April 27, 2012
Man of the People?
A person in our community is basking in the light of his new leadership
role and he says he tries not to think about his new title. “The title didn’t change who I am, for I am
no different today than I was two weeks ago.” Rats! I was hoping for a little
bit of change, including a change of heart. “By
their fruit you will recognize them…Likewise every good tree bears good fruit,
but a bad tree bears bad fruit…Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
(Matt 7:16a, 17, 20 NIV)
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Gail;
-----I think this quite presupposes that one knows what fruit looks like. “Who’s to say what’s right,” used to drive me up a tree like no other drivel could. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Frank Turek, but I try to listen to him as much as he‘s willing to talk. He does this program called “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist.” Of all the Christian apologists I’ve heard, he is one of the few who digs down to the final nut or bolt of a matter and presents it in an understandable and memorable manner, whether it takes either the Bible or a scientific principle to do so. I rolled my eyes over my inability to notice such simplicity when he tucked away all difficulty of properly handling the “Who’s to say...” question. “Why you are to say, and you can say,” I hear Frank say.
-----You see, according to Frank’s idea, you may have a hard time determining the rights from the wrongs done all around to your neighbors. But you let a wrong be done to you personally, and boy howdy, this line of demarcation becomes very clear. In fact, now that I understand this, I can add that you will also know precisely why it is wrong in all the ways it is wrong and exactly what needs to be done where by when for it to be made right! Observe folks around you a little. None of them have any trouble telling right from wrong when the rights and wrongs are being done to them.
-----Now we have a little looking glass we can examine a prospective action through for its rightness or wrongness. All we have to do is imagine ourselves realistically as that other person is and the effect upon him of what is about to transpire. Well, like a nut, that’s only the beginning of it. It is quite easy to see people scowl or smile, if you’re quick, before they smile or scowl. In that fleeting moment of true expression you can see the sword of your hand run them through. That quick glimpse before the masking is them responding to the same true measurement as you would. We don’t decide what’s right and wrong. We observe it.
-----Then to those who know the Lord enough simply to know His Word comes the thought of Jesus receiving the effective end of all your actions. This is what I call the Matthew 25 principle. You fed Jesus when you fed the hungry and clothed Him when you clothed the naked, or didn’t. You also knifed Jesus in the back when you knifed your neighbor in the back. What we do to others we do to Jesus, not because all Jesus is is some eerie idea of touchy feelyness, but because Jesus loves as love is, which is mighty empathetically. That makes everyone around you the canvass upon which you paint the truth of who you are for God to peruse by His personally feeling it through the way they feel it. After thinking a while about this, discerning right from wrong gets even simpler as we are now willing to risk less around the more vague boundaries to save ourselves some embarassment of paining the Lord.
-----So, yes! Anyone actually can know fruit, because, believe it or not (and far too many do not) knowing right from wrong is as naturally human as are imagination and sympathy. Then let’s rewrite that old, diversionary question to, “Who’s willing to say what’s right?”
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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