Pastor's Video Blog

Today is Ash Wednesday. The day that begins a 40 day journey toward Easter. It is also the day when many people begin a time of giving up something for 40 days. ( Desserts, meat, smoking, even giving up a grudge from someone who has hurt you, etc.) I always think of the people who are about to give up chocolate tonight! (sorry about your choice!) When people first started following after Jesus, Jesus was not telling people to give up food. (like chocolate!) Instead Jesus was always giving away food to anyone who would show up to listen to him. Kind of like at our church, if you come hear me preach, I’ll give you free popcorn. (yes we really have popcorn on Sunday morning) When you went to hear Jesus you never went away hungry. He always fed you. All the fish you could eat. All the bread you could stuff yourself with.   And this was important because most people didn’t know where their next meal was coming from. If you got breakfast in those days, that was great. But will there be lunch?   So Jesus was very popular. But then one day, a lot of people stopped coming to hear him speak. It wasn’t because he stopped feeding them. It was because of what he said. One day Jesus said, “You have heard it said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I tell you, do good to those you can’t stand, speak well of those who don’t tell the truth about you, and pray for those who talk about you behind your back .” and that’s pretty much when the crowds stopped showing up!

Personally, every time I read that verse I have a hard time with it too. And this is where the argument in my head begins, it goes something like this: “Really? Seriously, Lord? You want me to do what? You have no idea the people I come across. I’m staying with the ‘eye for an eye verse. Besides, if I ever tried to do something nice to old so and so it wouldn’t make any difference. Lord, they wouldn’t get it. They wouldn’t feel the least bit guilty if I did something nice for them (and I really want them to feel guilty !!!) If I’m nice to them they will take advantage of me and expect me to be nice, from now on. And then they will continue in their bad behavior and I’m not going to help enable their bad behavior! In fact that would not be a very loving thing to do (see how much sense I am making Lord!) What I really ought to do is totally embarrass them. What I really ought to do is humiliate them in public. That would show them! That would teach them! Then they would change. Sooooooo, I’m just going to act towards them the way they act towards me! That’s it! Yep! I’m, just going to do what they do to me! I’m going to “Do unto others what they do to me!” …then I can act exactly the way they are….then I can become exactly what they are! ……………………………………………………………………….wait, that didn’t come out right! Hmmmmmmmm? Let’s see…..soooooooo…Today is Ash Wednesday huh?

……………………Where’s my chocolate? I think I’m going to need more chocolate!

Scripture: Luke 6:31 “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.”

Prayer: Lord, help me to break the chain of getting even. Help me to return kindness instead. Amen.

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