, can become jealous of the leader and his authority. They can covet his power, and second-guess him continually.

Those who are true, humble leaders just want to be unburdened of it! They would love for everyone to have the anointing, the power, the Spirit, in order to govern themselves and hear from God themselves.

Do you pass this leadership test?