Romans 12:9-21
Sometimes, we get into conflicts with other people. There's no avoiding it. No matter how well you reflect Christ at work, you're going to find yourself in conflict with someone. In face, someone might be at odds with you just because of your faith. But other times, conflicts occur when we fight for our way, when our ambitions cause conflicts with others. Paul speaks to those occasions. "Live in harmony with others...as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." I see this verse as a call to not cause conflicts. Even when someone wrongs you, as Christians, you are called to turn the other cheek and show love to others. It's not easy, but it is one way to demonstrate how your faith makes you different. The world will tell you to fight back, to take up for yourself. Jesus tells you to deny yourself. If you have wronged anyone, you should make it right immediately. If someone is trying to pick a fight with you, "bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse...do not repay evil for evil...do not seek revenge." At the end of the day, the issue of blame doesn't matter--give in to the other person, regardless of who is in the right.
There's a motivation issue here as well. It's not about loving them for the purpose of "heaping burning coals on their head." Kill them with kindness, so to speak? The motivation is not kindness so that they'll feel guilty about mistreating you. It's about showing Christ's love, even when others don't deserve it.
May I add what I learnt from the well known saying of Jesus:
ReplyDelete"but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
No matter how good the intentions one may have toward others, he might anytime do wrong to them due to his limited knowledge about the other side and/or the situation.
So it doesn't matter if a person has a human soul or not, he might anytime hurt me, also by mistake or not.
And I won't expect to hear any person calling himself as a mere survival being much like the pre-programmed animals in a jungle. On the other hand, true Love (ultimate union) could exist between two human souls only and by their own independent will. The true Love cannot be imposed by any natural law (as in the jungles) or man-made law (to maintain the survival of a society). For instance, I am surprised how all English versions of the New Testament show Jesus as a commander while he recommends the path of Love, mainly his first/second advices called commandments! (I wished there is an English word like ‘commendment’ from recommend, instead of ‘commandment’ from command).
So Jesus gives me a simple but sure process to discover the deep nature of the persons I have to live with. Based on this knowledge, I will have a better chance to live in balance, even with those who have no human soul since I won't expect from them more than I do with the dogs I take care of or even with some scared animals I might meet in a jungle.
Jesus hint above is simply about giving a chance (like turning the other cheek) to the other side in order to let him express himself better. Obviously the way he will react after it will speak by itself which gives me a clearer/sure insight about the person in question more than thousands of words he might use to say.
I am afraid that this hint is helpful to those who have a human soul only since those who don't have it don't need to discover anything in this respect. Naturally to them, all human beings are created the way they are... to use their intelligence in knowing how to survive as long as possible and no matter how.
That's a good point. Not only is turning the other cheek a reflection of God's love for us, but it also gives us a chance to better understand the other person.
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