Although none of us wants to admit it…we
all shop at Walmart for something or another. I used to be so adamant about not shopping there due to
their international relations, running local businesses to the ground, and
abusing their workforce labor.
But then again, those prices are so darn good and when you’re not a
millionaire sometimes you’re forced to shop at such stores.
Well, at my local Walmart they contracted
with the local police to better enforce anti-theft regulations. Thus, when you
go in or leave, you are greeted by this police guy who we all know, just like
the employees, don’t want to be there. (I apologize to anyone who does work
there…this is just my experience and obviously doesn’t reflect upon every
Walmart…maybe like 99.9% but you could be that 1% that’s not included….)
So my friends and I are about to leave
with a cart full of stuff, but since there is now this police guy at the
doorway we cannot leave unless we prove that we bought the things we have in
our carts. Because being the store for two flip’n hours isn’t accurate enough
proof, we have to pull out our receipts we stuffed in our wallets on the bottom
of our purses. Why am I making such a big deal out this? It would be different
if this was like Sam’s Club, where you don’t have bags covering all your items
and don’t have thousands of people trying to leave at once. So being the young
adult I am (I say that in a mockery way of myself), I voice my ‘sophisticated
opinion’: “This is so dumb. Checking receipts at Walmart doesn’t make sense!”
I’m realizing that some thoughts are
better left unsaid.
The officer, who was a woman, then
proceeds to say, “You know what? It is a little bit, but it’s a job and when
it’s a job that puts food on the table it’s worth it.” She proceeded to say
other things too and as I felt a little bit salty (for you older folks, that
means “bad”) I thought about how she took my comment as directed to her. She
was obviously offended when I targeting my misunderstanding towards Walmart’s
conduct.
Oh Walmart stories. Got to love them,
don’t chay?
But how many of us have been in that
lady’s shoes? (hypothetical question, don’t raise your hands)
I’m currently reading these books that
were recommended for the interns traveling with Global Hope India. One of those
books being, The Bait of Satan by John Bevere. It’s a book about taking
offense or being offended, however you put it. I’ve gotten through the first
chapter moving from “oh this book doesn’t apply to me” to “oh God I’m offended
at every little thang ain’t I?!”
It’s a good book; you should go read it
and not get offended that I told you that you should do go read it ;)
All in all, this brings us to our
scripture of course. If you would turn with me or go on BibleGateway.com to
Matthew 11, we gots some learn’ns to do.
In the first few passages we are
immediately thrown into John the Baptist’s (no not the Baptist you think of)
mindset: “Are you the one we are to expect or is there somebody else we should
be looking for?” he asks.
The context of this scene is that John
has been in jail for a while now due to the government officials not liking his
preaching of “the kingdom of God being near” and gathering such a huge crowd of
followers. So John sends out his
buddies, his disciples, to Jesus who has been ministering to these surrounding
towns and performing miracles. They repeat John’s question, “Are you the one we
have waited for or are we to keep on waiting?”
Now why do think John would even for a
split second think this? After all he was the one who baptized Jesus! And on
that same day the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and the heavens parted as
God, the Father spoke!
Why would any of us ask such a question?
I’m going to take some liberty here and
guess that the reason he would even for a second wrestle with this question
while in his jail cell is that he felt offended. He was hurt. He felt
mistreated. This wasn’t fair! He was being locked up for telling people the
Good News! How absurd right! He should be receiving thanks and praises! After
all he was saving people from hell by instructing them to repent! He was
baptizing them and teaching them how to be “new creations”! This wasn’t
right…this wasn’t how his life was suppose to end…
I don’t know if you have ever heard of
The Voice of the Martyrs before, but it is an amazing ministry. I am subscribed
to their newsletter and receive a magazine that informs me about our brothers
and sisters around the world facing persecution for the sake of Christ. Houses
are burned, churches are raided, families torn apart, people are even killed
for the preaching the Good News. VOM comes in and tries to restore what has
been broken, provided money, food, shelter or whatever is needed to encourage
these missionaries.
There are so many times I read or hear
people ask, “Is it worth it? Is believing in Jesus really worth dying for?”
Later in the Gospels we read that John
the Baptist is beheaded all for the sake of entertainment by the officials.
Here in America, as you have heard me say
before, I don’t believe we even come close to a centimeter of persecution as
our brothers and sisters do in Christ around the world.
I don’t have the full justification or
could even come close to suppling you a satisfying answer as to why there is
such persecution towards Christians in the world.
But let’s keep reading Matthew 11 to see
what Jesus response is. So disciples come and ask their question, “Are you the
One or not?”
Jesus says, “Well, of course I’m the One
idiots.”
