49 When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.
In our verses for today Jesus wonderfully fleshes out Romans 12 for our eyes to see. I love the fact that Jesus never asks anything of us that He Himself, in some fashion, did not experience:
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)
These are difficult words indeed which to be consistently obedient to is made possible only through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let’s face it, it is easy to be nice to those who are like-minded but let someone cross us or cause us harm and we get all up in arms! Jesus says “No more of this!” We are to be different and our difference is made manifest by our love – no matter how difficult the people are to love in our sphere! This points others to Jesus opening the door for them to come to salvation which is only available through Him.
The Irish evangelist Gypsy Smith once said, "There are five Gospels: Matthew Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian, and some people will never read the first four."
We are often much too concerned with our own rights when in fact, as believers we have been bought by the blood of Jesus and have relinquished those rights we have a death grip on! Scripture tells us:
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Cor 6:19-20 (NIV)
We may be asking “Why?” Apart from the obvious fact that it is commanded, our obedience also brings much glory to God, ushers others to Jesus and allows us the blessing of the abundant life He holds out for us to embrace. Salvation is not just for eternity it is also for the here and now. We miss out on why we are even here if we stubbornly dig in our heals and refuse obedience to our Lord. We are certainly the losers when this occurs. Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew:
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matt 5:14-16 (NIV)
“Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief.” “The next time you’re overwhelmed, instead of asking, ‘How can I get out of this mess?’ try asking, ‘How can God be glorified in this situation?’” Robert J. Morgan
Our job is to shine His light pointing others to the proper path. Our influence should be intentionally evident - as a city on a hill is a beacon in the darkness, in like manner, His light shining through our lives should beam forth to this dark world. So how are we doing in this endeavor? It is not easy to live so contrary to the world’s standards of revenge or retribution. People think that we have lost our senses. We are told we are weak or perhaps a doormat when in reality our meekness is “a condition of mind and heart which demonstrates gentleness, not in weakness but in power. It is a balance born in strength of character” (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids).
“Meekness is the mark of a man who has been mastered by God.” Geoffrey B. Wilson
Lest we forget the example Jesus sets forth for us, it might be wise to revisit the prophecy Isaiah stated regarding the voluntary future restraint of our Lord’s power:
7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:7-11 (NIV)
“Jesus is the One who shows us the paradoxical route to meaning in a chaotic and hostile world. It’s the paradox of the gospel: Strength is found in weakness. Control is found in dependency. Power is found in surrender...God uses the frustrations of this life and the hurt of relationships to compel us to look beyond what we can control to the God who controls all things in order to woo us to himself. As we move from control to surrender, we move from chasing the wind under the sun to embracing God above it.” Dan Allender, Breaking the Idols of You