THE WHY QUESTION (PART 6)

THE WORLD WE LIVE (MAN’S WICKEDNESS TO MAN)

We are only responsible for the actions, choices and principles we choose to live by; we cannot take that responsibility for other people. Thus so long as man is free to exercise his will, to choose not to follow God, to choose to disregard God’s authority, man can by his actions or inactions cause pain to his fellow man. This includes those who believe in Jesus, for being a believer is not a ticket to a hitch free or bump free Life. Look at Jesus, the same crowd that chanted “Hosanna! Hosanna!” also chorused, “Crucify him! Crucify him.”

In this world, we will have many trials, we will go through deep waters; rivers of difficulty or fire but God has promised to be with us. He promised that we will not drown; neither would we be burned for he has overcome the world for our sake. He has deprived the world of its power to hurt us, to hurt the life that we now have in Christ Jesus. This is not just a promise, it is our reality, for he said, “I am with you always even to the end of the age.” (John 16:33, Isaiah 43:2, Matthew 28:20).

Each of us has been wronged in some way; a friend’s rejection, a spouse’s betrayal, family abandonment, the act of a reckless driver or drunkard, a stranger’s sexual assault, a colleague’s deception etc. The list is endless, but then again Jesus showed us the way; on the cross where he hung, crucified by the very people he came to save, he said, “Father forgive them…” In the face of rejection and cruelty, he chose to love. He chose not to hold on to their bitterness or cruelty because bitterness, in all its forms, including that which is seemingly justified, has the capacity to destroy a person.

We can choose to follow the example of Jesus. We can choose not to pay evil for evil but to overcome evil with good. We can choose to open our heart and allow the healing power of the word and love of God to heal us. We can choose to forgive. When we respond to hate with hate, we become exactly what we hate. Imagine if Jesus had reciprocated the same hatred that was shown towards him, He would have ended up like them. But he chose to be who he is. He chose love. Who do you want to be?

The greatest power that has ever been and will ever be wielded on earth is the power of Love. It is this power that overcame the world and this power has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We have been given the capacity to love like our father, God. If we need him to teach us how to love, we can ask him for help. Exercising this power of love shows how powerful we are. This is because whenever we exercise this power, we deprive the world of its ability to hurt us.

In exercising this power, we take charge; we take control of our lives. We do not give to any person the power to dictate to us who we are and how we respond to situations neither do we give to any person the power to be or play God in our lives. In exercising this power, we tell our freedom; we sing our freedom song; and above all, we make room for others to experience the love of God through us. Just like Stephen, who died with these words “Lord don’t charge them with this sin” and there stood amongst them, our beloved Apostle Paul, the one who aided his death.

Are you hurting or have you been hurt? You can go to the healer, Jesus and lay it all down. You can ask him for help. For he has promised that a bruised reed he will not break and a dimly burning wick he will not quench. (Matthew12:21)

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:6-8

To be continued…