Does It Make You Angry?
On Face Book second to reading articles I like to scan through the comments.
Reading comments lately, I came across this one: As Christians, after we've turned the other cheek and they've slapped that one as well, it's time to...
I don't remember their solution, but I'm sure it was to take life in hand. I wouldn't say take vengeance, but time to stand up against sin.
There has been quite an uprising after the Covington Catholic boys were maliciously maligned in the news. Somewhere in one article the person writing it encouraged everyone to remember how Jesus was peaceable and we should be as well.
I believe this is where I gleaned the first comment. Along the same lines, and perhaps even in the same group of comments someone sarcastically observed, "I think this writer must have missed Jesus and the Money Changers".
Yes, Jesus was easy to get along with—in most cases. Did Jesus ever get angry? As pointed out by the Money Changers comment, yes he did. Did he ever take action? Again, in the incident of the Money Changers, yes, he did.
It's a struggle. The Christian life is a struggle in many areas. We are told to love our neighbor, but sometimes our neighbor is nigh impossible to love. The best we can do it may seem is to avoid our neighbor.
Matthew 5:44 "but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;"
We are told to do good unto others, even to those who do ill to us. But...
After the admonitions to follow the teachings of Jesus we have to be careful. We should love as in agape our enemies, and we should pray for them.
But is that the highest commandment in the scriptures? What about Matthew 22:37?
Matthew 22:37 "And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38) This is the great and first commandment. 39) And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40) On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets."
There is example of what made Jesus angry. The money changers were breaking God's laws, and in a sense committing blasphemy—making that which is holy into something common (or worse).
Jesus often championed the poor and downtrodden. Lifting up those who were wronged, used or misused.
Christianity has been caught in the shrubbery of indecision because it doesn't always have a clear cut Thou Shalt or Thou Shalt Not line. Often is is more a matter of opinion.
For instance if I draw a picture of Mohammed, his followers become angry and vindictive. Just a picture does this.
A depiction of Jesus won't make most Christians angry. You can carry this even farther today. Many art forms in our current day are repugnant. These people make holy things such as a likeness of Christ into vile structures. Christ on the cross in a bottle of urine, for example.
When does this sort of stuff cross the barrier? When does freedom of speech, or freedom of expression cross the line into areas where it shouldn't be?
There are things that should make us angry. Matthew 5:44 is not the greatest commandment. Matthew 22: 37-39 is.
If for instance I'm walking down the street and I see my neighbor being robbed or beaten, should I not if nothing else, at least call for help? Regardless if it's my enemy doing the robbing or beating?
Ephesians 4:25 "Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27) neither give place to the devil. 28) Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need."
