Do we look different? Does our behavior, our speech reflect Jesus? God’s way and truth? The United States constitution guarantees us freedom of speech, not hate speech. Those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior are called to follow His example, His teaching. There is righteous anger but this anger is used to bring good not to tear down others, to bring change for the good of ALL. We can be that change. By speaking truth in kindness and gentleness. God says, “Vengeance is Mine I will repay.” Jesus says love, love your neighbor and love those we feel are our enemies and to do good to them. In doing what is good and right we might not always reap good but evil is exposed for what it is. Anger and hate are fueled by anger and hate. Jesus tells us to do good and in doing so we heap coals of fire upon our enemies heads; or in other words we expose their evil and we don’t allow them to take pull us into hate. Hate brings separation from God because it eats away at our souls. To me to be separated from God, God’s love is hell. There is no peace there. Throughout scripture we are told to love each other and not only those that look like us, speak like us, or believe like us. We are told to help the poor for God will repay and help us in our time of need. We are told to obey laws and if we do it is better to be persecuted for doing what is good, what is right. In doing what is good and right evil is glaringly exposed. So let our behavior and speech be of love, peace, and self control.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Ephesians 5:3-4 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving thanks.
Do we want to be different? We can but “Not by power nor by might but by My Spirit,” says the Lord. I believe because I have just seen so much of God’s hand in my life. Hard corrections and changes He brought for my good. If we will believe we will see God’s hand. Correction is hard to take but God’s correction leads to life. God hears our prayers but God is a God of order not of chaos. God answers for the good of all for He knows the hearts, the pain, all those things that we have seen and heard, good and bad which has shaped who we are. We can be the change if we let God lead us He will make the way. Will we rend our hearts and accept the correction and follow Jesus?
