Amen. I have found this to be true. No matter what I have gone through, no matter if it is 'good' in my estimation or 'bad' God can use it not only in me, but in the life of someone He sends me to. I've been learning a great deal, btw, about not sitting in judgment on the law, but living it. I am so glad there is One Judge, and I ain't it (James 4:11-12). Quix spoke about confession, repentance, and forgiveness here recently. A-G, a long, long time ago, when you were hosting the Chambers thread, you and I had a discussion about forgiveness and reconciliation; do you recall? I'd never find the link now, I'm sure, but the basis of it was your trying to teach me something that I wasn't prepared to learn yet - in a Word, "That it is man's glory to overlook an offense" (Proverbs 19:11). I couldn't understand at the time how to accomplish that amazing feat: Christ is still growing in me. I've been through some experiences lately that have grown me up a bit more into Him - truly, He is slow to anger, gracious, full of compassion, and of great mercy (Psalm 145:8, Exodus 34:6, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2). He fully expects us to be perfect as He is perfect - not in ourselves, out of our imperfectness, but from His infinite Life to us in Christ.
I wish that happened all at once. I am comforted to know Paul's confession: "Not that I have already attained," and to be reminded that it is the one who "hungers and thirsts for righteousness" that is blessed. I rejoice that we can ask and keep on asking for Wisdom from Above and never exhaust the patience or the resources of Our Father.
How much better it is, as Jesus teaches, to not only let pass the strike of a man across my cheek, but to offer him the other to strike as well; to accept wrong, to let myself be cheated.
It is the devil I am to resist, not men. Oh, for more wisdom to know in every instance what this looks like! I begin in knowing how my Jesus has done it: By the Word, amen.
It is the humble heart, the generous eye, that pleases God and receives His blessing, while the arrogant are far from Him. How good it is to humble myself under His hand, to wait to be lifted up in His good time. I am learning that it is for me to live this, and by the living perhaps teach, for it is certainly not a lesson that mere words of man can impart, but only the Word and Spirit of the Living God as He grows within His Children, amen. Even the experience of having fallen and being picked up over and over again is some useful testimony to a fellow traveler on the road. What a mercy.
Perhaps it's the contrarian in me that always feels the need to add a tweaking to this understanding of "turning the other cheek." Indeed, as you say, we turn the other check because God alone is all men's judge and jury.
But we shouldn't miss the assurance spoken by Solomon in Proverbs and later repeated by Paul in Romans. This assurance points up the difference between His children and those who are lost. God's love is not the love of a universalist; it's the love of a particularist -- a specific, individual love that creates, nurtures, sustains, redeems and brings home, infallibly.
All others pay cash.
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee." -- Proverbs 25:21:22
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." -- Romans 12:19-21 "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
This is how much God loves us. That anyone who injures His children will know His wrath. Amazing, isn't it?
So we're not to assume we "overcome evil" in order to change that evil (although that can and does happen). But our purpose in overcoming evil is so that we remain apart from that evil in order to "prove the will of God"...
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." -- Romans 12:2
Yes.. the demeanor of the Holy Spirit, I have noticed is "mercy".. As all that know the Holy Spirit would probably say.. The Holy Spirit leaves tracks of mercy to follow if you do not know him well.. Well said my dear lady.. Our God is a consuming fire that leaves tracks of mercy..
My life is all trampled down with footprints of mercy.. Thank God.. Whether I metaphorically look up to God in the heavens or down at the tracks of the Holy Spirit on the earth(in my life).. God has been carrying ME... My heart is overflowing with gratitude this day.. You have much to GIVE..
Can’t add a thing to your wonderful post.
Thanks for the honor and blessing of reading it.
LUB
Amen, and Amen, and that is a Comfort in my Own Life, that if our Lord Uses our Experiences to Bless Others, it Makes all these Sufferings of this Present Life Worthwhile. My Mission in Life is to be a Blessing to Others, even though I Fail Often, but our Lord has been So Merciful, So Gracious to me; I just Want to Lavish His Mercy, His Compassions, and His Grace on Everyone, because that is what He has Done for me. So Many Times I Fall, but He Always Picks me Up from the Dust; how can we Ever Praise Him Enough for the Wondrous Love He Shows? My Heart Worships him, and is Grateful for His Grace in Christ to His Lambs.