In this part of Matthew,
Jesus asked a most important question. If as followers of Jesus there is no
stark distinction between us and those we would call "the world," how
are we different from anyone else?
If we only love when it's easy to love, how are
we different from anyone else?
If we retaliate when we
are insulted and hurt, how are we different from anyone else?
If we hoard our worldly
goods, how are we different from anyone else?
If the extent of our
Christianity is to do the least that's expected of us, how are we different
than anyone else?
If we only huddle with our
tribe, but never risk anything to witness, how are we different from anyone
else?
If there is no active,
tangible love for our enemy, how are we different from anyone else?
If we play it safe and
don't lay down our life, how are we different from anyone else?
The only way that anyone
will ever take our claim to Christianity seriously, is if it is accompanied by
something that people observing it will know comes from Jesus.
When the Apostles were
arrested for proclaiming Jesus, Acts 4:13 says, "When they saw the boldness
of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and common men, they
were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus."
That's all it takes for us
to be different from anyone--it must be clear that we have been with Jesus.
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