Matthew 10:21-23
“When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Early on Election Day, my friend John posted a graphic on Facebook that said, “No matter who is President, Jesus is King!” John also posted this comment from one of his “good Christian friends,” as he described him… "No matter who wins tomorrow, God still reigns. As Christians, our politics should never be filled with hatred or poisonous division. My prayer is that Wednesday morning, Christians all over this great nation will be in prayer for our President to seek wisdom, and that we will love him in the same way that Christ loves us. May the world know we are Christians by our love. And that by doing so may we reflect the fact that God still reigns.”
I was so struck by the sentence in this scripture passage that says, “There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate!” A lot of “Christians” on both sides of the aisle want to talk about how much they love Jesus while spewing venom and hatred that could corrode heavy metal. I have to ask, “Where is their faith? What part of ‘love one another’ was unclear?”
This is not a commentary on the election… this is about more than politics. We must stop and examine our hearts and determine whether we are truly focused on serving God as the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth… or whether we have shaped our faith in an image of our making – turned it into something that suits our personal agenda. In the course of our lifetime, we will win some and lose some – in political elections, job opportunities, relationships, and more. And we can allow these to define us…or we can choose to focus on pleasing God and seeking His will.
If you choose the former, you will be setting yourself up for a lot of disappointments and heartaches… and opening the door for Satan to move in and fill you with hatred and bitterness. If you choose to trust God – no matter what – life may not always be a bed of roses, but you will be able to handle whatever comes your way.
I’ve talked a lot lately about “turning points,” and I think this is a big one. Making the commitment to humbly serve God in every single aspect of your life… to trust and obey Him in all things… and to believe that His will shall come to pass represents a critical obligation – and a significant leap of faith. But genuinely committing to God – completely – will make the difference. He will sustain you in hard times and give you courage to face those who turn on you.
As Christians, we must serve God and obey His commands with everything we have, which means to love others as He loves us… and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those in our midst and to be His hands and feet on this earth. If we keep our own behavior in check… if we are certain that we are obediently honoring God with our service… what others do and say makes no difference. It’s not about us – or them… it’s about Jesus.
Where is your focus? Are you defined by your faith and service… or by your defeats and those who disparage you? Do you trust God to work in and through you… and are you trustworthy? Are you truly operating in God’s will and believing Him for perfect outcomes in all things? Isn’t it time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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