Monday, July 27, 2015

In our last visit we concluded by saying, if you have shared the good news with someone whom you discern is consistently scoffing and ridiculing it, you are free to walk away from them. This approach will harden some and provoke them to retaliate, while causing others to reconsider their attitude. In 2nd Corinthians 2:15-16, Paul says, “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.” The rich young ruler who came to Jesus didn’t like the answer Jesus gave him, turned and walked away empty and sad. On the other hand a Canaanite woman came to Jesus begging Him for help. Jesus rejected her request and told her she was nothing more than a dog. She surprisingly accepted that degrading designation and pressed her humble plea for Jesus help – “Yes, Lord,’ she said, ‘but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table’” (Matthew 15:21-27). Jesus responded to her faith by granting her request. This is a picture of amazing grace received by faith. These illustrations, present us with a conundrum: though Jesus said, “Do not give dogs what is sacred,” giving us the freedom to turn away from someone we judge to be beyond wanting to be saved, we might be wrong in our assessment. This suggests, the first thing we should do when we feel like judging someone is to pray for them and then, before we act, pray for discernment for ourselves.