Contrasts Producing Wisdom

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Matthew 5 (click the link)


THE BIG IDEA:
Matthew 5 begins with the Beatitudes in which Jesus calls blessed a number of things that in this world many people would consider postures of weakness—those poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, merciful, peacemakers, those who hunger for righteousness, the pure in heart, those persecuted for righteousness. Jesus indicates that what He offers these is the Kingdom of heaven, comfort, the earth as their inheritance, righteousness, mercy, direct contact with God himself, the adoption as sons of God, the very Kingdom of Heaven. 

There is contrast here between what is often seen as not good, but Jesus proclaims as blessed. After these beatitudes, He goes on to give some truth and instruction about life and how to live in ways that bear good fruit in our lives and in this world. A way of living that is often in contrast to what we may otherwise understand.


REFLECTIONS:
The knowledge of the reality of such contrast is helpful to me as I have been struggling with the contrast between God being good and a world experiencing much suffering.

This struggle was brought to the surface about 6 months ago when I visited India and left overwhelmed with the suffering in that country. 

Literally half of Mumbai live in slums. These slums make US “slums” seem nice. Even the homeless who live on our US streets have it great by comparison. People are actually starving in India. 

Women—precious, brown skinned, skeletons in dirty saris carrying starving, boney babies knocked on the window of our taxi gesturing their free hand from mouth to shrunken abdomen as a plea for food. At a 30-second stoplight cycle in Delhi I watched a half-naked emaciated toddler tote around its brand new infant sibling on a sidewalk where a larger figure (mommy?) lay entirely covered with a blanket just a few feet away from heavy traffic. I saw the vulnerability of children who live on the streets, some already “pimped” as beggars, knowing that many are or will be exploited by those who can take advantage of their poverty and powerlessness in much worse ways.

These images have clung to my mind and pushed down on my heart and I have struggled in my spirit with the question of how I could possibly say to this mass of humanity in their suffering that there is a God and He is good.

Although I have seen enough of the reality and goodness of God to know in the majority of my being that He is and that He is good, there is a part of me that has cried out, “Why all this pain and suffering, God?” I have loved Him still, clung to what I know to be truth both from what I have seen and experienced, while at the same time allowing the reality of this question to surface and asking for wisdom and understanding. God hears the cries of our hearts and He gives wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5). He is speaking in a language I can relate to and this is what is trickling in as I ponder that question in the security of His love:

One of my children burnt themselves cooking recently. Another of my children has experienced some hurt in relationships. It hurts my heart when they hurt, but out of my love for them, I allow them the freedom to experience things that will cause them pain.

Since my children were old enough to mobilize themselves I have given them the truth about stoves—“hot” and for a long time I steered them away from them, but I love them enough to give them freedom—even if that means encountering stoves that will hurt them. 

I want them to grow in maturity and wisdom and the ability to master the heat of a stove and even use it for good.

I have given my children many lessons about relationships from the time they were tiny—“share your toys; do to others what you would have them do to you; many times when people are unkind to you it may have mostly to do with their insecurity, limitations or brokenness and is not about your value or worthiness as a person.” Yet none of these lessons would mean anything until they encounter other human beings who may cause them pain in relationship. Through the pain they experience they begin to see the contrast between good and bad.

This earth is the only place we will experience that contrast for an eternity. In the life that lasts FOREVER after this refining that we are in, there will be no pain, sorrow or weeping (Revelation 21:4). Those of us who have been through this pain-filled life and have experienced what a world looks like when people choose to follow anything other than what God has said is good will “rule and reign” with wisdom that can only be gained through experiencing the contrast of good (Revelation 5:10).

We are seeing that contrast, experiencing it in all the hunger, oppression, corruption, exploitation, and poverty of heart mind and body. When we leave this world we will leave with the wisdom and understanding that comes from experiencing the outcome of choosing anything or any way that is apart from God or what He says is the way to live. We go into eternity with a wisdom and a hunger for good that could be gained no other way but through the experience of the contrast.

There is evil, pain and suffering. In the light of eternity, this is a brief season, for a purpose, fully restored with blessing in part in this life and in full after our time in these flesh and bone bodies are up.


POINT OF ACTION:
Cling to what Jesus says is blessed. Live in the ways he says creates a life that is good. Look at the outcomes of your and other’s choices made otherwise and grow in the wisdom that comes only through living in a world that allows the results of good and evil to bear their fruit.


PRAYER:
Come Lord Jesus. And in the meantime, come through me.


WHO AM I?
Hey! I’m Lisa Kirby.  My favorite things include a warm cup of tea on the couch in front of a cozy fire with a good book on a cold morning;  long breakfasts with friends; authentic engagement with the hearts of other people over polite conversation; my sweet, gracious, generous, beautiful 83 year old momma; my strong, good, faithful, hard-working husband; my 3 kids who are my favorite people to hang with in all the world; animals; babies; naked trees; smelly candles; worship; cozy jammies; old barns; art of all kinds; and sharing what Jesus shares with me.