What do you expect from the world and others?
The bible is clear that we should expect to be persecuted, but do we really have this expectation?
Why do we get so upset at the world when they promote sinfulness? Why are we surprised at hearing the sin that goes on in the world?
Let me add that sometimes we are, hypocritically, surprised and even offended at the sins of the world; and yet the church is doing the same things (i.e.: divorce, sexual immorality, pornography, materialism, you name it). Why are we so surprised that lost people behave like lost people?
We should learn to expect the world to behave sinfully, idolizing everything and anything that they think might satisfy that craving deep within all of us. This craving, that in Christians should be satisfied by Jesus alone, leaves those that do not have Christ feeling empty and running to anything to find satisfaction. We need to learn, and make a habit of, seeing this as a deep rooted need that can only be satisfied by Jesus. The same need that is in all of us, instead of judging them for being "sinful" or doing things that you might not do.
And this understanding needs to be based on a sense of compassion towards them and thanksgiving towards God. Thanksgiving because he chose to reveal himself to you and not to them, yet. Out of this sense of compassion and thanksgiving, our hearts should plea to God, in reverence and love, for him to have mercy on the world and open their eyes and hearts so they may see that He is the answer that they are looking for.
This is the compassionate and loving attitude that we should have toward the world. When everything is said and done, the world is really just as sinful as any saved Christian. The only difference between the two is that God chose to extend his grace towards the latter and not towards the earlier group.
If you had been born under the same circumstances as they were, and God had not extended his saving grace towards you, would you be that much different from them? Would you want to be shown mercy and compassion instead of judgment and indifference? How did Jesus treat the lost and hurt? Ask yourself these questions the next time that you are confronted with something or someone that you find offensive, and you will see your heart attitudes towards the lost change, and you will find yourself able to love you enemies, those who hurt you and persecute you, with greater ease.
Today, I challenge you to accept those that do not have Christ in their lives as people, just like you or I, who need Him, but do not have him and, therefore, do not know how to satisfy that God-sized/shaped hole within their hearts.
Father, help us by like you towards our enemies. Help us extend your love towards those that do not have you. Help us see our own sinfulness and sinful nature more clearly, that we may understand that any difference that there might between the Christians and the lost is not because of our doing, but because you chose to be gracious to us, reveal yourself to us, and make us new creatures. Let this revelation change our heart towards you and those that hurt and offend us. Let it produce humility and love in our hearts, that we might be more like Christ and less like the judgmental Pharisees. Let us understand that our salvation is your doing, and not our own, that we might boast in you and your grace, and not on our accomplishments and strength, which are null. Thank you for your amazing grace Lord, let us shine brightly for you, with unwavering and unconditional love towards everyone, because we all need it. Let us be transformed, by the renewing of our minds, and the way we look at, and understand, the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment