The Bullet of Response: Following the Perfect Example

Our Perfect Master goes on to say in John 12:25 that “they hated Me without cause.” Sometimes, for no reason in us, people will criticize us, hate us, and make no attempt to understand us. No one can build a barrier strong enough to protect himself from the self-centered attacks of other members of the human race. Even Jesus didn’t!!

But take heart! God does not judge us by the accusations directed at us but by the responses that proceed from us.

We are not responsible for controlling others, but we are responsible for controlling ourselves. Hatred, criticism and misunderstanding are bound to come, but we’d better be careful that they don’t come from us.

When we’re tempted to misunderstand someone, or others seek to draw us into a “criticism session,” our “God response” should be as follows: “I’m sorry but I don’t understand enough about that person or the situation to comment.”

Responses like that were why the Father was well pleased with the Son. Even though Jesus Christ understood everything about His mission, the people and His situation before Pilate, He still kept His mouth shut!

Let us not be so foolish as to miss the enormity of such an example!

The Bullet of Response: Love Back

All of us deserve most of the criticism that comes our way. None of us can fully keep from being misunderstood. We all want to be loved, and we are hurt (or at least bothered) when folks hate us. What can we do about it?

We can fight back or love back. We can do “our thing” or “His thing.” We can do what most do or what He did. It’s either the “human response” or the “God response.”

A person who says, “I am a Christian,” should give evidence that his “human responses” are decreasing and his “God responses” are increasing. Otherwise his faith is suspect.

The Lord Christ told us that “a slave is no grater than his master. If ‘they’ persecuted Me, ‘they’ will also persecute you” (John 15:20). The word “they” doesn’t refer just to unbelievers, “pagans,” Pharisees, immoral persons, etc. – it refers to anyone who doesn’t love, even a Christian!

The Bullet of Reaction: You Have a Choice

In this life … and on this earth … we will never escape criticism, misunderstanding and hate. If a person can’t learn to deal with this kind of conflict then joy, purpose and peace will forever elude him.

The “sons and daughters of Adam” have only two options in reacting to hate and criticism: the “human resources” option or the “God response” option. All of us have tried (and still try) the “human response” option. It expresses itself in one of four ways: 1) defending self, 2) blaming others, 3) inner bitterness or 4) giving up! Each is a path to futility and despair.

The “God response” is only possible to those of us who have a measure of God’s Spirit by being His “born again” ones. It’s a pity we avail ourselves of this power so infrequently. When we practice the “God response,” we don’t get bitter, defend ourselves, blame others or give up; instead we chose to give thanks that an opportunity to express conquering Messiah Love has been presented.

The Bullet of Persistence: Even Perfection Is Not Enough

I was impressed recently in reading the Gospel of Matthew at how a perfect man, Jesus Christ, was constantly put down by the human race which He had created.

In Chapter 8 they begged Him to get out of their country and leave them alone. He had healed a man and upset their “business as usual” attitude.

In Chapter 9 He made a statement about what God had told Him to do and they laughed at Him.

In Chapter 11 they called Him a gluttonous man and a drunkard and part of the sinner’s crowd.

In Chapter 12 they plotted together how they could raise up against Him and destroy Him.

In Chapter 13 they said, “This is no one special. We know His brothers and sisters. He is the carpenter and Mary’s son and He is no different from us.” Scriptures say that “they took offense at Him.”

In Chapter 15 even the religious leaders are upset at what Jesus said.

That all the above was thrown at the Son of God is unbelievable, yet encouraging. Unbelievable that the perfect Son of God should be so treated. Encouraging that all who seek to follow Christ can expect the same.

As Christians we only have three choices about our response to God and others … give up … be perfect … or keep on keeping on. No one who takes Jesus seriously and who is really concerned about Truth can give up. None of us will become perfect overnight, or in fifty or sixty years for that matter, so the only option is to keep going and strive to appropriate the grace of God as rapidly as possible. There is no other way. Even being perfect won’t help … if our Lord’s example is taken seriously!

The Answer is ... Turn!

Is more knowledge the answer to man’s quest for peace, pardon, power and purpose? Decidedly not!

Giving people with spiritual vacuums just another fact or two is like rowing out and giving a drowning man one more drink of water (one of my favorite saying). People need more than facts … they need love and the assurance their lives are in harmony with reality. Only God … the AUTHOR of reality … can give that!

Incredible. Seventy-five percent of all the information available to mankind has been developed within the last two decades (20 years). Millions of pieces of information are created daily. The total amount is doubling every ten years. With seventy-two billion new pieces of information arriving yearly, how do you cope with it all? How do you gather it, edit it, disseminate it, store it and retrieve it?

Daniel 12:4 … But thou, Oh Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book even to the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE INCREASED.

The prophet Daniel indicated that one of the signs preceding the return of Christ to earth would be a vast knowledge explosion (“run to and fro” speaks of increased travel). Both are literally being fulfilled in our day!

Some people cry, LEARN … this is our salvation! But, although knowledge is part of our uniqueness as humans, learning itself is inadequate to quench man’s earnest spiritual thirst.

Some say BURN … tear everything down. Destroy the system. Get mad. To you know where with everything but me and what I want! Still it’s not enough!

Some say EARN … make money and it will buy you all you really seek. Nonsense! Many of the rich are the most miserable specimens of humanity. Many more waste their lives seeking riches. It’s a delusion.

