Breaking the Cycle
Theme of the Week: Release from Resentment
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verses: "You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies!" (Matthew 5:43-44). Bonus Reading:Galatians 5:13-15
While living in Somalia, I sipped cardamom-spiced tea one evening in a tea shop with Muslim student friends. They began comparing our two faiths. "You've told us that Jesus taught that people should forgive their enemies. That's not practical," they expounded. "Islam is practical. The way we strike our enemy teaches him to respect us."
"But when you hit back," I countered, "your enemy will crouch in the bushes sometime, and get you. Jesus offers another way. Forgive. Show kindness to your enemy. Even die at his hands. If you don't hit back, the cycle stops."
Somali society as a whole has never known the invitation of Jesus to another way. Its wonderful people have experienced self-destruction as the cycle of revenge between clans goes on and on.
About the same time as that tea shop conversation, Kenya was on the brink of intertribal war because of a political assassination. During that crisis, some 10,000 Christians from across the nation met and proclaimed that they were a reconciled people from the very tribes teetering toward conflict. Come what may, they announced, they'd never kill one another.
—David Shenk in Surprises of the Christian Way
My Response: Do I consider "turning the other cheek" to show weakness or strength?
Thought to Apply: I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.
—Booker T. Washington
Adapted from Surprises of the Christian Way (Herald Press, 2000) by permission.
Copyright © 2003 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.
1 of 1
I'm tired, Lord, of being governed by grievances. Please show me how to break loose from vindictiveness.
Men of Integrity
Connect with God | Transform my Mind | Live by His Power
Relate Better | Make an Impact
Home | Archives | Contact Us
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Try an Issue of Men of Integrity
Free!
|
 |
|
No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders.
If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless.
Give Men of Integrity as a gift
Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| 
