Justice
I was talking to Kristin the other day and had some pretty interesting ‘revelations’ about myself. Most of it probably too weird to post on here, but the main thing that stuck out to me is this. I already know that I am a very ‘black and white’ person. Meaning, things are either one way or they aren’t. I’ve always been that way. It might be good thing some of the time, but other times it’s really not. In the case that Kristin and I were talking about it’s more in the ‘not’ category.
See, I realized the other day that I am a ‘justice seeker’. I need to see something resolved. I need to see it ‘made to rights’. And when I don’t, it eats at me. It’s not that I need to see everything glossed over, but I need to see actual resolve. And sometimes that never happens. Sometimes the ‘resolve’ that I’m looking for, or the ‘justice’ that I have in my head isn’t ever going to happen. And then it sits with me.
I didn’t really realize this about myself until the conversation with Kristin. I’ve put myself in a place where if something happens to me, or around me, for whatever reason, I can’t shake it until there is “justice”. Now, when I say that, I’m not saying that I think it’s my job at all to ensure justice. I’ve never found it my responsibility to chase down evil-doers and make them pay or anything stupid like that. What I end up doing is just watching and waiting and driving myself nuts until what I feel should happen, happens.
What?!
Since when was it my responsibility to even care about justice? When did it become my duty, to watch anything followed through in anyone’s life but my own?
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:17-21
There’s some black and white for ya. Sure. I’ve seen this verse a thousand times. And for some reason I’ve never applied it to my situation. I think it’s because I’m not one to actively ‘go after’ someone, or to “repay evil for evil”, but what is sitting there, waiting for “justice” doing? Who’s “justice”? Mine?
So yeah. It’s a pretty weird thing to think about, but how many of us out there are seeking “justice” when we should be seeing to “do right in the eyes of everyone” and let God handle the justice stuff?
Just some light Monday morning thoughts for you.
What do you think? Are you a justice seeker?
But Mustard Seeds Are Small…. Right?
So, the other day I heard someone read the old familiar Bible verse about the mustard seed faith. You know the one.
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20
Now, I’ve heard this most of my life and always just sort of rolled with it. Mustard seeds are small, so even if you have a tiny amount of faith you can do awesome stuff like move mountains, right? Well, that doesn’t seem all that hard. I mean even to profess that you are a believer takes a certain amount of ‘faith’ right. Bam. I’m in. Bring me a mountain. I mean, isn’t that even a description to our belief?
“Hey Brody, tell me about your faith.”
“You mean like what I believe or my mustard seed?”
See what I mean? So here’s my deal with this verse. I’ve never heard a really extensive study of this particular verse. Not to say that it’s not out there. I just haven’t seen it. But I sort of have a problem with the way it’s “sold” to us. I mean I feel like I have faith. I believe what I believe and I rely on that belief to make it through life. I entrust my family to that belief (or faith) and base my decisions on the way that I feel this belief is leading me. And that belief takes some ‘faith’, correct?
So what about the folks that end up with brian tumors? What about those folks that can’t have kids? What about the thirty year-old who desperately wants to be married but is still alone? What if cancer does take your husband leaving you alone to raise two kids? Is their ‘faith’ smaller than that tiny seed? Because according to this verse, ‘nothing will be impossible’.
So, the other day I started thinking. What’s the context? Where’s this really coming from? I mean there’s got to be something more to this right? Has anyone ever heard an in-depth study of this verse? What was the significance of mustard seeds back then? I wish I had some really profound answer for the end of this post, but I don’t. How does this really connect to our lives today? What’s this really saying? Anyone?
Discuss.
Imposing?
When Jesus was on Earth, would today’s Christian society consider him someone who “imposed his beliefs on others”?
Thirty Nine Times
I heard the other day that the phrase “build up” was used in the New Testament thirty-nine times. I haven’t had time to confirm all thirty-nine, but I’m starting. Thirty-nine seems like a pretty substantial amount. I mean it doesn’t mention it once then drop it. It keeps repeating it… thirty-nine times…
“Build Up”, as in “the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.”- 2 Cor 13:10
-or-
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”- Ephesians 4:29
-or-
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”-1 Thessalonians 5:11
I’m a pretty cynical guy, there’s no doubt about that. I think we all know how much easier it is to tear someone down than it is to lift them up, especially when it requires you lifting them above yourself. I heard a sermon the other day that had nothing to do with building people up, but when the pastor mentioned that there were thirty nine references to “building up” it made me stop and think about why. It also made me start to wonder how many people I build up. How many people do I proclaim are doing a great job? How many people do I talk about in my everyday life and genuinely build them up? Do I build my wife up for everything she does? Do I build my kids up for the things they are learning and accomplishing?
Obviously there was in Biblical times, and I believe now, a pretty common theme among Christians tearing each other down far more than they are building each other up. Even as I read different blogs, the far more common posted about (my blog included) is the negative state of the church and the negative state of people in general. We have this forum now where we are allowed to preach our beliefs to anyone who will listen and we focus on the things that are wrong. And some of us are right. Some of us know what we are talking about and have studied and come to some pretty amazing conclusions. Some of us have every right to point fingers at these ne’er do wells, sort of like Paul had the right to… but then he says this and messes the whole thing up.
“We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”- 1 Corinthians 8:1
I want to try something. (and it’s pretty early in the morning so I don’t know how good of an idea this is) I want today to be “Positive Post Tuesday”. Let’s today, all write something on our blogs that builds another person up. Someone who is doing an amazing job at something, or someone that is changing the world around them by living the way they are supposed to, or someone that you feel needs building up and deserves it. Write about them and comment here with the post address to your blog. Then at the end of the day we can all go through the links and check them out. Sound good?
Euphrony, this might cross the gender blogging line, but don’t worry, I will post something manly later in the week… maybe we can have “Hunting Talk Friday” or something for balance.
Ready? Go.
