How Should We Respond?

I heard someone ask recently, “What is your life’s message?” I had to think about that for a bit. What is it that drives me to Blog, write and to attempt to speak into the lives of fellow Believers? I guess to narrow it down it would be this, ”I personally desire to be a Christian that lives out in my everyday life, actions, reactions and words what are the written instructions and codes of conduct described in God’s Word for Believers.” Because what is the point of subscribing to a belief system that I say I believe but don’t practice?

Hypocrisy is “to have actions that belie our stated beliefs, or to say one thing and practice another.” Many Christians are accused of this to our own chagrin. I fully believe we do it not out of malice but out of ignorance. We are ignorant of God’s word. We hear it but do not understand the need to put it into practice on a personal level, but at the same time point out others who don’t. We see injustice or someone sinning and then sin by our own reactions to their sin. Social Media is the perfect example of this kind of behavior. #HelpUsLord

What is at the root of these kind of actions? We simply lack the quality of humility. Humility is “a lack of vanity or self-importance, a disposition of patience or long-suffering.” We think to highly of ourselves and our own opinions. Period.

As I’ve read and watched the current worlds escalating unrest, I see this playing out so clearly. Something happens and immediately people rise up in emotional reactions based on incomplete truths and personal opinions. The Internet and the Media stir the pot publicly and it just adds fuel to the already raging fire of adversity. Post after post on social media show friends arguing and defriending one another over a difference of opinion. This is being fueled by a lack of humility in the hearts of people.

We as people tend to “understand and condone” our own actions and beliefs while at the same time “criticizing and condemning” those of others. Why? A lack of humility, choosing to see others and their beliefs as hostile because we think differently or that ours are right and theirs aren’t. Since when is it wrong to think differently about things?

Scott Sauls says this in his book A Gentle Answer, If God’s default response to human offense is to be slow in His anger—even the righteous kind—how much more should this be true of us, even when expressions of righteous anger may be entirely justified?

“In being slow to anger through a spirit of meekness, we express the image of God in us, who, being both perfectly righteous and the universe’s chief offended party, “forgives all [our] iniquity” and “crowns [us] with steadfast love and mercy” and “is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:3-4, 8, emphasis mine).

Jesus renounced outrage and advanced the power of a gentle answer throughout His ministry. “In one instance, as they were traveling through a Samaritan village, Jesus’ disciples were met with rejection, hostility, and scorn. Feeling offended and incensed by the Samaritans’ inhospitable posture and disregard for their Lord, the disciples James and John, the so-called “Sons of Thunder,” suggested that Jesus retaliate by calling down fire from heaven to consume them. Jesus responded to the two brothers by rebuking them” (Luke 9:51-59).

Prejudice has always existed. When Jesus disciples wanted to retaliate, he rebukes them. To rebuke means “a sharp expression of disapproval or criticism.” Their emotional, non-humble reaction was met with rebuke. We must understand our hostile angry reactions will not change anything. We just want to get in the game not change the game. James 1:20 “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”

So how should we react to the injustice and sin in our world? 

1.     Pray. Before reacting emotionally to any situation, we need to take it to prayer. Our emotions will not produce the results we are looking for. God has an answer to the issue so it’s our job to seek his face and his word to find that answer. 

2.     Refuse to give in to the demands of emotions. Our emotions want to drive us. But we are called to be led of God’s Spirit. We must practice to be able to respond in the Spirit and not react in the flesh. 

3.     Listen. We have two ears and only one mouth for a reason. We should be listening more than talking. I’ll just leave that right there.

4.     Love. 1 Corinthians 13 is a prescription for how to act in Love. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

If our actions do not resemble these attributes we need to stop acting in that way. Love should always be the guiding factor in how we treat and respond to people. Will we mess up? Absolutely. When we do, we need to repent and try again and keep on trying…always seeking to be better and to do better. Growth is a process that never ceases…