Whoa...

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45).

In writing about these verses, one commentator points out how Jesus practiced the law of non-retaliation even while He was on the cross. He prayed for His persecutors who did not seem to know what they were doing. He asked for forgiveness on behalf of people who weren’t even aware they needed it. Wow!

Thinking upon the Lord’s example of extreme servant-living finds me in a place of conviction: How many times have I sought to lash out at rather than love?

Here’s another good example of a place in my life where I need the pause button to keep me on track. My natural impulse is not to love upon those who have sought to cause me hurt; my natural impulse is to seek to hurt them right back. It takes restraint and wisdom to formulate proper responses to perceived or actual injury.

I’ve heard Dr Chuck Swindoll say on the radio how thankful he is for his office assistant; she often functions as his “whoa person” during those times when he wants to lash out at those who treat him unfairly or criticize him unjustly.

In rare moments, I suppose I have come up with proper responses and have been able to bless those who have hurt me in some way.

Mostly, I've had to ask forgiveness from the Father for acting out of my old sinful nature rather than my "new in Christ” one.

There have been several times in my past I have been thankful for “whoa people” God has put in my path to restrain me from wrongful thoughts and deeds.

“Whoa people” sometimes let me vent before I turn to ranting and raving; “whoa people” help me keep things in perspective so that I do not become overly concerned about things in life which really don’t matter all that much.

I am being sanctified, but I’m not there yet; that’s why I need others who function as my “whoa people” as I walk along.

My Walk

Earlier this month, I was asked to be the mystery reader in my nephew Lance's second grade classroom. My supposedly mysterious identity was not a mystery at all to my nephew and he knew who I was within fifteen seconds of my entering the room without anyone necessarily telling him anything ahead of time.

“It's my Auntie Ame. I could tell by the way she walks...” he told his teacher as he raised his head from his desktop and grinned in my direction.

A little thrill sneaked into my spirit as I realized anew in that moment how very perceptive children can be and how they pay attention to little details that might not be so obvious to other people around them.

Coming away from the boys' school a little while later, I found myself praying the boys would be able to tell more and more things about the way I walk as they and I grow up together.

For certain, I want them to know me and see me beyond the crutches even if the crutches remain with me for many long years yet. I want them to know me beyond my shuffling steps, my coordination difficulties, and my struggles with the stairs.

I want them to see me as someone who is not afraid to ask for help from God or from my neighbor. I want them to see me as someone who is not afraid to serve either God or my neighbor.

I pray to find them listening for the voice of God even as I must listen for the voice of God.

I pray to find them obeying the word of God even as I endeavor to obey the word of God.

I pray to see them grow in the grace and giftedness God has afforded to each one of them.

I pray they would take note of characteristics seen not only in my physical walking pattern, but also in my spiritual walking pattern.

None of them need emulate my physical walking pattern. None of them need perfectly emulate my spiritual walking pattern. I've still got a lot to learn and my life is far from perfect or perfected. Even as I write this, I am reminded the way I walk is a testimony to the One who faithfully walks with me.

I pray I will continue to walk in manner worthy of the God who has called me, so I may set a good and godly example for my sweet boys and for all who may yet come behind me. 

Unselfish

"Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42)

Part of exercising my freedom in Christ correctly is learning not to be selfish with my time and resources. In living out the servant life, it is imperative that I do not think first of myself and my needs. I need to establish wise boundaries between what it takes to care for myself well and my own selfish wants and inclinations. To practice the servant life is to yield without becoming someone else’s doormat. What would my life plan really look like from day to day if I let Christ fill in the script rather than myself? What would change if I focused first on His agenda and not imposed my own? I want to, need to, strive to, give up on grudgingly.

Grudgingly isn’t freely.

Reluctantly isn’t willingly.

There’s little wonder or wildness to life if I do something just because I have to.

There’s little real joy found in sticking just with obligation or supposed to.

Where would I be if Christ had used reluctance or self-pity as an excuse to keep Him from the cross?

Where would my life be if Christ had not surrendered to His Father’s will above His own?

What if He had decided to forfeit His calling only a short distance from Calvary?

He is the One who went all the way to the cross and gave up His very life for me. What if I am only a short distance from displaying His life to another?

I don’t want to loathe or be lazy when in reality I am called to love and to lose for the sake of the lost and dying.

I was lost and dying once…

By His grace and because of His suffering, He views me differently now.

Journey

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”  (James 1:22).

A large part of accepting God’s word is acting upon the word which we hear. We need to put into practice those things which we profess. Through obedient obedience to the Word of God we find true liberty from sin and its consequences in our lives. (www.bible.org)

In recent weeks, I have been reminded almost daily that partial obedience is not enough. God is not seeking half-hearted saints. He wants believers who have oomph, and mettle, and follow-through.

In place of apathy, He looks for enthusiasm

In place of impassive, He looks for intense.

In place of indifferent, He looks for exuberant and interested.

It’s not enough to be lukewarm or go half-way.  God desires for me to be passionately seeking His heart and will. He wants for me to listen when He speaks and be attentive to every detail. I can’t be a sort of Christian. There is little room for “I guess so” within a true call.

I don’t just want to know Him enough to pass…I want to know Him intimately.

I don’t just want to bear His name… I want to carry out His mission.

I don’t just want to get close enough …I want to get closer still…

I write in full knowledge God is not finished with me yet. I know there is yet work to be done in and through my life. I am learning to more fully embrace the undeniable tension that exists between the already and the not yet.

I am in awe of the One who is the Joy in my journey….and desire continued boldness, eagerness and wildness which results from walking continually with Him. I praise Him for His continued acceptance of me which makes my life with Him even possible.

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey