“I am tired of this devil.
I am tired of this stuff.
I am tired of this business.
So, when the going gets rough.
I ain’t scared of your brother.
I ain’t scared of no sheets,
I ain’t scared of nobody.
Girl, when the going gets mean.”
—Black or White, Michael Jackson
In this post we’ll share two more challenges that give us a game-changing perspective on people.
A Game-Changing Perspective On People:
First, let’s review the first two challenges covered in the previous posts:
1. Your relationship with GOD gets put on display by the way you LOVE, TREAT and RELATE to PEOPLE.
2. Our truest IDENTITY isn’t based on our financial status, family of origin, ethnicity, race, education or cultural uniqueness. Our truest IDENTITY is that because of JESUS, we can become SONS and DAUGHTERS of God!
Here’s the third challenge.
3. The “ROYAL LAW” and “GOLDEN RULE” still RULE! TREAT everyone the way you want to be TREATED.
We live in an age when civility has been thrown out the window! Too many of us — on every side of the aisle — have made the gospel of Jesus synonymous with our political party or affiliation — our cause, color, ethnicity or philosophy.
We’ve taken our cues as to how to relate to one another from politicians, comedians, entertainers, television and radio talk show hosts or social media junkies. But God’s Word sets the standard for how we are to relate to one another!
James addresses this in Verses 8-11.
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.”[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. —James 2:8-11 NIV (Cf Lev 19:18)
When James talks about “the royal law,” He’s quoting a passage found in Leviticus 19:18 which includes this challenge, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” He’s letting us know that discrimination and prejudice are violations of the kingdom law of love! There’s no place for them in the church of Jesus!
Of course, Jesus made similar statements. In fact, he said something so “good” about how we interact with other people, that it has actually been called, “golden,” as in “The Golden Rule.”
“…in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”
—Matthew 7:12 NIV
This is another principle that Jesus said, “sums up the Law and the Prophets.” The way you want to be treated should become a guide for the way you treat others.
I love the way this passage appears in The Message.
“Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.” —Matthew 7:12 MSG
Don’t miss this sentence:
“Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.”
In other words, “Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move. Make the first move. Love. Listen. Perform random acts of kindness. Grab the initiative!”
What would happen if the church began to love and lead in this way? What would happen if we raised the bar on how we love, relate to and treat other people? What would happen if we took the initiative and became really intentional in the way we relate to others? We could start a revolution! The first century did!
With that in mind, here are a few suggestions about how we can live out “the royal law” and “the golden rule”:
Raising The Bar on Civility:
- Treat every person you meet with honor. We say it like this at A2 Church: “Honor up, honor down, and honor all around.” Again, remember, you’ve never locked eyes with a person that doesn’t matter to the heart of God (See Rom 12:10; 13:7; 1 Pet 2:17).
- Set the example by always being courteous, gentle and kind in your attitudes, words and actions (See Eph 4:32; 5:21; Philippians 4:5, Gal 5:22; Titus 3:1-2).
- Demonstrate humility. Remember that, in the words of C.S. Lewis, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less” (See Eph 4:2; Phil 2:3; Rom 12:16; Col 3:12).
- Refuse to judge, label and stereotype people. (Refuse to pre-judge others based on things like ethnicity, social status, apparent wealth, lack of wealth, education, lack of education, cultural background, political preferences, lifestyle, etc.) (See Matt 7:1-5; Lk 6:37-42; Jms 4:11-12; Rom 2:1-3; 14:1-13; 12:16-18)
- Be the first to apologize and admit when you are wrong. Resist the tendency to deny and / or “double down” on your position (Mt 5:23-24; Lk 17:4; Jms 5:16; 1 Pet 4:8).
- Set the example on how to differ or disagree with people without demeaning or demonizing them (1 Cor 13; Jms 4:1-3; Pro 27:17).
- Resist the urge to dominate a conversation and / or interrupt when someone else is talking. Christians follow the challenge of James 1:19, “Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.”
- Set the example by refusing to use “incendiary” or “belittling” language. This kind of language almost always derails a conversation. Refuse to scream at another person. Model the wisdom found in the words of Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath.”
- Form your opinions carefully. When God’s Word doesn’t give clear and certain guidance on a topic, remain open-minded to “better information” as it becomes available (Proverbs 18:13).
- Set the example by showing up when you say you’re going to show up, and by doing what you say you’re going to do.
- The “the royal law” and “the golden rule” still rule. Put them into practice. Treat other people the way you want to be treated.
4. MERCY MATTERS! It always “triumphs over judgment.” Let’s cultivate a CULTURE of MERCY and JUSTICE.
Maybe you’re asking, “What is mercy?”
Perhaps it would be helpful to think of it like this:
Judgment or justice is “getting what we deserve.”
Grace is “getting what we don’t deserve.”
Mercy is “not getting what we do deserve.”
Let’s be people who live and lead with grace and mercy. Check out Verses 12-13 of James 2.
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. —James 2:12-13 NIV
Because of Jesus, we’ve received mercy. That is, we don’t get what we actually, really do deserve — death, judgement, hell, eternal separation from God!
On the other hand, we’ve also received grace. We get so much more than we could possibly, ever deserve! Forgiveness. Freedom. Love. Joy. Peace. Blessing. Eternal life.
