Whatever is happening, how are we responding?
We do not have control over how another acts towards us but we can decide how we respond.
Our Christian Life Community (CLC) has continued to meet during this lockdown. We meet fortnightly so Thursday night was our third on-line meet.
The first time we met we used Whatsapp to facilitate the group’s prayers. This meant each of us typed as we were moved to speak. You may be surprised as was I that we typed for an hour and a half.
The second time we again used Whatapp but this time a group video call. This was different but as Whatapp only holds 4 in a video call one of our number was listening and speaking in via another’s landline.
On Thursday we tried it again but there was a lot of noise for some so we went zoom. Fortunately, another of our number had subscribed. It probably worked the best to date.
The passage that we had been contemplating for the last while was Luke chapter 22 verses 47 to 53. This records the betrayal of Jesus by Judas’s kiss and his subsequent arrest.
These stories are written to be drawn upon like water from a well when there is a need. The story spoke to me about, ‘our response’. A friend earlier in the week had said to me,
“ However they are being is not your concern. Your concern is what is it doing to you, how are you responding?”
Here again in this passage we see how although Jesus had not done anything wrong he was being treated as he had. I guess in the eyes of the authorities he was in the wrong or perhaps in the hearts of a few who influenced the others.
We find ourselves in situations where honestly we have done nothing wrong but someone else is not happy and their position of power allows them to act against us. We may be able to do little but what we can do and here Jesus illustrates it we can decide how we respond.
I am no Jesus. I am me and that why he is he and I have need of he. He shows me a better way, a higher way, a way that I don’t naturally wish to go but trusting him as, ‘My master and my friend’ I know he knows best.
In the passage Peter, one of his closest friends attacks one of the arresting party only for Jesus to say no and heal the injury. Peter was well-intended but it was not the way, the truth and the life. It would take more time for Peter to get on the way but he did. This gives us hope that even when we fall we can rise again and thereby try again.
Best day,
g
