A thought by Erwin Raphael McManus from his book, The Way of the Warrior (p. 14). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
Have you found that to be the case in some situation in your life?
Erwin says, “This is exactly the dilemma for God, who in the Old Testament is constantly depicted as a God of war and violence. The way it is told, he is both the Creator of war and an instigator of violence. The reality is that we are the ones who introduced violence to the human story. We are the ones who carry war in our hearts. God has literally tainted his reputation by determining to bring peace in the midst of our violence. If the world were at peace, God would not disrupt it with war. It is because the world is at war that God disrupts it to bring peace. The only reason God is at war is that he is fighting for us. Yes, God is a warrior—he is a warrior of peace. God will always fight for the good and the beautiful and the true.
“God is not a God of war; God is a God of peace. When we are at war, we live beneath God’s intention for us. The wars of humanity war against God’s purpose in the world. The God of peace will not sit idly by and watch us destroy each other. He will not lose us to our own violence without a fight. We often blame God for involving himself in the wars of men, yet the reality is that for him to engage in human history, he had to enter into our violence and fight for peace. And peace on earth is worth the fight.
“Jesus knows the condition of the human heart and that because of our condition we would always face conflicts and there would always be suffering. He knew the standards of this world had fallen far beneath the intention of the Father for all humanity, so he called us to a new way. He called us to choose peace as our power.”
Erwin goes on, “It takes people of great strength to show restraint and trust that God will be their protector. However, in addition to withstanding abuse at the Roman soldier’s hand, Jesus’s listeners had to be wary of their own people. Some of the first-century Hebrews who stood in alliance with the Roman Empire would wrongfully sue their neighbors for the purpose of financial gain. This created further division in a time of great discord and made enemies of their own people. Now Jesus was giving them an unexpected strategy to end the enmity between their own families and friends. Give away more than you’re being sued for—this would’ve been an unheard-of strategy.
“Perhaps the greatest indignity in that day was when a Roman soldier would force a young Hebrew to carry the pack that his horse could easily handle. The Romans often thought of the Hebrews as nothing more than horses or dogs. They were not seen as truly human. Legally, Roman soldiers were empowered to make Hebrews carry their packs for a mile. Afterward, they would release them back to daily activities in humiliation. Jesus gave his listeners an unexpected way to claim their strength, to reclaim their power, to proclaim their freedom: ‘If anyone forces you to carry their pack one mile, you carry it for two.’ Choose service over obligation, servanthood over slavery. If they force you to work, then confound them with a greater wisdom. Never forget that you are always free to do more.”
So, will you choose His way to reclaim your strength, to reclaim your power and to proclaim your freedom? Will you?
Yes, yes!
Yes, yes!
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