“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.  And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.  (Matthew 5:38-42)

“What? How dare they bill me! This test was supposed to be 100% paid by my medical plan!” Even though the bill was for only $45, I was furious. I spent hours trying to get that bill to disappear.  I wanted to cling to every penny that was mine.

Compare my reaction to what Jesus says in today’s scripture. Is Jesus telling us to be a doormat? Not necessarily. Indeed, in Acts 22, even Paul stood up for his rights as a Roman citizen.

But my question for today is, how aggressive should I be in standing up for my own interests? When does a legitimate reason to do so morph into an obsession with “mine! mine! mine!”

First, consider Philippians 2:4. I am asked to “Look not just to my own interest, but also to the interests of others.” This scripture is not saying that looking to my own interest is wrong in and of itself, but that it’s wrong when it consumes me so much that I stop looking to the interests of others.

Just think, what other, more worthwhile “noble, right, and admirable” (Phil. 4:8) things I could have done instead of stewing and fretting over the incorrectness of that $45 bill. Next time, by the grace of the Lord, I will think twice before getting so bent out of shape. By walking in the Spirit, I can learn to hold what is mine loosely in my hand, and be ready to let go if the Lord says to.

Not only does that attitude please God, it’s a less stressed out way to live.

 

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.  News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.  Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.   (Matthew 4:23-25)

Are the large crowds due to who Jesus was and what his teaching was, or due only to the benefits they are getting?  Jesus ended up crucified as a criminal on the cross. Where were they when Jesus was crucified?

Should I worry about whether I love Jesus for Jesus and whether I will love him for himself when the going gets tough? There are many great things Jesus has given to me.  Having a good wife, a pleasant home, good times running, nice food and a pint of beer, fellowship meetings I love, and more. Yet he tells me that I should love him more than any of these good things.

Should I worry about whether my love for Jesus would fade out if I lost the good things in life that I enjoy?

Did you ever mix colors to dye Easter eggs? Yellow dye for yellow eggs. Blue dye for blue eggs.   Now to get my green eggs I mix the yellow and blue dyes. But once I have the green egg dye, can I separate the blue and the yellow back out? No way.

In the same way, how much I am a Christian for my love of Jesus and how much for what I get from him is a mix that can’t be separated. But I don’t think I need to obsess over it. Because as I continue to seek Jesus, there is one thing I can hold onto as true with confidence.

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1 :6)

What a relief! It’s not mainly up to me to complete it.  Since the Holy Spirit began a work in my heart, I know that He never gives up until it is completed. This is my confidence.