“Fight, fight, fight…” I can remember the chant from elementary school. It signaled that two kids were going to meet back near the juniper bushes after class. (This was back in the days when kids walked home after school.)
Everybody would come running and form a circle of excited spectators. We didn’t care about the cause of the conflict or worry about the people involved. We just wanted to see the drama unfold. And it was almost like drawing the crowd made the escalation of the conflict even more inevitable. Most of the time it ended with some name calling, a bit of wrestling, and maybe a few scrapes before a teacher came along and broke things up.
The current climate of conflict can make it feel like we’re all back in grade school again. Our media seems to do everything they can to intensify the conflict. The news is full of people who lash out emotionally, verbally, physically, and sadly, sometimes these conflicts escalate to road rage, domestic violence, murder, and war. Jesus said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” (Matt 15:18)
All of us have been wronged… but how do we respond? Out of anger and outrage or with mercy and compassion? No one was more wronged than Jesus was, so he understands what it feels like. Yet Jesus showed us a better way – meeting hatred with LOVE. It’s the way of life he modeled AND the way we can respond when we’ve been transformed by a relationship with Him.
This is the third week of our “He Gets Us” series and we’ll be looking a Matt. 5:38 to 48. I hope you’ll read along and prepare your heart to hear from God.
In Christ,
Kurt
P.S. Don’t forget about the Music Fest this Sunday at 1 pm for an afternoon of music, featuring the Valley Church Children’s Choir and Valley Handbell Academy.