The Bible says TURN … give up on your own wisdom, goals and way of doing things and let God in Jesus Christ take control of your life. Thousands of folks who had tried everything else say this is what worked … and works … for them.

Have you really turned your life from futility to reality? Why no experiment with a Christ-directed life?

This same prophet, Daniel, was really in despair and trembling about the world situation in the 6th century B.C. Everything was confusion and uncertain. But, though the world blew up around him, he found the peace that passes understanding by turning.

When we turn, God comes to us in a new way. He always answers a seeking heart. Don’t be afraid Daniel, for from the first day you set your heat to understand and humbled yourself before your God your words were heard and I have come because of your words (Daniel 10:12).

Exciting isn’t it? Why not try it?

The Bullet of Assurance: Lion Power

See if you remember this: back in the sixties one of American’s larges oil companies captured the imagination of the country with the slogan, “Put a Tiger in Your Tank.” Even if you don’t a tiger in your tank is a powerful image.

The idea was that using their gasoline would unleash the strength of a tiger in your engine! Of course, gas is gas, but some of us could just “feel” that tiger in there and we bought it by the gallons.

Amazingly enough the Bible has exactly the same idea around 930 B.C. when King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 28:1 … “The righteous are as bold as a lion.” Or, to put it another way, those who live by God’s standards have lion power!

Boldness and zest for life come from being confident and assured about one’s source. To be right is to be strong! So it has always been. So it will ever be.

The Bible gives one of Jesus’ names as “The Lion of Judah.” No mistake I’m sure for the greatest person who ever walked the earth! Strength has authority!

Those of us who have received Christ as Savior … not just had a mental belief in His existence … have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. God puts His power in those who believe and obey (John 1:12 Acts 1:8 and 5:32). He does what no gasoline pump could ever do.

Therefore, the true Christian’s main task is learning how to progressively “let the Lion out” which he or she has inside. A joyful burden, to say the least!

In my own pilgrimage of following the Master I am gradually learning that His strength in me is greater than any force or problem against me (I John 4:4).

Sure, even the strongest of us falter and fail, despair and limp. But even the limping Lion has nothing to fear from the barking Chihuahuas!

Believe me, even life’s most difficult agonies are only Chihuahuas in comparison to God’s Lion in us … no matter how loud the bark!

Have you let God put “His Lion” in your life?

The Bullet of Relationship: The Right Place for Enthusiasm

My dictionary says that a fan is an enthusiastic devotee of any sport or diversion. But a fanatic is possessed by unreasonable enthusiasm, intemperate zeal or displays extravagant loyalty or frenzy. Finding the lines between a fan or a fanatic seems to be the lone privilege of only the anti or moderate religionist! I suppose any cause will always have followers in the frenzy category. But why is it that only those enthusiastic about Jesus earn the most frequent title of fanatic?

I’m sure I’m in the top ten percent of those who love the Razorbacks. I mean really love them as people. I have worked with hundreds of them over the years far beyond the superficial “hello” and “good game guys.” I hurt when we lose, but I consider myself a sane fan and not a fanatic.

There are others, however, who drive their motor homes to Fayetteville on Thursday to “get ready” for Saturday’s game! Coordinated and sometimes expensive “red outfits” cover wife and husband head to toe! Brown bags and hip flasks abound so as to add to the “spirit of the hour.” Both sides of the stadium strive to out-yell one another as leaders from the field jump and wave their arms as frenetically as possible. Spontaneous “boos” come forth from the mouths of the fans when an official errs from the truth (i.e., he made a stupid call – against us!) As regular as clock work some fan appoints himself the “preacher” of his section and rises at appropriate moments of prophetic need to scream some well-chosen expletives at our opponents or the officials. Finally, many in the congregation, excuse me, crowd, leave the game in anguish of soul over the trauma of loss.

Of course, these folk are simply athletic fans. A different breed than fanatics of the Jesus sort! We Christian fanatics seem to believe that God is more important than games! People are more important than pleasure! Love is more important than looks. Giving is more important than getting. Caring is more important than criticizing. God-enthusiasm is more important than anything else.

The law of the land seems to imply that it’s okay to be immoderately excited about the secondary (sports or whatever), but you are emotionally dysfunctional to be highly excited about what’s primary (God)! Funny world, isn’t it! This article may label me as a fanatic to some. If so, then I joyfully plead guilty. Let’s get excited about what is really significant and fantastic … Jesus Christ, the Lord!

The Bullet of Relationship: Don’t be Religious

In the past some people have referred to me and the church I pastored as religious fanatics! Me, of all people, a religious fanatic! Never!

First of all, I “hate” religion! Nothing is more boring, wasteful, misleading and deceptive than religion. The religions of man are the curse of the earth! Even the magnificent and liberating message of Jesus Christ has been corrupted and infected by religion and the religious. Religion exalts labels, traditions, forms and rules above the spirit of love, truth, joy and forgiveness! The former are necessary to the balanced life but without the latter they become the tools of enslavement!

But secondly, even though religion repels me, I am ecstatic about my personal relationship with the Father through His Son. I find loving God a most peaceful, settling, strengthening and satisfying experience. Besides, it is highly motivating and packed with wisdom. I am, to be honest, rather enthusiastic about it all! If the above confession makes me a candidate for fanaticism, then I’m fuel for the fire!