Biden or Trump?
Covid or no Covid?
End times or a part of history?
There are a lot of things swirling about these days.
Standing confidently in your opinion is difficult.
We are rapidly entering into a time of history where standing confidently is seen as foolish.
Where having an opinion is the enemy.
If someone says they do not agree with homosexuality they could lose their job.
If someone declares they are pro-life they are seen as women haters.
If someone is against taxes being raised they are seen as unloving towards the poor.
If someone desires a woman to be in presidency they are seen as a feminist.
If someone is white they are assumed to be privileged. If someone is black they are assumed to be a gangster.
Jesus was opinionated.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. You snakes! You brood of vipers!”
Matthew 23:29-33
Having opinions is not the enemy. Having opinions is important. Standing for truth is important.
But. . .you and I are not Jesus.
Jesus gave us these words:
“Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:34-40
Jesus did rebuke the Pharisees but he also. . .
Sat at the well with the Samaritan woman.
Fed thousands of people.
Healed many.
Died for you, for me, for Biden, for Trump, and for. . .
Friends, opinions matter but how those opinions are percolating in our hearts matters more.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Luke 12:34
What are your opinions doing to your heart?
Are your opinions making you more like Jesus?
One of the clearest opinions Jesus expressed was to The Rich Young Ruler in Mark. The rich young ruler was a man who had not committed murder, adultery, stolen, or given false testimony, and had honored his father and mother. Jesus says to him, “Go and sell all your possessions. And yet right before this audacious request of the rich young ruler it says,
“Looking at him, Jesus loved him.”
Friends, do you first feel love for those you are sharing your opinion with?
Having an opinion is easy. . . caring for others while expressing those opinions is hard.
Jesus’ strongest opinions were for the religious hypocrites. He was full of grace for the lost, the hurting, the confused, and the ones stuck in sin. But. . . he had no patience for those with strong opinions and no love.
Are your opinions helping you see your neighbor as someone worth dying for?
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