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| Many years ago, I did this as a visual, a reminder of the grace and forgiveness I have received that needs to be extended to the one who hurt me. (Maybe this visual will help you, too.) |
The three years that Jesus spent teaching and healing were filled with showing us the way of the kingdom of God. He spoke often of the kingdom of God.
Jesus came to show us who God is. He told the people of that day that you can only know God and come to Him through Himself.
The way of God that Jesus spoke of and showed us was a way that was directly opposite of our human way of doing things.
The people wanted rescued from the fierce and cruel Roman rule. They were promised a Messiah that would free them. They had their own ideas of what and how that should look like.
They were met head on with a different way. Jesus, the Rabbi, the Messiah, spoke -
He spoke of not retaliating, eye for eye, but whoever slaps you turn the other cheek.
If someone takes your coat, give him your cloak also.
Their custom was that if a Roman asked you to carry something for him you were only obligated to go one mile. Jesus said, "Take it two miles".
Jesus told the people that His kingdom doesn't fight.
He said that to give is to receive.
Jesus said to love others as He has loved us.
And one of the hardest maybe and one that feels so very unjust is - to forgive. Not once. Not seven times - but 70 x 7. More than we will keep track of is the point, again. And again.
(Now I am in no way advocating abuse or letting someone run over you and Jesus isn't either. I believe this is a way that Jesus was saying - show love, grace, and compassion.)
I sit with these statements and realize an underlying theme that my heart wrestles with - the radical ways of God that Jesus lived, modeled for us, and told us to go and do likewise as He has done, is beyond my human capacity. I must know Him and His transforming power to be able to go and do.
As I wrestled with this - feelings of unfairness and unjustness come rising to the surface. Don't we need to do justice?
I don't get very far as I learn of Jesus and look at the way He lived to know and to realize that no, I don't get to live with how and what I think justice should look like. His ways are radical and don't make sense to my human way of thinking. And isn't that the point?! Jesus' way is opposite to the way of the human. Jesus' way is opposite and in direct conflict to the enemy - Satan.
Jesus' way cannot be lived out, followed, or given to another human being unless He first impacts our own heart.
We absolutely will not love, forgive, or go beyond if it is up to us. (Or am I alone in this??) I don't think so. We fight the 'Romans' in our lives. We lash out to those who hurt us, giving eye for eye and even with a bit more punch. Well, maybe we don't do it so outright. It just may be a bit more subtle, slyly for we are Christians, aren't we? We are only standing for truth, we might say.
As the woman taken in adultery, dragged by men of religion to be condemned. They held the stones, ready to hurl them to the woman. By their law they could. They had every right to throw the stones.
But they asked Jesus what they should do to this woman. (John 8:4)
Jesus doesn't say a word but stoops. He stoops down and touches the ground and begins to write in the dirt of the earth.
As the words take form, they persist in asking Him what to do.
Jesus rises up and straightens Himself and speaks the words, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
Then Jesus stoops again and writes some more.
And slowly, but surely the leaving begins. First the oldest one leaves and then the next one, followed by another - until -
Jesus once again straightens Himself and turns to the woman crouching before Him. He asks her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"
And she replies, "No one, Lord."
Jesus then tells her, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer."
Radical. (Yes.)
Unfair. (Most certainly)
We do not have recorded the words Jesus wrote in the dirt of the earth. There are many thoughts on that.
I believe it was in some way words of grace. Their sin mentioned along with the grace extended to them. For in the presence of grace and remembering our receiving of it, stones are laid down.
When we hold stones of judgement, (however right they are), compassion cannot happen. In the presence of Jesus and when we remember how we have received His mercy, grace, and forgiveness we will lay down our stones of blame, justice, and revenge. When justice and judgement is laid down there is room for compassion.
Honestly, the only way to live the radical ways of Jesus is for His grace to impact my own heart. I cannot give what I do not have.
This takes us to the two greatest commandments that Jesus told us. The first is to love Him with our all of ourselves - our heart, mind, soul, and strength. The second one is to love our neighbor as ourselves.
You and I cannot give what we do not own. Unless God's grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness grip my heart I will cast stones and compassion will not take place.
If you wrestle with this way, you are not alone. I have. I will admit to that. It is not my way naturally. As Jesus wrestled in Gethsemane to do the way of God, you and I have our own 'Gethsemane' moments of wrestling to do the will and way of God.
This is where the power of the resurrection enables us. Because of Jesus, when we choose Him, we find our way through the garden of Gethsemane and as we face the 'Judas' in our own stories- the ones who hurt us'.
When we love and forgive we are showing who God is. The only way possible to love and forgive and offer grace is first of all to know God. It's more than knowing about Him. It's knowing Him deep within. It's understanding what Jesus has given to us personally and allowing it to change us. Then and only then do we have something to offer to each other. Through that understanding, Jesus' transforming power enables us to live His radical ways.
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