Two days ago I found myself back in Matthew 5 as a part of my daily devotions. My first thought was, “this is so rich, but I’d really be surprised if I saw anything new here”. But, I did. As I read the first part of Matthew 5:39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person, one word jumped out at me. It was the word resist. As we saw on Tuesday, Jesus gave some specific responses that he requires of us when we think someone has treated us wrongly. But, really, rather than concentrate on those responses, we simply need to be sure that we are not resisting, but instead, doing more by loving.
The definition of resist is ”to stand against, to oppose, to set oneself against.” In other words, resisting takes the form of doing or thinking or desiring something “against” someone.
Jesus was not providing for us a list of instructions such as: “If they do this, you do this”. Jesus was trying to avoid that kind of thinking. He was giving us examples.
Paul got it. When I consider Paul, I think of someone who probably (in his life before Christ) had the power to put people in their place, the power to retaliate. He had the intelligence, the religious training, and the authority. Yet, as we look at Paul (in his life after Christ) we see a man who shunned retaliation, who shunned resisting others.
Rather than resistance, read what Paul instructs the believer in Ephesians 4:32: Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Isn’t that just what Jesus was teaching?
Then, Paul taught us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 what doing more entails:
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
One more: Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Resisting says “You owe me”. Not resisting says “You don’t owe me”. Love says “I owe you” We are not to be a responder to the actions of others. We are to be a responder to God. We owe it to Him to love others. That’s the MORE we can only do in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I like the way Cathy summed it up, "We are to be a responder to God. We owe it to HIM to love others." And then I am awed that I need only purpose in my heart to be obedient...to sincerely desire it and HE will accomplish it by His Holy Spirit. Sometimes I find myself getting caught up in "how do I DO this" then I remember that is God's part...mine is to yield in my heart.
ReplyDeleteAmy
"We are not to be a responder to the actions of others. We are to be a responder to God." I love how contrary this is to every bit of what the world teaches us. And to our flesh as well :) And we certainly do need the Holy Spirit to work this in us!
ReplyDeleteWow this is good stuff!
ReplyDeleteCathy, Amy, Heather awesome!
It's all about love. If we love God, we'll love others. That's the only kind of response that's ok, acceptable, godly, the way of a follower of Christ, and only possible by His Spirit working in us.
With God nothing is impossible!
ReplyDeleteBecause of His love for us we can love others and not resist them as our flesh would love to do. There is always something new each time we read Gods word, isn't there? I often think oh I read this verse so many times and like Cathy think there's nothing I can learn from it, but oh yes there is. :0) Thank you Lord.
I love to hang our American flag on our front porch. With the most gentle breeze it waves and moves. It offers no resistance to the breeze/wind and simply moves in the direction of the wind. This morning, in my minds eye, I saw the picture of my flag in relation to the blog. I don't want to spend my energy resisting, standing against. Giving time and thought to retaliation. I want the Holy Spirit to move in me, through me. Responding to God's love...His gentle breeze or a brisk wind...allowing Him to do "more", encouraging me to give "more" and love "more". Moving gently in this life with no thought of my rights but rather responding to God's love.
ReplyDeleteThe word that comes to mind is Surrender as I read this morning's blog. Complete surrender and trust to God and the Holy Spirit. Have your way Lord, and remove any guilt or anything that gets in the way btw You and me. Instead to love others the way You love them and not resisting your gentle voice and nudges. Romans 12:1 says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
ReplyDeleteMORE. What a powerful word! We are called to be more, think more, do more. The only way we can see that this is possible is in the Spirit. HE is MORE. I love that God is not only the One who sets the example, He is the One who will do it. May I be so flexible (like Clyrinda's flag) that nothing will keep me from moving where He calls!
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