No. He doesn’t say that. What He does say
is this, “Look around you-the deaf can hear, the lame can walk, and the dead
are raised. Go then and report what you have seen and heard.”
Can we take a minute here and thank our
friends in our lives who are willing to not only hear our deepest darkest thoughts
but take them to the Lord for us?!
The scripture then reads that as John’s
disciples are leaving, Jesus begins speaking to the crowds saying: “Who did you
go in the wilderness to see? Was some famous person? No. It certainly was not
Billy Graham. Was it is some good look’n person? No. No, it was no Ryan
Gosling. Rather it was a man set to prepare the way of Lord. Truly I tell you
no one has ever or will ever be born that is greater than he. Yet, the least in
heaven will be greater than he.” (some things were added in this recollection)
Why was Jesus saying all this? It’s
because Jesus knew what John’s real question was. The questions wasn’t just,
“Are you the awaited Messiah” but: Jesus, we did all these things for you why
didn’t you…..
You fill in the blank.
Jesus, I gave up my career, my house, my
security for you…Why didn’t you……
Jesus, I gave up my friends, and my
family for you…Why didn’t you…..
Jesus, I gave up my engagement, my
future, my identity for you…Why didn’t you….
In verse 6 of Matthew 11, Jesus states,
“And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed.”
Jesus has also mentioned this similar
statement in other Gospels; saying “Blessed are those who don’t stumble on
account of me.”
I’ve come to the conclusion by realizing
this process that leads to being offended. It all begins with misunderstanding:
“I don’t get it, God.”
Which leads to being resentful: “This is
unfair!”
Which when further entertained can turn
into, “I don’t deserve this!”
And when we become offended, we stumble,
and we stumble, we no longer just question our circumstances but our positions,
our identities, and our God.
“This isn’t right. This wasn’t suppose to
happen. It wasn’t suppose to go out like this! Why didn’t it work out?! Why
were the results that way? Why am here right now? I should be over there! Where
is God? Doesn’t He see what’s going on? Doesn’t He care? Why am I still alive?
What is my purpose? Why is there so much suffering and pain? I bet those
stories were all made up. There is no one who cares. There is no God….”
Sound like you at all?
Have you ever been there?
I looked up the official definition of
“offended” and found that this is what it means: resentful, annoyed, as a
result of a perceived insult.
Did you catch that? Read it again. “A perceived insult.”
Meaning, you took it like this and it was
suppose to be taken this way.
Jesus responded to John’s disciples,
“Testify to what you have seen and what you have heard.”
Continuing in Matthew 11, Jesus paints
this analogy for the town people. “Who am I to compare this generation to? They
are like children sitting by the market place who said, “We played the flute
for you but you did not dance. We sang a lament (a sad song) for you but you
did not cry.””
Basically Jesus is saying, “Y’all become
offended too easily.”
Scripture tells us there will be pain and
suffering in this world; there will be tribulation. However, scripture also tells us that God has
never forsaken us. He hears our every thought even before we speak it! In James
and 1 Peter we are reminded that the testing of our faith produces endurance.
That when we with stand the test, we will receive the crown of life. Paul
reminds us that our battle isn’t against flesh and blood, but the spiritual
realm and that Satan prowls around seeking to destroy us. Through the Holy
Spirit and the Holy Bible we are given our armor to fight and in Revelation we
are reminded that nothing will overcome the power of our testimony in Jesus
Christ!!!!!!!
And Jesus replied to John’s disciples,
“Testify to what you have seen and what you have heard.”
Let Jesus remind you on what you have
seen-
I have seen sinners repent, the old
become new, blessings appear out of nowhere.
Let Jesus remind you on what you have
heard-
You say my faith can move mountains and
that with you I can anything.
Let Jesus remind about who you are-
You are His most prized possession, the
sparkle of His eye, His Beloved.
Let Jesus remind you about who He is-
You are the One True God.
You think, “Well, yes Samantha that
sounds great and all. But what if what I see and hear is more of the problem
than it is the answer?”
Than let me remind you what scripture
says
“What no eye has seen and no ear has
heard, what has never come into a man’s heart, is what God has prepared for
those who love Him.”- 1 Cor. 2:9
In Philosophy class we discuss how man
develops this mentality of either the “higher-ups” don’t know what’s going on
down here or that they don’t care.
God is not our governments. He is not
‘The Man upstairs.
He knows and He cares. You may not
understand His ways, but I assure you they higher than our ways and His
thoughts higher than our thoughts.
Don’t fall into that never ending hole of
offense. Take heart and rest in this faith, for as Jesus concludes in Matthew
11 I conclude with you:
“Come to Me (Jesus), all of you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and
learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest
for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
-verse28 through 30
