Christ-like in a Culture of Rage
Who’s pulling your string?
There is outrage everywhere. People are like a balloon ready to pop. It is a divisive world with the prevailing attitude: us versus them. Some lies under the rage and what our priority is to be:
Righteous Indignation: The gospel is to be over outrage. Mark 16:25 He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
Cultural/Political Identity: Great commandments are to be over culture or political identity. Matthew 22:37,39 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
Being Right Instead of Mission: Great commission is to be over being right. Matthew 28:19 …go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…
Being Christ-like is the solution to the culture of rage.
Ed Stetzer: If we cannot demonstrate the humility and love necessary to listen to other perspectives in the body of Christ, we will never be able to engage those outside the church.
Ask these questions before you speak, act, or post online:
Is it in any way a distraction or contradictory to the Gospel?
Are your words or actions expressing love?
Is what you are speaking or doing moving people toward or away from knowing Christ?
What God’s Word tells us to do: 1 Thessalonians 5:15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. This is how you dress for success. Philippians 4:5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. 1 Corinthians 16:14 Do everything in love. Exodus 23:5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. John 13:34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
What’s pulling you?