Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.”
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT! Jesus left his listeners scratching their heads in amazement and confusion whenever he taught! When Jesus gave the teachings for what we call the “Sermon on the Mount,” he was at the beginning of his ministry. For many of Jesus’ listeners, this was the first time they were hearing him. And the ideas Jesus was putting forth were radical.
Human nature hasn’t changed since Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Cain killed Abel because he was offended that Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable to God while his was not. The spirit of offense is alive and well and creating havoc today, even among Christians.
What is Jesus saying here? Do you have to become a doormat to be a Christian? Far from it! One of the big problems the church in America is facing right now is that rather than standing for righteousness as American culture has deteriorated, churches have settled for programs and leadership conferences and other events and exercises. In the process, we have failed to address problems of poverty and discrimination. When situation ethics began to be taught in colleges in the 1960’s, the church turned a blind eye, perhaps hoping that it would go away. (Situation ethics embraces the idea that there are no moral absolutes but that each situation must be judged on its own merits. But if you have no standards because you have no moral absolutes, how can you evaluate anything?) Christians have refused to take unpopular stands on a number of moral issues and we are seeing the results.
For many Christians in the West today, our problem is not that we are being persecuted for righteousness ’ sake but that we have tried to avoid persecution and controversy whenever possible. There’s an old country song that says “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” At the same time, 2 Timothy 2:23 – 26 tells us “But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling. And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.”
So how do we strike a balance? First, we must recognize that the Bible clearly lays out standards of right and wrong. We cannot claim to sympathize with one group if we are physically attacking another group. Second, we must be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” We must be careful not to ally ourselves with those who merely wish to manipulate us, lest we find ourselves being included with those preaching violence and destruction. Third, we need to look at our situations and see what God might already have built into them. Whom do you know who needs help or prayer? Do you have means to help or do you know someone else who can help? Fourth, we need to value the people who are trying to bring peace. Slogans and inflammatory rhetoric simply encourage people to become more violent, rather than less. Fifth and most important, we need to pray earnestly and then to listen to the Holy Spirit. God is not a God of confusion, but a God of peace. If God has brought you into a particular situation, then He has something prepared for you to do, even if it is as simple as sitting and listening to another’s pain. We must be careful that in our desire to help and to heal, we do not begin to criticize other Christians who view situations differently. Ask God to help you to see those around you with His eyes.
PRAYER: Father God, we confess that we have not stood for righteousness and that we have avoided criticism and insults whenever possible. Lord, help us to be your hands and feet. Let our hearts break with the things that break your Heart. And guide us so that we will be kind to everyone and forebearing. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.
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