Some years ago, at a divorce court, the decision was being debated whether the father or mother should be given custody of two small people. With the Judge’s verdict came some profound words. “All children deserve unconditional love. The father’s family practises unconditional love. Custody will be granted to the father.” The courtroom was aghast. All present had been sure that the outcome of the decision would lean in favour of the mother.
The commandment to love unconditionally is one of the most challenging commandments in the Bible. In Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:43 & 44: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
Luke 12:11 & 12: “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”
Here again it is reinforced that a Christian will face difficult situations. And we will need to use our brain and our mouth to form answers to what may be challenging and pointed questions. However, we don’t need to spend hours preparing answers to all kinds of hypothetical queries. We have this comfort – the Holy Spirit will direct us in what we say and he’ll send inspiration just when we need it. Why does God work this way?
Because Christian witness is not activism. When we join a mindset of activism, we are shutting out Christ. We are becoming part of a mob. A mob is just that. A mob. The original intention of a mob is often noble and well-meaning. But we must test it under Jesus’ commandment, “Bless them that curse you.” This is why it is clear. We are to “take no thought”. We are not to follow on the web, or in any other format, something that advocates forceful Christian behaviour. Forceful is not Christian. Well-grounded quiet commitment to views based on the Holy Word of God is Christian Behaviour.
It is just as wrong to go along with hateful Bible-based, but warped, concepts as with obvious ungodly ones. Satan is the father of lies. He delights in dressing as a sheep when underneath he is a raging wolf. If support for “standing against wrong” does not pass the unconditional love test, then we are indeed not “standing against wrong”.
I John 2:15: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
Romans 12:19: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
