Day Fifteen

Day Fifteen

II Corinthians 2:9-11 says:  For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.  Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive.  Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Do you like to be called “stupid” or be told you are dumb, ignorant, or disobedient?  No, neither do I.  And yet, if one read these words written, twisted them just a little bit, the opportunity to be offended is there.  

Paul wrote this statement, telling the Corinthians he was testing them to see if they were obedient in everything.  He said he did this so that they would be aware of Satan and his schemes.  Ahh, there it is.  Do you see it?  The challenge to forgive is proof that we are indeed Christ’s children and are walking in His truths.  We don’t get to pick and choose what or whom we forgive.  We don’t get to hand select which wrongs can be forgiven and which we blatantly deem as unpardonable.

Christ didn’t lay stipulations out for us when He invited us into His kingdom.  He didn’t say “You can come, Stefanie, if you are perfect.  However, if you keep holding those grudges, keep hating your brother and condemning your sister, there is no place for you here.  If you don’t stop that addiction you have, I cannot allow you in.”  Well, sort of.

He did say He’d take my wretchedness and wash me as white as snow.  He did say He’d forgive me and then He encouraged me to follow His example and forgive others when they’ve wronged me.  He did tell me to stop hating, to stop condemning, to lean on Him for support rather than some drug, food, sex, or other object to try to replace what only He can fill.  But Christ Jesus didn’t expect me to do these things overnight.  Yes, He said “Be ye holy as I am holy.”  But in God’s infinite wisdom, He knew I’d never be able to do this on my own.  That’s why He sent Jesus to teach us, to redeem us, to love us.

And so Paul, as a servant to Christ, followed these teachings and then tested his students on them.  Did they pass?  Better still, would I?  Do I?  

Little reminders to be aware of Satan and his tricks, his schemes, his devices are given to us.  His arsenal is full.  He holds nothing back and has no sympathy for you, child of God.  Be aware.  Test yourselves if you are in the faith.  Mostly though?  Prove Christ true in all points, not just the easy ones.  Amen?

Day Fourteen

Day Fourteen

"Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.  So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him."  II Corinthians 2:5-8

As Steve and I read this section earlier, we both kind of scratched our heads and wondered who on earth Paul was referring to; who had done this horrendous act that was causing such a stir?  And then we questioned how Paul could be so politically correct as to not offer condemnation to said soul but instead to reach out his hand--while encouraging others--to restore such a brother back to the fold.

I am pretty sure we all know some folks who have really blown it.  Beyond messed up, they did some crime/sin against another or a group of folks that they appear to be in no way, shape, or form deserving of mercy.  Well, maybe down the road--way down the road--forgiveness might be offered but first there must be proper payment for this huge infraction.  Yeah, s/he probably needs to be "overwhelmed by excessive sorrow" first so s/he can truly know the depths of this blight against humanity.  And offer comfort to this individual?  Are you kidding me?  Comfort him when he just blew my world apart?  Offer her sympathy lest she be the one who's discouraged?  Seriously??

Yes.  Seriously.  Though it goes against almost every fiber of our beings, we are to forgive.  To extend mercy.  To offer assistance.  To restore this one who was so broken and confused that they lost their power to reason, to separate truth from fiction.  To open blinded hearts and soften hardened hearts that indeed are overwhelmed with a sorrow that those who don't know Christ Jesus must surely feel in the deepest recesses of their soul where the battle for survival takes place.

And no (in case you were wondering) these words are not easy for me to write and they have been terrifically hard to implement in my life.  I've been through some things that threatened to consume me with the sadness, unfairness, and painfulness that resulted from the wiles of the devil who used--or tried to use--certain situations to tear apart God's children and to make them want to turn away from Him.  I've done my share of questioning why God allowed trials in my life that consumed, embittered, and at times threatened my sanity.  So no, again, I don't say these words lightly.  Read the paragraph above again where I wrote "though it goes against almost every fiber of our beings."  Almost every fiber but not the ones that the blood of Christ has woven together, pieced back into a garment of righteousness, and sewn with so much love that how could I of all sinners dare to not offer that same compassion that God showed me when He sent Jesus to me as payment for my many transgressions?

Ahh, friends, my heart too is so grieved right now over the Orlando Shootings.  I have friends who are gay that perhaps are more easily targeted than my heterosexual friends.  I have friends who "live in sin" with someone for a myriad of reasons that I don't necessarily agree with.  I myself live with someone who is so far from perfect that I wonder how she thinks she can get up each day and write down words to encourage others when she is the one in need of more teaching, more grace, more lessons on forgiveness.  

Let's close with this rephrasing of our passage today, replacing our name each applicable pronoun, shall we?  I'll go first!

Now if Stefanie has caused pain, she has caused it not to me, but in some measure--not to put it too severely--to all of you.  For such a one as Stefanie, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort Stefanie, or she may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.  So I beg you to reaffirm your love to Stefanie.

Ouch.  Can't say that one didn't hurt but putting my name in the place of the one who caused so much harm sure brought it home to me.  May the Lord convict you in the areas of your life where you need it most and may you be surrounded by those who are willing to restore you is my urgent hope for you all this morning.  Tough love, baby?  Yes.  But gentle restoration and comfort by those who have fallen as well brings us all closer to emulating the love of Christ.  Do you concur?

Day Thirteen

Matthew 5:23-24:  So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Day Thirteen of the June Study revolves around those brothers of ours that make our lives… sticky?  Irksome?  I can't think of just the right word to describe the myriad of feelings running through my heart with this passage.

This scripture portion is dealing with those of the family of God and yet (and I've mentioned this before) when the word "brother" is used, I can't help but think of my earthly brother.  If I'm not careful, this passage can be twisted into one that makes me dredge up old haunts and those definite "something against you" moments that I am sure he has towards me.  Do you remember that Don Henley song "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" that he sang with Patty Smyth?  That chorus is going through my head as I once again realize that the truth of the matter is that love does have the power to cover all sins but...but sometimes covering sins and reconciling the two parties just doesn't happen.  

It's not supposed to be this way.  God didn't design His children to be at odds with one another and yet...we are.  The terrorist attack in Orlando showed that yesterday, didn't it?  I saw on a news show this morning the president of the LGBT Center of Central Florida and the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida offering one another support in wake of this tragedy.  Who'd have thought a couple like that would get together?  Quite the contradiction, huh, but doesn't this show that the world is trying to make us all get along, to not judge one another, to forgive the lifestyles several choose and live in harmony despite them?  

But we can't just accept the superficial gestures as true brotherly love, now can we?  We must go deeper as we endeavor to mend fences with those who are God's children that have aught with one another.  We must!  And when we do?  Then the true light of this world can shine through and real healing take place.  I do not mean this as a slight to the Gay Community nor against those of other faiths.  When all is said and done and we stand before God, the righteousness of Christ is going to be what He sees in our lives.  The way we loved, the way we lived, the way we embodied Christ in us:  those are the crucial elements.  May we all exhibit them one to another is my hope.