Thought for food on a Monday.

Welcome back to Monday, January 14, 2019. The other day while traveling down the road I caught the end of the preacher/pastor Alistair Begg's radio broadcast. He was reading and answering questions that had been submitted to his ministry. He read one that essentially had this to say. "Don't you agree that evangelical Christianity coupled to conservative political viewpoints have become very exclusive in how they relate to others within the world?" The person went on to describe how this has caused those within the circle to only want contact and dialogue with those within the circle. People who hold other views, people who look different, talk different, or not with the program, well, they are not welcome. Begg responded. He said this is not new, but, the question hits on something that is totally opposite to the commission Jesus gave to His followers. He said that everyone needs to hear and respond to the love of Jesus for them and this marrying of those who subscribe to the Great Commission to the hardened political viewpoint has certainly hurt the outreach to the world. Jesus went to and reached out to the downtrodden, the most sinful, the hurting, and the untouchables. As I listened to this question and his response I could identify with what was being said. I see it every day in postings that resemble a near hatred for any and all who disagree. I'm not pointing the finger at anyone, except maybe at myself, but, it should give us all something to consider, and perhaps pray about. Amen.

The 'love your enemy' admonition is well-known as commanded by our Lord, however, that one is typically hard for us all because we still have to deal with the old man nature. Did Jesus really deal with that subject? Go and see for yourself, Matthew 5:43-48. I know some people hide behind the: "I didn't actually say it, I just copied and pasted it from someone else." How many of us would think that would absolve us from anything? The other thing we like to say is how the other side is not observing anything like loving those who disagree with them. Precisely. That was the point of our Lord. People of the world operate like, for lack of a better term, people of the world. He was indicating His own should be different than the world. Perhaps the most visible way this can be seen is in our loving a lost world like Jesus did. Wait a minute. We can't do that. I know. We have to allow Him to love through us. This wasn't a plea for compromise. It was a call for loving folks where they are and certainly not returning an eye for an eye or tit for tat. But, some of the new people in The Congress appear to be the personification of evil. That's when we speak the truth in love. I've seen so many who say those who were not sworn in on a Bible should be immediately kicked out of The Congress. Think about it. Some of them are a part of a false religion. They do not recognize the Bible. Others identify with no religion. There is religious liberty even to those who believe differently than you and I. Calling them names will not help. Praying for God to work in their lives, as well as our own, might be a good starting place. I'm just sending stuff out as it comes to me. For my sake. I do need to be reminded of this because I clearly recognize the heritage of redneck blood that has been handed down to me. And, it seems always ready to pounce. (God speaking to Cain: "....Why are you angry? Why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, shall you not be accepted? But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must rule over it." Genesis 4:6-7)

Next Sunday, January 20, many Churches will be recognizing the Sanctity of Life. I will be teaching a lesson that examines what it means for humans to be made in the image of God. All human lives are sacred. I've been working on this for a while and maybe that's what made me more sensitive to how our politics can overshadow the truths God has given us to live by. Every human being is made in the image of God. They bear in their being the image of their Maker. Theologians have pondered the meaning of this truth and while there is not a clear consensus, it is obvious that human life is precious to our God. Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. It's not just a kid's song, it happens to be the truth. How much did He love? See Him on The Cross! Read about His outreach to the downcast of the world where He walked. I recently heard an expositional presentation on the text about the Good Samaritan who showed mercy to his avowed enemy, a beaten and badly wounded Jew. Jesus was making a point. He described such lavish love that would make anyone know that within ourselves we are not capable of loving like that. Can't do it. Not as a way of life. What's the solution? Allow Jesus to live and love through us. That's the only way. (John McArthur on the radio. Luke 10:25-37) The bottom line for me is that we all should think about this before we post some hateful meme or join in a type of clamoring that looks a lot like hate being spewed against certain individuals or classes of people. Just me, just sharing. And, be reminded, I have my own old man nature to wrestle with. Every single day. May God help us to love as He would have us to. Amen. ....More later.