My 2016 Lenten Journey--Day 12

February 21, 2016 ~ Day 12

My 2016 Lenten Journey: Exploring the Gospels to discover what following Jesus and becoming more like him would look like? ‘And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NRSV).

Matthew 5:38-48 ~ These teachings may be among the most difficult of all Jesus’ teaching. Never retaliate? Never? Turn the other cheek? Really?

Give to everyone who begs from you? Won’t that just reinforce their life-style of irresponsibility? or is it really my business to evaluate their level of responsibility--to judge their worthiness to receive my charity? And what if they don't measure up to my standard? Did Jesus qualify his statement; did he leave me an "escape clause?"

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” This “ethic of limited retaliation actually was an improvement over the previous ethic of unlimited retaliation, which usually led to escalating retaliation. But now this: “Never retaliate!” Yeah, but...

And how about this: “Love your enemy?” But what if my enemy is a Muslim terrorist? or a child molester? What if he raped and murdered my daughter? Don't I get a 48-hour "kick-out" clause?

Surely Jesus wasn’t serious! He was just a naïve idealist, and his teachings are straight from “Never Never Land!” You try to live like that and people will take advantage of you! You try to live like that and people will destroy you!

You mean, like crucify you?

Hmmmm. This following Jesus thing may be more difficult than I anticipated.

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9 NRSV)

‘And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NRSV).

That's the way it looks through the flawed glass that is my world view.

Together in the Walk,

Jim