AK asked some insightful questions about this post and I am answering him/her here. Please remember that this is not advice or instruction but just a response from my limited insight and experience. That said, I find the questions one that many may ponder and few discuss.
Here is AK’s comment as it was submitted. In part one I will address the first bit that is bolded here.
Interesting and insightful though I do wonder about when a family member/friend tries to reconnect after an absence of your friendship. Should you welcome them with open arms in hoping they have changed for the better.. And also, what if what you believed was wrong? As in the reason and basis you withheld that friendship. I know enough that things are never as they appear to be on occasion. We use the best judgment we have but we may not always be correct. I know sometimes we have blinders on as well and see what we want to see instead of being open to their explanations. I know there are a lot of what ifs in the world and no one circumstance is the same but I hope you can touch on this and share some insight as I know most of us have been thru it at some time or another.
Best Wishes, AK
The first thing I would have to do in approaching this is examine myself as a Christ follower. Even though the question “what would Jesus do” has been worn out, misused, and mocked, in this instance it is a most valid question. How would Christ treat this individual? We cannot measure the mind of Christ without submitting to the commands that seeded this thread of discussion. We must love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We must treat others as we would hope to be treated in a given situation. So the only example I can think of to answer the question about welcoming with open arms is to refer to the story of the prodigal son. The father did welcome him with open arms and the brother who rejected him was corrected for his attitude.
Hoping that someone has changed may be an exercise in serving my own self interests. Christ does not tell us to follow him once we get our act together. He explains that it is the sick that need a physician. If I insist that some change before I give them my love or friendship, how is my attempt to reflect who Christ is going to be seen by them? I must be wise, kind, and gentle. No one’s sin is worse than mine. I have counted on others to accept me where I am and that should be what I give to others.
Our culture has taught us to see relationships as equal partnerships built on equitable give and take. I find that when I am determined to give to others without hope of return and without feeling like I am “sacrificing” for them that a mystical thing occurs. I do not need the proper response of the individual to feel satisfied. Satisfaction is found in following Christ and in a minute way being like him in that moment. It is more important that I love people where they are than that I protect myself. It is God’s responsibility to protect me, provide for me, and see to my emotional needs. There is no promise that I will not be harmed in following Christ. In fact there is a promise that the world will hate me if I truly follow Christ. It still seems like a great bargain.
I will address the rest of AK’s comment in my next post. I think that getting my head around how insanely simple this first part is may be enough for me to digest today. No one is more important to God than me in God’s eyes. He loves us all equally and wants us to work together to bring back all we can to his arms. I cannot love my brother, friend, or enemy if my arms are not always open to their return to them. I have failed often in this but I am learning.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
The first thing I would have to do in approaching this is examine myself as a Christ follower. Even though the question “what would Jesus do” has been worn out, misused, and mocked, in this instance it is a most valid question. How would Christ treat this individual? We cannot measure the mind of Christ without submitting to the commands that seeded this thread of discussion. We must love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We must treat others as we would hope to be treated in a given situation. So the only example I can think of to answer the question about welcoming with open arms is to refer to the story of the prodigal son. The father did welcome him with open arms and the brother who rejected him was corrected for his attitude.
Hoping that someone has changed may be an exercise in serving my own self interests. Christ does not tell us to follow him once we get our act together. He explains that it is the sick that need a physician. If I insist that some change before I give them my love or friendship, how is my attempt to reflect who Christ is going to be seen by them? I must be wise, kind, and gentle. No one’s sin is worse than mine. I have counted on others to accept me where I am and that should be what I give to others.Our culture has taught us to see relationships as equal partnerships built on equitable give and take. I find that when I am determined to give to others without hope of return and without feeling like I am “sacrificing” for them that a mystical thing occurs. I do not need the proper response of the individual to feel satisfied. Satisfaction is found in following Christ and in a minute way being like him in that moment. It is more important that I love people where they are than that I protect myself. It is God’s responsibility to protect me, provide for me, and see to my emotional needs. There is no promise that I will not be harmed in following Christ. In fact there is a promise that the world will hate me if I truly follow Christ. It still seems like a great bargain.
I will address the rest of AK’s comment in my next post. I think that getting my head around how insanely simple this first part is may be enough for me to digest today. No one is more important to God than me in God’s eyes. He loves us all equally and wants us to work together to bring back all we can to his arms. I cannot love my brother, friend, or enemy if my arms are not always open to their return to them. I have failed often in this but I am learning.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
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