Control part 5
The love of Christ controls us. Not by weighing us down with an external set of rules--or Laws--but by compelling us to share what we have by filling us to overflowing with it. It's not about being controlled as much as it is about being IN control. Let me explain: In Matthew 5:39 (NLT) Jesus presented a radical way of dealing with people, "But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also." But let me ask you this: Is that an easy thing to do? Someone slaps you and your first "human" instinct is to slap back. To give back what in kind what they gave you. Which makes sense, because you can't give what you don't have and you can only give what you do have. Someone gives you a slap... and then you have a slap to give. But while that might be the "human" instinct... it's really the Old Man nature. The New Man--Jesus--doesn't give back what He gets from the world. He let's LOVE control Him. He gives what His FATHER has given to Him. And that's the key. You can't give what you don't have. But if you KNOW what you have... if you know and believe the love of Christ... then no matter what the situation is you have love to give. Instead of giving hurt for hurt you can give understanding. You can give mercy, and grace, and forgiveness, and love. Because that's what GOD gave you. So that, really and truly, is what you've got. It's not about what the world says, it's about what God says. Remember we mentioned earlier in this Rant series that you can't serve two masters? But you WILL serve one. Either what's external will control you, or what's internal will compel you. Either the world will try to force itself in, or what's already in there will overflow out. That's the difference between works and labor (which don't work) and rest. It's about being in control. Letting the river of life flow out of you and going with the flow. Presenting your body as a living sacrifice and letting Jesus do whatever He wants in, and through, and as you. Which, by the way, is why love controls us. Because what Jesus wants to do in, and through, and as you--the ONLY thing He wants to do--is love. Because that's who He is. And that's who YOU are. You are loved... and because you are loved, you are LOVE. It's not just what you do. It's who you are. It's your nature. Not that "human" nature that we always think of, that selfish, self-centered, carnal, beast nature that died on the cross when the Old Man died, but our new nature. Our TRUE nature. The love nature. A seed can only produce after it's own kind. You can only do what it's in your nature to do. And the trick is, we still struggling with that old nature even though it was buried in the watery grave of baptism. We need to be led of the Spirit and let the Spirit of truth lead and guide us into all truth. Let the Spirit control us, if I can say it that way. Giving up control is the only way to BE in control. Not giving back what the world gives, but letting the love of God--the love that IS God--flow through you!