A Slap Across The Face

A SLAP ACROSS THE FACE

Here is a confession from a year ago that still makes my heart jump to read it.  It’s something I continue to work on daily.  I have made progress, but I still have a long way to go.  Thank you for bearing with me.

CONFESSION:  Have you ever had one of those days when you have looked at something one way your whole life and then suddenly, out of nowhere, you see it a different way?  This morning I was cleaning in the kitchen and listening to a truly rich teaching.  The message was SO good and was talking about being used of God.  I was just scrubbing the sink and taking it in and up pops a verse.  You've probably heard it a zillion times.  Bear with me here.  I promise I’m  going somewhere with this.  It says, 

“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” – Matthew 25:40

Here Jesus is talking about when we offer a cup of water, clothe or feed "the least of these," it is as if we did those things for Jesus.  You can read commentaries about who the least of these are, maybe the poor, the sick, the lame, the forgotten.  Since the verse also refers to "brothers", the thought others take is it is referring to poor fellow Christians.  Well, I did some digging and in the original language the word "brothers,"or "brethren," in this context refers to mankind.  So, whatever we do for even the least of mankind, it is as if we have done it for Jesus.  Well, that feels good.  I like that.  It made me feel kind of warm and fuzzy inside.  

That's when out of the blue, like an unexpected piece of toast popping out of a toaster, thoughts come to mind.  Suddenly images were flooding my head - everything from rape to theft, violence, neglect, selfishness, false accusation, lying, greed, gossip, hatred, character assassination, prejudice, sex trafficking, slander...you name it.  Images were rushing thru my mind like an express train.  It isn't just the good things that we do for our fellow man that are "as unto Jesus."  It's everything we do, to and for, our fellow man that is as unto Jesus.  The good.  The bad.  The ugly.  It's like the commercial where the guy gets slapped across the face and he says, "Thanks!  I needed that!"  It was a shock, and yet I am so grateful.  It literally caught the breath in my chest.  

Forgive me, because I know that for many of you this is so elementary.  It is, I guess.  But I just never saw it that way before.  Jesus is my Savior.  I love Him!  So, of course I would never want to hurt Him or treat him with cruelty or even a hint of disrespect.  While I feel strongly about that, I am much less adamant about being loving and respectful when am cut off in traffic.  I feel it's my right to be snarky when I get passed over again and again when waiting to be served, because I don't fit the picture profile of one who frequents a business.  I feel vindicated in character assassination or furthering gossip about others, because it's "probably true."  

God forgive me for my harshness, false accusations, selfishness and hard heart.  Forgive me for putting myself above others and thinking of myself more highly than I ought.  Forgive me for what I have said or done to "the least of these brothers" – to mankind.  When I did it to them, I did it to You!  Do a work in my heart, Lord!  Thank You, Lord, for Your amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.  Thank You for removing the blinders from my eyes.  I am all the more humbled and all the more grateful for forgiveness.  Thank You, Lord, for a clean slate.  Help me to love like You do.  And help me to remember that everything I say and everything I do, to and for my fellow man, is as unto You." In Jesus Name ❤️

If you have been encouraged or challenged, please repost and further His kingdom!