Posted on May 19, 2024 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
A Way To Engage
by DJ Toelle
What do you think would happen if you put 100 black ants and 100 red ants together in the same ant farm?
Politics has a way of shaking us to our core. Do you know the feeling when you’re at a nice, peaceful family gathering or a fun night out with friends, and someone brings up a highly political or particularly divisive topic?
What do we do when our being is shaken? These moments happen on couches, on phone screens, and even in churches across America every day. And if we’re being honest, our natural tendency in these moments is usually to tighten up and attack.
However, Jesus invites us to share in his journey when approached with tense topics. In Luke 7, Jesus is invited to dinner with a Pharisee when a woman breaks the alabaster jar with perfume over Jesus’ feet. The Pharisee challenged Jesus in what I can only imagine was a tense moment. And how interesting how Jesus’ response record here, is that Jesus answered the Pharisees thoughts. Not the words spoken, but the thoughts. In this moment, Jesus knew that despite the harsh conversation piece, there was something deeper at play. He knew what we often miss, that this Pharisee, Simon, needed to experience and be shown love.
Behind every tense discourse is a journey we have traveled, most of which others will never see. Our journeys influence how and when we interact with and respond to tense situations or political opinions. And in the grand scheme of (kingdom) things, what do you think Jesus thinks is more important? Tightening up and attacking? Or loving? Jesus doesn’t tell us to avoid tense conversation, but He does model love-saturated tense conversations. He didn’t encourage us to agree or disagree but to love.
I’ve heard it said, “…politicians win or lose based on how people vote. The church wins or loses based on how well we love others.” In a world where politics shake even our closest friendships, Jesus invites us to be rooted and respond in love. Can you imagine how different your life story would be if you were met with love at your most vulnerable or tense moments? It’s no surprise Paul tells us that it is the greatest of these (faith and hope, 1 Corinthians 5).
Do you know what happens when you put 100 black and 100 red ants in the same ant farm? They will live peacefully until the farm is shaken; then, they attack each other.
When you find yourself in a tense moment, what is your first reaction? Are you more likely to tense up, attack, or maybe you withdraw? Jesus doesn’t tell us to avoid tense moments, or to not talk to people we disagree with. If we took Jesus’ words to heart, how might our divisive conversations look different?
Have you ever tried to “kill em’ with kindness”? It’s strangely possible to be so flustered we try to be passive-aggressively nice. While goodness and kindness is reflective of the character of Jesus, why do you think Jesus tells us specifically to LOVE our enemies? What’s different when we are kind versus when we love? Think about a relationship that feels impossible to rekindle for you. If we loved like Jesus, what do you think is possible in the hardest relationships in your life?
If you have a few minutes, read the entire chapter of John 13. Try and place yourself in the story. What do you think the disciples’ response was at this moment? Do you think they were shaken? Scared? Confused? If you asked a random person in your office or on the street what it means to love like Jesus, what do you think they would say?
How can applying the principles outlined in this passage, such as refraining from unwholesome talk and demonstrating kindness, compassion, and forgiveness, transform personal relationships and community interactions in today’s society?
We could spend our whole lives trying to find the boundaries of God’s love, and in fact, he invites us to do so! Paul tells us in this passage of his hope that we would know just how deep and wide the love of Jesus is. This weekend, how can you reflect that love to someone else on your journey?
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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