Matthew 5:11-12
God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I was a teenager, a mean-spirited girl gave me a nickname. It was supposed to be an acronym for something – although she would never tell me what the initials represented. All I knew is that others snickered and giggled when she told them what she meant by it… and I felt insulted. At a reception earlier this summer, I encountered someone I had not seen since high school, and he said, “Aren’t you XYZ (insert ugly nickname)?” I smiled and told him I had not thought about that name in years, but yes, he had recognized me.
The conversation was uncomfortable and brief. Old, unpleasant feelings were quickly dashed by the happiness of greeting friends who would never dare utter that name to me. We focused instead on remembering good times and celebrating where we are now and what is yet to come. God reminded me that I am so much more than a silly nickname. While I have not forgotten its sting – this slur does not define me.
My mother used to tell me, “People only pick on you because they like you.” She was trying to make me feel better and rise above insults and jabs made by my peers. Sorry, Mom… the truth is that people pick on others out of fear and their own insecurities. It’s hard to explain that to a kid… and nobody wants to see their child hurt or insulted by another. Just the thought that any of my nieces, nephews or little cousins might have to endure even one unkind moment breaks my heart. So imagine what this does to Jesus when HIS children are unloving toward each other!
I look at people who are hurling insults left and right these days, and I wonder what is so lacking in their own lives that they feel this is appropriate. I have to conclude that they are certainly not operating out of a spirit of grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness. They may hide behind the “Christian” label, but their actions are anything but Christ-like. I’ll be honest… I find myself asking, “What about the people who worship with me… are their thoughts and actions insulting and judgmental toward those who threaten them or their opinions in some manner? Do we as a body represent the unconditional love of Christ? If the person sitting next to me knew my true sentiments, would he/she hurl insults and mistreatment toward me?”
It’s not really a stretch to see how people become skeptical and guarded… and why a lot of folks avoid the church and those who claim to be Christians. What are we truly offering in the name of Jesus? And just as importantly, how are we reacting to insults and mistreatment launched in our direction?
Clearly, I hear God calling for me to relax… to step back and let Him have control. I feel God telling me to resist the temptation to react to insults… and most certainly to refrain from retaliation! I look at the nickname I bore through high school and see what little long-term effect it truly had on me… how God has blessed me and given me such a wonderful, abundant life. I trusted God to handle this for me, and He did. And we must encourage our children – and each other – to operate in the love and compassion of our Heavenly Father... and to rely on Him to bless us even as we are insulted and mistreated.
We must also use our own experiences with insults and mistreatment as a reminder of how to regard others. When we have any urge to offer an affront, use a slur against someone, or be openly critical or unkind, let’s stop and think about Jesus. Ask yourself, “Will my words or actions hurt another of Jesus’ children… and will His heart be broken? Will this really be worth my momentary ‘satisfaction’?”
We all need to take a step backward and remind ourselves WHO is really in charge. For whatever reason, too many of us have appointed ourselves as “judge and jury” on God’s behalf… a position He neither delegated to us nor sanctioned. We are called to operate in love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy - even when others mistreat and insult us - and to let the love of Jesus shine through. How we act – and react – will say all that is needed about our Christian faith. What are you saying these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment