I'm fresh off a visit with a friend who is going through a transition in life and, quite frankly, considering some pretty bizarre things. I'm not quite sure how to handle it, but it is reminding me of how we need to give one another freedom to have our own journey.
If anyone had the right to demand conformity and obedience, it was Jesus. He had his band of misfits and never once demanded anything of their person. He walked along side them, in all their faults and misgivings. He wanted people to follow Him out of conviction of their heart and conscience, not because he was able to effectively threaten or manipulate them. Love wins. Jesus modeled that the joy of participating in the Father's family was far more life-giving than strict obedience and conformity.
This is what won over the woman who was facing being stoned (John 8). "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." The only one who was without sin, the only one to remain, did not throw a stone. "Vengeance is mine says the Lord." For some reason, this provided some sort of solace for me - like God would nuke my enemies as long as I could keep my cool! What if vengeance is His, and He chooses not to unleash it? This was the case with that woman - by the law, she deserved the punishment. Maybe our view of Him and His wrath is scewed? Anyway, the point here is that Jesus didn't condemn, but gave her the freedom to be won over by love.
Paul demonstrated this as well. "We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. By setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God."(2 Cor 4:2) Ephesians 5:21, Paul tells us to "submit one to another."
By letting others have their own journey, we can be honest with ourselves and with others in how we see things differently. We can allow our conscience to lead us. We can love, even when we don't agree. This is part of submitting ourselves one to another.
If anyone had the right to demand conformity and obedience, it was Jesus. He had his band of misfits and never once demanded anything of their person. He walked along side them, in all their faults and misgivings. He wanted people to follow Him out of conviction of their heart and conscience, not because he was able to effectively threaten or manipulate them. Love wins. Jesus modeled that the joy of participating in the Father's family was far more life-giving than strict obedience and conformity.
This is what won over the woman who was facing being stoned (John 8). "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." The only one who was without sin, the only one to remain, did not throw a stone. "Vengeance is mine says the Lord." For some reason, this provided some sort of solace for me - like God would nuke my enemies as long as I could keep my cool! What if vengeance is His, and He chooses not to unleash it? This was the case with that woman - by the law, she deserved the punishment. Maybe our view of Him and His wrath is scewed? Anyway, the point here is that Jesus didn't condemn, but gave her the freedom to be won over by love.
Paul demonstrated this as well. "We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. By setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God."(2 Cor 4:2) Ephesians 5:21, Paul tells us to "submit one to another."
By letting others have their own journey, we can be honest with ourselves and with others in how we see things differently. We can allow our conscience to lead us. We can love, even when we don't agree. This is part of submitting ourselves one to another.
