Week 30—Friday Luke 15:25-30
Week 30—FRIDAY
TAKE HEED TO YOUR REACTIONS
There are several other passages which emphasize this taking “heed to yourself”—the emphasis of beginning with yourself, making the Word become flesh in yourself before you go out to your brother or sister.
First, “Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3). The emphasis here is upon the reactions, what you do when someone sins against you. For your reaction may color and corrode your whole life. The temptation will be to note and emphasize the person’s action—the sin against you. But Jesus said your reactions are more important to you than the other’s action. Your reactions can harm you, but others’ actions cannot harm you unless you let them. So the reactions are more important than the other person’s action. Be the Word of forgiveness and reconciliation become flesh and you are unhurt by another’s actions.
Again, another passage: “But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them” (Mark 13:9). Here the emphasis is upon yourselves—upon yourselves at the moment of deep, unmerited injustice and suffering; be sure that through this injustice you bear witness! This is an important word, for it clarifies the whole attitude toward unmerited suffering. It was the passage upon which my whole attitude toward unmerited suffering turned. I saw you could not merely bear it—you could use it. Every injustice was opportunity, every wrong an open door—an opportunity and an open door to witness. Not to preach at others about their wrongs but to witness by your rightness of demeanor and your deeds that the Word has become flesh in you. Don’t bear evil, use it!
Dear Lord and Father, when we are in you we always have an open door—the door of witness. Help us always to be so acute that we can see that door—and enter it. For we have “come for a witness”—that is our life purpose. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: In Jesus everything is opportunity—opportunity to witness.