A Heart Like Jesus: Keys to Baltimore...and Ferguson

A Heart Like Jesus: Keys to Baltimore...Ferguson
(and whatever other town is rioting)  

First, let me say that this is my story through my experience. You also have a story through your experience that is just as valid as mine is. My story may not match your story, my interpretation  may not match your interpretation. But each story is valid and we can all learn from other peoples stories. What is important is what you use to filter your experiences. My filter is the Bible. It is absolute truth. My flawed human filter will twist experiences to make me believe my way is always the right way. Writers, preachers, artists and musicians bleed their soul through pages, lessons, paint or notes and many other mediums. Enjoy a small slice of my experience. 

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Jesus gives us the keys to the kingdom of heaven; not others’ perception of us or LIKEs or even how accepted we are based on others’ view of us.  Pride, vanity, money, status…all these things are locks. Do we share keys with others or keep them in bondage as we share the locks we clasp on ourselves?

Matthew 23:13 describes Jesus’ reaction to a huge blunder the teachers of the law were making. It says, “Hypocrites shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.”

Luke 11:52 says the same thing a little differently, “…experts in the law, you have taken away the key to knowledge; you yourselves have not entered and you have hindered those who were entering.”

The Pharisees and teachers of the law kept themselves and others in ignorance (locks) of the way of salvation. They taught faulty interpretations and inaccurate system of theology. I found a recent teaching said Jesus and disciples taught the old testament and its covenants because at that time there was not a new covenant. It basically said to discount the writings in the gospels, Paul, the works of the Holy Spirit and other “New Covenant” records. Talk about shutting the door, locking it and stealing the key to the kingdom of heaven!! 

The Pharisees liked the honor they received, the flowing clothes they wore, the people who looked up to them and tried to emulate them. They liked the people’s attention on them.They perceived Jesus was luring them away. Pharisees taught laws that were burdensome and hung heavy like an oxen yoke driving a team mercilessly around at the master’s bidding—in this case, like the Pharisees wanted. They did not teach that faith and belief in Jesus were needed for Salvation. They taught laws without mercy. They taught works, works, works. The works the Pharisees taught were more about self and checking off your list of ‘to dos’ and ‘not do dos’.

Jesus was filled with mercy—just look at the list posted last week of people Jesus pardoned who, by law, should have been stoned. Jesus said his yoke is light not burdensome. Jesus taught belief and faith which results in works. The works Jesus taught about were works for others out of an unselfish heart. 

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Have you ever seen a school of fish or birds change directions all at the same time? They are in perfect unison, never colliding. There is no leader that says, ‘Turn this way.” Big schools of fish are better protected from an enemy. They can defend their territory better. There are more eyes to find the enemy, food or shelter. 

Apply the fish example to Baltimore. From the US  Census Bureau, the population of Baltimore is 622,796; 63% black (392,361); 31% white (193,067); 4.6% Latino (28,649). 80% that are over 25 have a high school education. 26% of the 80% have a bachelor degree. 35% are veterans.

One percent (1%) of Baltimore would be about 6000 people. While watching the news, I don’t think I saw 6000 people protesting (but I didn’t watch a great deal of the coverage). This leads me to say that the one percent (or less) of the population that is protesting, looting, throwing rocks and setting things on fire is creating a stereotype the other 99% have to deal with because a stereotype gets applied to the whole whether they are like that or not. 

Like the fish, when someone in the one percent raises an arm or grabs a rock or smashes a window or flick a Bic, the motion is not even complete before 10, 20, 40 more are copying the motion in unison, too. I saw one picture where a row of men and women were standing in front of the police to protect the police and make a statement that says, “ENOUGH!” I hope that photo was real. Another showed a small boy giving the policemen water bottles.

There are other stereotypes like all blonds are ditzy, all red-heads have a bad temper, people with tattoos are thugs, lawyers are swindlers. It is simply not true. 

Baltimore makes me think of a story in the Bible: Acts 5:17-42. Peter and the apostles were preaching in Rome. They were put in jail, but then an angel of the Lord opened the door. They were found in the temple courts teaching about Jesus yet again. A Pharisee named Gamaleil said, “Consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Theudas…rallies 400 men. He was killed and his men were dispersed and all came to nothing…Galilean led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed and his followers were scattered. Leave these men alone! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, You will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourself fighting against God.” I’m not advocating these people should not have consequences. I just wish media would focus on what the 99% are doing…prayers in homes and churches, donations of food, supplies, money and support. 

Challenge: Don’t be part of the one percent that makes bad stereotypes spread. Be a part of the percentage that is exceptional so when people speak of wide generalities, you can boldly say, “That’s not true because you do not know so-n-so!”

So what would it look like if the one percent had a heart like Jesus? I literally five minutes ago got my answer. Jesus allowed Judas to kiss him. Jesus did not start a commotion or engage his disciples to protect him. He even told Peter to put up his sword after he cut off a man's ear. Jesus healed the man's ear...a man who came there to arrest him. 

So let's be in the school that follows Jesus. Let people see our good deeds and praise God and give glory to God for the good they see. Let us move in unison with Jesus' examples the moment a tough situation arrises. Moving in unison with Jesus' teaching and examples is the key to the kingdom of heaven. 

Ponder what moving in unison with Jesus looks like to you. I'd love to hear what you think. Remember, Jesus didn't throw rocks...but he had the opportunity. 
(Some have said my blog is very hard to leave comments on, so, email me...eemfrog@att.net)