Right or Righteous?

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 9:51-56 ESV

51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up,

he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

52 And he sent messengers ahead of him,

who went and entered a village of the Samaritans,

to make preparations for him.

53 But the people did not receive him,

because his face was set toward Jerusalem.

54 And when his disciples James and John saw it,

they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire

to come down from heaven and consume them?”

55 But he turned and rebuked them.

56 And they went on to another village.

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God has a standard for us to live by.

His standard.

It isn’t according to our way of thinking.

His ways can seem unnecessary, strange, or even harsh at times.

We can often think our ways make more sense than God’s ways.

But God’s ways aren’t our ways.

His ways are higher than our ways.

His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

God is perfectly loving, kind, just, righteous, holy,

perfect, merciful, and gracious at all times.

He wants us to serve Him and not ourselves.

And He wants us to consider others before and above ourselves.

We think like man.

We think like James and John,

often times wanting to tell fire to come down from heaven

on our “enemies.”

But what does God have to say?

Luke 6:35-36

35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to

them without expecting to get anything back. Then your

reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High,

because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Love our enemies?

Seriously?

Really?

TAKING THE TRUTH TO HEART

Yes, God expects us to love others just as He has loved us.

Not just people who are challenging, but those we see as

our enemies as well.

He wants us to carry out His kingdom on earth not our own.

A fellow eMoment reader wrote that she heard

a pastor the other day say we must not treat “sinners”

as the enemy. We go to other nations and gladly

and boldly preach the good news to “sinners”

— those that are lost.

But in America we treat them as the enemy.

If we would only seek the Lord first.

If we would only stop and pray.

If we would live according to His standard,

His kingdom, His Word.

If we would live and love as if He were LORD.

He would be glorified.

His name would be exalted.

If we wouldn’t be so concerned about

being right.

Which is more important?

Being right or being righteous?

Luke 6:27-36

27 But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies,

do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you, pray for those

who mistreat you.

29 If someone strikes you on one cheek,

turn to him the other also.

If someone takes your cloak,

do not stop him from taking your tunic.

30 Give to everyone who asks you,

and if anyone takes what belongs to you,

do not demand it back.

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 If you love those who love you,

what credit is that to you?

Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.