Many of us will spend some time this Holiday season with people who are... let's just say it...tough to love! It is reality. Some people are harder to love than others. They talk about themselves constantly. They have to be the center of attention. They have more problems than we do. They take much more than they give.
The Bible indeed concedes that some people are harder to love! However, God does NOT lower the requirement to love our neighbors as ourselves:
"If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that." Matthew 5:46–47 (NLT)
Jesus modeled this for us, by the way. In our relationship with Him, we are the draining ones; the ones who have all the problems; the ones who take much more than we give! Yet, He loves us unconditionally!
So this Holiday season, let's allow the love that Christ has shown us to be reflected in the relationships around us...even to the tough to love...because that's who we are!
From time to time, I'll have someone say to me: "I've been praying that God would surround me with more Christian friends," and while I understand what they're trying to say, I take issue with the statement. The church is to be that place in our lives where we do life with Christian friends. The primary reason our Life_Groups exist @mtnlakechurch is to provide the kind of Biblical Community every Christ follower needs.
However, outside of that, I don't think Jesus' goal for our lives is to surround us with "Christian" friends. Jesus actually reveals through His life, that outside of our relationship with the 12 (or so) discples we hang out with, every other part of our lives is to be lived as lights among darkness...not light among lights!
Jesus intentionally spent the majority of his day surrounded with people who didn't believe, belong, or behave like He did. Jesus was even questioned about who He hung out with:
"But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?” Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”Luke 5:30–32 (NLT)
You want Christians friends? Christ's friends were referred to as "scum". If you hang out with some "scum" then you indeed have Christ-like friends. If you don't hang out with "scum" your relationships differ from those of Jesus.
So who are the "scum" in your life God could be placing around you for His purposes?
When Jesus sent out the disciples He gave them these specific instructions:
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16 (NLT).
What was Jesus saying? That the disciples were going to have people trying to persecute them, take advantage of them, use them or run over them because they were followers of Jesus! So it was in that context, He said: "as you go out and encounter these people, be as harmless as doves, but as shred (wise) as serpents".
I believe that Jesus was also saying that when people are trying to run over us, use us, take advantage of us, persecute us, or run over us, that we should, also be:
AS HARMLESS AS DOVES:
Don't fight fire with fire.
However, I believe Jesus also gives us a lot of permission when He tells us to be:
AS WISE AS SERPENTS:
Who's our example for this way of living? Jesus! Harmless as a dove...but wise as a serpent! Doesn't this once again make you proud to be a follower of Jesus?!
Does this challenge the way you think about Christianity?
Yesterday just might have been one of my favorite days EVER @mtnlakechurch. I know that's a big statement, but here's why:
Satan also attacks leaders through:
Dissension/Division
1 Corinthians 1:10 (NLT) — 10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
Disappointment
Defeat
When we're attacked by Satan in one of these seven ways, we need to keep in mind God's word through the apostle Paul:
Romans 8:31, 35–39 (NIV) — 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
During our series on Angels and Demons, I mentioned that evil demonic forces seem to attack leaders first and hardest. Why? Get the leaders, get the followers!
I didn't have time to unpack everything I wanted to say, so here are specific ways Satan and his demons attack leaders.
Disasters
Distractions
Draining people
Destructive attitudes & behaviors
As a leader, have you felt Satan attack you in these ways? Would love to know!
Stay tuned for Part Two of this series!