70 X 7

Hey guys. I've been silent just shadow boxing a bunch of anger and unforgiveness. This devotion was up today. Usually I'd link to it but it's so important I thought I'd just cut and paste.

This verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. In the natural realm, if a person does not hit back, it is because he is a coward. But in the spiritual realm, it is the very evidence of the Son of God in him if he does not hit back. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but you must make it an opportunity to exhibit the Son of God in your life. And you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus— it is either in you or it is not. A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not, "Do your duty," but is, in effect, "Do what is not your duty." It is not your duty to go the second mile, or to turn the other cheek, but Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will always do these things. We will not say, "Oh well, I just can’t do any more, and I’ve been so misrepresented and misunderstood." Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God, while in fact I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. That is the real meaning of filling "up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . ." ( Colossians 1:24 ). A disciple realizes that it is his Lord’s honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor.

Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself. We are always looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is— Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.

The word "justice" hits funny to me, just because it is so perverted today. I've been on the end of some pretty terrible justice. So I looked up the word in Psalms and then used the Blue Letter Bible to see what is up with that word.

The word is righteousness and justice, depending on the usage. And righteousness and justice as in goodness and salvation and being ethically right. Not as in...you get what you deserve. As in doing the right thing. Being who you are called to be. Letting Jesus live in you. Take the blow to protect God's honor.

This "Christian" thing is harder than people think.