 |
| picture of Machiavelli from National Geographic Jesus from free art |
Many people, subscribing
to
a design of Machiavellian opportunism, will claim…
“Jesus was a nice guy,
but his teaching just won’t work in today’s world.” They will then describe
today’s world as filled with so many people without morals, shame, or any sense
of social regard that turning the other cheek will invite not only a slap on that
other cheek as well, but then also a lawsuit claiming those two cheeks instigated
the squabble in the first place.
I assert that the culture
in which Jesus delivered his teaching, and faithfully modeled it, was as much
or worse for absence of morality.
In the midst of
unscrupulous tax collectors taking advantage of people, the wealthy storing up
yet more wealth in warehouses in disregard for others around them, men
divorcing wives merely because they had outlived child-bearing age and were no
longer useful, Jesus taught a code of ethics and morality that insisted on charity, forgiveness, and
restraint of self-serving actions. Jesus lived and modeled that teaching
himself.
In the Great Commission
(Matthew 28: 20) we receive this instruction: “ and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you.”
To claim Jesus with our
lips as if it were some litmus test of patriotism, to attend church so that we
can feel good about ourselves and appear to be of respectable reputation and
then abandon the teaching of Jesus for its presumed impracticality is to deny
Jesus himself.
I assert it is to deny
Jesus.
Regarding an encounter
the rich young ruler had with Jesus…
Jesus said to
him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
But when the young
man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. ( Matthew 19:21,22)
Authentic acceptance of
Jesus requires some sacrifice, some cross carrying. Jesus never commanded his
disciples to seek comfort, convenience, and accumulated wealth.
Appropriating a cliché, I
say, in a world of Machiavellians…be a Jesus.
