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Luke 6 starts great but I would like to cut out the last half of it. Most of us have a desire to have a little money, be able to eat regularly, live indoors, enjoy life and have friends. But Jesus says “woe” to folks like that. The blessed ones are poor, hungry, weeping, hated, ostracized and insulted.
The rest of the chapter is a study in opposites, too. Love folks who hate you. Bless those who curse you. If hit, don’t hit back but invite a second blow. Give to get. If someone takes from you give them even more. Then he says this, “”Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” UGH!
I have never met a single Christian nor even read of one who, by this standard, could call Him Lord.
I certainly don’t live like that. Then He pours more salt in the wound: Can the blind lead the blind, indicating that if we live just like the world (blind) how can we lead them to Christ?
That does it! I’m going to cut this chapter out of my Bible. Leaving it in will force me to be reminded, when I think I am doing pretty good as a Christian, that I am just as messed up as others, that I still fall short of God’s goals for me. It will keep me humbled because it will continually remind me that even though I may not indulge in some of the evil practices I so relish to condemn in others, neither do I live at the level of the cross – sacrificing myself for the sake of others. I will be reminded that even as a Christian I am still daily in need of a Savior, daily in need of His mercy and forgiveness.
Hmmmm. I probably ought to think about that but I don’t have time. I gotta go get my scissors.
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Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
AN ENCORE REPOST
Good post. Yep, I guess without his huge standards (huge from my point of view) it would be easy for me to get puffed up.