People are Not Easy to Love no. 17

“You are light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don’t cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:14-16 CJB). I need to burn with His light in all that I say and do to be a beacon to those lost. Like a lighthouse or a town on a hill, my example should guide others to His light. People are not easy to love because they reject the light.

The Sermon on the Mount begins with a number of blessings. The contrite, mourning, meek, hungry, merciful, pure, peaceful, and persecuted are all blessed and assured that they will receive His reward (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:3-10 CJB). They are then told of the joy of persecution for lies told about them (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:11-12 CJB). Then those same people are called “the salt for the Land” and are warned not to lose our saltiness (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:13 CJB). And finally they are called a “light for the world” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:14-16 CJB). That is quite a lot for starters for anyone to work through understanding. And I have spent a lot of time in the Sermon on the Mount recently because it is so often overlooked because it is often the most difficult teaching of Jesus. Those three chapters in Mattityahu are a lot. BUT they are also essential in shaping our understanding of who He is. How can we be His light if we don’t know His example?

So, a lot of nominal Christians spend a lot of their time looking at the Tanakh and working through the Mosaic law rather than looking at how Jesus exploded those teachings in His Sermon on the Mount. An understanding of Jewish heritage is important in reading the New Testament in context of the Tanakh BUT to truly understand a God that was set apart from His people is going to happen when we see His example within His people. His example is shown in how Jesus conducted Himself and in what Jesus taught us to be as a person. There is no need for an abstract or figurative example of how we should walk. There is no need to look at imperfect examples from the history of His people when we have a perfect example. I don’t want to be like Moses or Abraham or David or Daniel or John or Peter or Paul. I have a perfect example of Him to pattern after in Jesus. Living in His example is the only way to show His light to those in darkness.

Living His example is not going to bring everyone out of the darkness. I think that is an important thing for Christians to understand. That in spite and despite our example, we do not save anyone. That is God’s job. I am not called to save the world. I am called to be a “light for the world” and “salt to the Land”. So I need to stay in my lane and allow God to work in His omnipotence. And that is a lot to ask new Christians that are on fire and ready to burn the world for Jesus and then get burnt out and become tasteless. Some folks are not ready for the light when they see it from me. And that is okay. It doesn’t mean my light is wonky or that I am doing anything wrong. Folks are going to come to Him in His time and not mine or yours or theirs. I wasn’t looking for a walk with God and here I am. I am sure a lot of you are in the same situation while others went out looking for Him. And regardless of how it happened, He made Himself known the way it was going to work for you.

And that is the same for all people. God has a plan. God is enthroned. God is still in charge. And that is what trust in Him is all about. Despite how frustrating darkness can become in people we love, I have to give it over to Him. And that can be extremely difficult at first. BUT, like all things, learning to rely on Him in all things is a process. I believe in salvation by faith. Faith is an action. Hope is my confidence. Courage is choosing to change. And that all takes a process of, “. . . working out your deliverance with fear and trembling, for God is the one working among you both the willing and the working for what pleases him” (Phillipians (Php) 2:12-13 CJB). He is always going to get His Way.

So, there is no need to worry that your testimony isn’t working. No need to worry that you aren’t doing things right. Because you probably are not doing anything right. I have taken great pleasure in knowing that even my little imperfect ministry is not essential in His plan. And so I don’t worry so much about getting everything right. That used to bother me all the time. That I was going to somehow mess it up for Him. And, dude, I am a walking mess up. And He can use me even though I get tongue-tied and awkward and act foolishly. So too can He work in all of us and through our imperfections. Some folks reject the light today and that makes them all the more difficult to love BUT that never disqualifies them from our love or His love.

Grace and Shalom to your home.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH