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.