I have a confession to make: I’m cheap. I don’t really
like to spend money on something unless I believe it’s going to be of benefit.
Case in point: in times past, I refused to spend more than about $30 on a pair
of shoes. Why? Because shoes always wore out so quickly! I’m a big guy, and I
had never had a pair of shoes last more than about a year (usually less).
Right now you’re probably saying to yourself, “Well,
no wonder! They were $30 shoes!”
How right you are. About 5 years ago, I broke down and
bought a pair of Nikes – all leather Air Monarchs, to be precise. Aside from
being a little bit discolored (they are white!), they are still as sound and
sturdy as the day I bought them. After living for 40+ years with cheap shoes, I’m
still surprised by the durability of my Nikes on a regular basis.
Likewise, I was surprised at the mileage I would get
out of studying about the Shoes of Readiness in Ephesians, chapter 6. I suppose
a Roman soldier wouldn’t be surprised, as they would have known all too well
how many miles they could get out of a pair of caligae.
Of course, the durability of a shoe is only a benefit if
you can keep it on your foot without experiencing pain (I have never understood
how women can wear heels… but that’s another matter!). Both my Nikes and a
Roman soldier’s boots provide a desirable degree of comfort. One might say that
the shoes are rather soothing for the feet.
This brings us to the final point to be made regarding
the Shoes of Readiness (or the Boots of Preparation, if you prefer). As we go
out into the world to spread the Gospel message, we must be mindful of the
purpose of the good news, which is to make peace
between humans and God.
You see, many well-intentioned Christians who very
actively attempt to draw lost souls to Christ actually drive people away. They
don’t mean to, nor are they even aware that there is a problem with their
methods. What are they doing wrong?
The Gospel must be presented as a salve to the damaged
human soul. It should not be parceled out condescendingly or in a judgmental
fashion. Now I’m sure we have all seen the Christian who constantly bemoans the
evils of the world, points out all of the wrongs which come from the ungodly,
and proclaims loudly that sinners need to find Jesus. To be fair, that
Christian is not wrong about these things, but their ongoing negative commentary
is far from Christ-like. This kind of person reminds me of the Pharisees of
Jesus’ time, who worked very hard to keep the Law but often failed to show
compassion.
Being right
is of no benefit when the truth is being used as a weapon. Notice how Paul
describes the Gospel…
“…and with
your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
~ Ephesians
6:15 (NIV)
Let me assure you that I know firsthand how it feels
to be assaulted by a hostile gospel. As I have mentioned before, I did not grow
up in a churchgoing family. I was decidedly agnostic for many, many years, and
I found nothing of benefit from “fire and brimstone” preachers who seemed to
want to scare me to Jesus by threatening me with Hell. I was not drawn to
Christ by being told “thou shalt not” over and over again. The only effect these
techniques had on me was to make Christianity, the church, and Jesus himself all
less desirable. To be blunt, it kept me away from the truth of God’s love for a
long time.
But don’t just take my word for it. Scripture tells us
plainly that approaching the lost with a judgmental mindset is wrongheaded…
“If anyone
hears my words but does not keep them, I
do not judge that person. For I did
not come to judge the world, but to
save the world.”
~ John
12:47 (NIV)
“What
business is it of mine to judge those outside
the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside.”
~ 1
Corinthians 5:12-13 (NIV)
 |
| www.raleighfootandanklecenter.com |
Sadly, far too many Christians make a point of shaming
those who exhibit certain faults and/or are not Christians, and it often
happens under the pretense of “speaking the truth.” We will not draw lost souls
to Christ by continuing to condemn them for everything they have ever done
wrong. Instead, we must actively seek ways to connect and communicate through loving
and peaceful interactions which heal rather than harm.
Peace must be not only our goal, but our method.
“Turn from
evil and do good; seek peace and pursue
it.”
~ Psalm
34:14 (NIV)
“Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will
be called children of God.”
~ Matthew
5:9 (NIV)
“If it is
possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
~ Romans
12:18 (NIV)
Jesus, as always, provides a perfect example for us to follow. John 4:1-42 presents the well-known tale of Jesus' meeting with a Samaritan woman. Now, if there was one place in the world during Jesus' time where Jews were ever unwelcome, Samaria was the place. Yet here we see Jesus traveling through this area in complete peace, spreading the truth of God's Word. His methods drew not only the woman at the well to Him, but many others. The Samaritans responded so well that Jesus was urged to remain in Samaria for two days. These people who were otherwise hostile toward Jews were begging Jesus to stay with them! Behold, the power of peace.
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you..."
~ John 14:27 (NKJV)
Now in order to tie the principle of peace back to the armor of a Roman soldier, we would do well to consider the Pax Romana, literally meaning “Roman peace.” For over 200 years (at a minimum, lasting from 27 BC to AD 180), the Roman Empire provided an unprecedented era of peace, stability, and safety for over seventy million people. The Roman legions were absolutely vital to keeping the peace during this time, and their funky sandal-boots carried them along all the way.
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you..."
~ John 14:27 (NKJV)
Now in order to tie the principle of peace back to the armor of a Roman soldier, we would do well to consider the Pax Romana, literally meaning “Roman peace.” For over 200 years (at a minimum, lasting from 27 BC to AD 180), the Roman Empire provided an unprecedented era of peace, stability, and safety for over seventy million people. The Roman legions were absolutely vital to keeping the peace during this time, and their funky sandal-boots carried them along all the way.
It’s also interesting to note that Jesus’ entire life
and ministry on Earth took place during the Pax
Romana, while Israel was part of the Roman Empire. How appropriate that the
Prince of Peace should appear on Earth during such a time! Furthermore, the Pax Romana lasted throughout the time of
the Apostles and allowed the Gospel to spread far and wide during a time of
relative peace and safety.
Just as the Roman legions brought stability and peace
to their empire, we must seek to spread the peace which can only be found in
the Gospel wherever we go. It’s a long and hard road, but we have good shoes to
carry us on our way.
-------------------------
-------------------------
MORE IN THIS SERIES
The Final Cut (The Armor, part 18)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.