Making sure to not throw a jab when standing for Christ is hard.
It seems we have been resorting to throwing a punch here and there as a solution to solve our problems for a long time. What has me going down this trail is an image I saw last week of someone asking to hug another. The circumstances would have probably allowed public opinion to endorse a rightful reason to punch the other but this young man decided a hug with his arms was better than hauling off with a few good ones.
It is hard to hug someone if you are punching them, I would say nearly impossible, and it is hard to be hugged by someone who has been punching you. The two just don't go together. You are either punching or hugging.
As Christians we are to proclaim Christ, "the way, the truth, and the life." The world does not love the truth. Actually, when you stand as an ambassador of the truth, the world will many times throw a punch at you. We are warned of the world's jabs to our spiritual abdomens. 2 Timothy 3:12 says, (bold and underline are mine for emphasis)
In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted.
Jesus said to His disciples in John 15:20,
"Remember the word I spoke to you:
'A slave is not greater than his master.'
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept My word, they will also keep yours."
So I am challenged as I continue to stand for the truth and have opportunity to proclaim and share it that I am not swinging a punch at the same time. Actually, I think it negates or gets in the way of the truth doing what it can do all on its own and infinitely better than my addition of a stab or a jab. It is like I am playing out the Garden of Gethsemane scene when Peter pulls out his little sword and slices off the High Priest's servant's ear. He swung a punch and Jesus corrects his actions.
Peter learned the lesson because he gives this instruction in 1 Peter 3:21-25, which reads, (bold and underlined are mine for emphasis)
For you were called to this,
because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example,
so that you should follow in His steps.
He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth;
when He was reviled, He did not revile in return;
when He was suffering, He did not threaten
but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree,
so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness;
you have been healed by His wounds.
For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned
to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
I fear myself and many in the Christian church at large have resorted to throwing some punches rather than just standing for the truth. We have pulled out our little swords and taken swipes at those who have been punching back at the truth and therefore the compassion of Christ that could come from us is tied up in our "not following" Christ's example.
Have we lost trust in the truth being enough? We probably feel that if we just stand still with the truth then we will get walked over as Christians but I would venture to say that Jesus wasn't just standing still. Jesus was actively standing there keeping compassion for others in place.
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them,
because they do not know what they are doing."
I think it is truly harder to stand firm with compassion intact than to give them a little of their own medicine. But if we do, then we will have those arms ready to hug them when the truth hits its mark. We need to hold fast to Hebrews 4:12 and 13 which reads, (bold and underline mine again for emphasis)
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.
I pray that my account to God would be that I hugged people for His glory everyday; I pray that my slugging days would be over; and I pray that I would not lose faith in how powerful God's word is and allow it to penetrate where I can not.
Adam
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