The implication is that the extravagant grace and radical mercy of God should so overwhelm us and blow us away, that God’s grace and mercy becomes the filter for the way we treat, respond to and interact with everyone, especially people who are different from us.
I love the way The Passion Translation renders the end of Verse 13. It reads:
“…by showing mercy, you take dominion over judgment.” —James 2:13 TPT
The footnote in The Passion Translation lets us know that this is “as translated from the Aramaic.”
What an insight!
Maybe someone has hurt you, wounded you or inflicted harm upon you. The truth is, they deserve judgment. Obviously, I’m not referring to a crime punishable by the law, just the hurts, wounds and “damage” we sometimes experience by doing life with broken people who live in a broken world.
Maybe you’ve been holding on to your right to get even, to exact revenge, to render judgment?
The principle James shared was every bit as radical as some of the principles Jesus shared in places like the Sermon on the Mount. Look over those words again.
“…by showing mercy, you take dominion over judgment.” —James 2:13 TPT
Wow!
In other words, “The moment you make a decision to show mercy instead of exact vengeance or render justice, you’re actually taking dominion over judgment. You’re actually saying something like, ‘The right to get even doesn’t rule me. Hurt and bitterness will not rule my emotions or dictate my actions. I choose mercy. I’ll withhold what this person rightly deserves. Jesus chose to endure judgment, so judgement could be withheld from me. He chose to love in the face of incredible betrayal, personal humiliation, ruthless injury, even death on the cross! He gave grace. He gave mercy. I can do the same.’”
Judgment is the head. Mercy is the heart.
Judgment is the law. Mercy is relationship.
We can show mercy. When we do, mercy triumphs over judgement!
Here are the four challenges that provide a game-changing perspective on how we relate to people, especially people who are different from us:
- Your relationship with GOD gets put on display by the way you LOVE, TREAT and RELATE to PEOPLE.
- Our truest IDENTITY isn’t based on our financial status, family of origin, ethnicity, race, education or cultural uniqueness. Our truest IDENTITY is that because of JESUS, we can become SONS and DAUGHTERS of God!
- The “ROYAL LAW” and “GOLDEN RULE” still RULE! TREAT everyone the way you want to be TREATED.
- MERCY MATTERS! It always “triumphs over judgment.” Cultivate a CULTURE of MERCY and JUSTICE.
Three Practical Steps:
So how do we put these challenges into practice? I’ll close with three practical steps.
- GET REAL about your personal struggles with prejudice.
Take a few minutes to ask yourself:
What is the first thought that comes to mind when someone of another ethnicity approaches you in public?
When is the last time you had coffee or shared a meal with a person of a different ethnicity, age, religion or stage in life?
What prayer is the Holy Spirit leading you to pray or what steps is the Holy Spirit leading you to take so that you can grow in the area of racial diversity?
If you’ve allowed distance or created barriers between yourself and other people, admit it. Repent of it. Make a decision that today you’ll bridge the distance, overcome the barriers and move forward in faith so that we can become the church Jesus dreamt of when He tore down the dividing wall of hostility between the cultures.
- Deal a death blow to PRIDE.
Humility is a relational bridge. Pride is a relational buster.
In his classic, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis addresses the issue of pride when he writes:
“…what you want to get clear is that Pride is essentially competitive—is competitive by its very nature… Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, or better-looking than others. If everyone else became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about. It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.”
—C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
One of the points James stresses in James 1 and 2 is that, “When it comes to our relationship with God, nobody has a reason to feel proud. Our relationship with God isn’t based on something we’ve done. It’s based on what God has done! It’s based on what Jesus accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection. It’s not about me and it’s not about you. It’s all about Jesus. It’s always about Jesus. It’s only about Jesus!”
Focusing on God’s amazing love, extravagant grace and continuing faithfulness to you, deals a death blow to pride, and gives you the grace to grow in humility.
Pride creates barriers.
Humility builds bridges.
- Extend your HEART and your HANDS.
In other words, take action. Don’t just talk about doing something, actually do something.
Micah 6:8 is a verse I look at every day! It’s at the bottom of the first page of my daily journal because I want to intentionally remind myself of what God expects of me when it comes to the way I do life in this world.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. —Micah 6:8 NIV
Did you notice all of the action verbs in that verse?
What does the Lord require?
That we “…act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.” Act. Love. Walk. Act. Love. Walk. Act. Love. Walk.
In the words of the Nike slogan: Just do it! Do something!
Act JUSTLY.
Love MERCY.
Walk HUMBLY with your God.
Take some risks.
Reach out to someone across the racial and ethnic divides.
Serve someone who is poor.
Speak up for someone who can’t speak for themselves.
Have conversations.
Lead with your ears.
Open up your heart to hear.
Work towards understanding.
Extend your hands in fellowship.
Schedule lunch with a friend today.
Be more intentional than you’ve been in the past.
Remember:
There is one race — the human race. Every person is created in the image of God, has been chosen by God and invited to become adopted into the family of God.
Because of what Jesus has done, His church is a counter-cultural community of believers that loves beyond the lines of ethnic divisions, social classes and cultural differences.
“But, if you’re thinkin’ ‘bout my baby,
It don’t matter if you’re black or white.” —Michael Jackson