An Upside Down World
Well, at least that’s the vantage point of this little guy! And, from my vantage point, it seems this world is upside down, even when we’re right side up!
Get ready! Get set! GO!!!! I say that as a lead to what we are about to eat and hopefully digest as the upcoming November election is only nine months away! Here in Texas, the primaries are underway right now. As an election clerk in this primary election, when I am at the E-Poll check-in, I provide the choice of which party ballot they want to receive to vote — Democrat or Republican.
Primary elections are the pre-election process for constituents to select their preferred candidate for the upcoming general elections at all levels of government.
At the presidential level, the outcome of state primaries influence how delegates vote during their national conventions. A delegate is essentially a representative of the respective state who votes on behalf of the constituency at the national party convention.
I gave us that info as we prepare for the “dog-eat-dog” rancor we are already consuming. We have a choice – to be hostile, negative, finger-pointers, angry, obstinate ridiculers OR to be “upside-down world” bearers of good tidings of great joy!
Let’s look a little closer at the upside-down Kingdom of God. Typically, when we hear that something is “upside down” — something isn’t right! It’s broken, troubled, confused, and chaotic. But I’m here to tell you today how our Lord flips us right-side up with His teachings.
I’ve read and heard the words of Christ and how opposite so many of those words are to my thinking. Back to my infatuation with “The Chosen” series. When we read or hear the words of Jesus, it often causes my mind to go “tilt”!
In Matthew 5:44, He said “Love your enemies! Bless them that curse you! Do good to them that hate you! Pray for them who spitefully use you and persecute you!” Holy jumping catfish! Doesn’t that sound just preposterous? How could I possibly love someone that hurt me or rejected me or even cursed me?
How is it possible to love our enemies? How can we do good to anyone that hates us, curses us, uses us, cheats on us, and lies to us? And, even a step further, to “bless them and pray for them”? How IMPOSSIBLE these words seem to be!
I think when Jesus says, ‘Love your enemies’, He is using His redemptive power to prove how He can transform individuals’ lives through us. If we just keep loving them, before long, they can’t keep from loving in return.
I like to live by the words, “What Would Jesus Do?” (WWJD), in determining what action I should take in any given situation. Jesus set the example for us in every area of our lives. He had enemies – plenty of them. They lied about Him. They beat Him. They mocked Him. Eventually, they even killed Him. He loved them anyway.
And if we believe in Him, it’s time to turn things “upside down” and “inside out”, and say to our enemies, “I love you. I would rather die than hate you.” When we live that way, we’ll find the strength to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who spitefully use us.
We should never try to get even with our enemies. Let’s ask God to bless them instead. If we can let go of our anger long enough to pray like this, we’ll discover an amazing benefit – we’ll be putting ourselves in a position TO BE blessed and loved! May we realize THAT more than ever this year!