The last promise of the Old Testament was that I would send Elijah, so when a prophet appeared it made sense for the people to ask John the Baptist if he was Elijah. He said he was not, but I said he was. Although his name was not Elijah he came to fulfill the role and this was before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. The implication was that every generation needs someone to act as Elijah and John the Baptist did this in his own time.
I taught you to love your enemies. I actually taught you to love everyone, but loving your enemies may be the most severe test of this general principle. If you can love your enemies you can love anyone, but this is indeed difficult. How can you go about it? You can’t love from a distance by well-wishing, so you need to approach and engage those with whom you disagree.
Are you prepared to sacrifice for me? What do you think would please me? Your money, your time? I will not reject these, but what I want most from you is a broken spirit and a contrite heart. This is also one of the most expensive gifts you can give, but it is not for me alone. Isn’t this also one of the best gifts you can give other people? Haven’t you already seen this in the people you encounter? What quality is more desirable than an unselfconscious sense of grace?
Do you like to win? Some of life’s activities are competitive by nature, but people go beyond that to structure competitive events and are eager to take part in them. Everyone likes to win. Jacob wrestled with me in the night and I told him to let go but he wouldn’t and he ended up with his hip out of joint and walked with a limp ever after. So who won the wrestling match? When you wrestle with me the concepts of a winner and a loser are not as clear cut as they are in structured human competition. So would you be eager to wrestle with me under these circumstances? Would you expect to win?
Are you familiar with the Bible passages about storing up treasure in heaven? Does this make perfect sense to you? What about the story of the unjust steward? He was fired for dishonest performance, and his last acts were to gain favor with his master’s customers so he would not have to work afterwards. This may have been shrewd, but was it admirable? Do you see a connection between these stories? Do you live your life in such a way as to have strong connections with others and favor with them so they will remember you when you are in need? Could you think of this as treasure in heaven?
Have you ever seen anyone wear a cross as an item of jewelry, such as a necklace? This would not have occurred in my lifetime, for the cross was an instrument of torture and death, not adornment. What has happened since? The cross has become the universal symbol of the Christian faith. There are two ways to consider this. One is that the cross has become so commonplace that it has lost its original meaning and impact.
Have you ever taken a math test? Would you be suspicious if every problem had the same answer? Wouldn’t you expect a different answer for every problem? Yet have you met people who offer the same answer for every problem? You should be just as suspicious of this as you would for the math test, for the real world you live in is complex and does not lend itself to the same answer for every question. This reflects thinking that is ideological, narrow, and shallow. Do you take pleasure in people who are so easily predictable? Don’t be one yourself.
Have you ever heard of seeds of doubt? You may have heard challenges to your faith, or had circumstances go against you, possibly in the form of something that you prayed for that didn’t happen. Does this cause you to re-examine your faith? It is best to address these questions, because seeds of this type will turn into weeds in your garden. There are other types of seeds as well. These are referred to in the parable of the sower and the seed, and also in the story of one apostle planting and another watering but God giving the increase.
Have you ever been sworn to secrecy, when someone confides in you some sensitive information about themselves on the condition that it be held in confidence? Has anyone ever told you such information without making such a request? In that case would you be free to share it widely? Passing on damaging information about others is gossip even if you heard it directly from them, and even if no promise of confidentiality was required. Do you understand the importance of speaking the truth in love?
Have you ever had an unguarded conversation? In your encounters with other people you learn very quickly what subjects are acceptable, what opinions are acceptable, and how much of your own vulnerability you can share. You may have known someone for years and know that things must be kept at a superficial level, but with others you can go deep even if you have only known them a short time. So the quality of the relationship depends on the empathy of those taking part in it. Which type of encounter do you find more satisfying? How would you rate your relationship with me in this regard?
