You want be like Jesus, you might have to flip some tables!

Yesterday I was reading the lyrics to a song by KB named “Let it reign”.  During my review of the lyrics a line jumped off the screen and slapped me in the face.  The line goes “you wanna be like Jesus, might have to flip some tables”.  I have heard this referenced many times before but yesterday I really needed to hear it.  Personally, I am what most call a lover and not a fighter.  I avoid conflict as much as possible.  I am a typical middle child that just wants everybody to get along.  So, it’s no surprise then that my accountability partners have reminded over the years that Jesus was bold at times in His rebuke of wrong.  It is true.  We read in Matthew 21:12-13:

 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’^[a] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers!”

I personally love the humble, peaceful, gentle spirit of Christ that oozes love for everybody.  That part of Jesus I really resonate with and share most about.  But yes, Jesus was bold in His rebuke of money changers and dove salesman that day in the temple.  Jesus did flip some tables.  So, what does that have to do with me?

Over the past nine months (and probably even longer) I have wrestled with how the global church and our local church have been treated and responded to social and political issues.  We are not called to be of the world, we are called to bring the Good News to world.  I love being a follower of Christ!  I love the opportunity we get to gather and worship freely in His name!  My prayer for the church is that our every effort and action is centered around that sole purpose, to know God and make Him be known.  But if I’m being honest with myself, we need to do some more work.  I include myself in that statement.

The past year has brought about a new atmosphere both in our society as well as in the relationships we have with other believers inside our church walls.  Many of us have spent countless hours researching and discussing what life is like during a pandemic.  We have had changes forced upon us that impact our daily lives (be it job loss, remote school, masks).  Most of us observed or participated in discussions centered around politics at a level that I have not experienced before.  If I’m being honest again, I spent more times on these topics last year than I did in studying and spreading the word of God.  Today I want to flip the table on myself and the church.

Here’s my challenge to each of us:

1. Put God first in everything you do this year.  Pray continuously!
2. Before you have a discussion with anybody, ask God to provide the words. (He did this for Moses and He can do it for you and me)
3. Before deciding for yourself or others, pass that decision through the lens of God.  If we ask God how He’d handle a situation before we ask ourselves or others, the outcome may be different.
4. Get to know the person in the pew beside you.  The mask debate has gotten out of hand but has also revealed something to me.  If we can see it, we are okay addressing it.  If we can’t see it, we don’t discuss it.  Imagine if we spent the same effort on asking each other if we’ve prayed today, or if we’re respecting our spouse in all things, or when was the last time you shared your testimony, or dare I even bring it up are we fighting everyday to protect the children of our community from conception on.  I have a feeling we know very little about the person sitting beside us in the pew.  Get to know them!
5. Speak up when you see wrong.  No, do not gossip.  As Christians we can disciple one another.  Do just that, speak to one another.  Lead and be led by your fellow believers.  Reach out to leadership when help is needed after first approaching your friend.  Even our leaders can be disciple by us.

I fully believe these actions are biblical.  We are not called to be like this world.  We are called to bring the Good News to the world and that looks different and is not comfortable at times.  Jesus modeled how to love the people He met every day.  He prayed with them, He was the Living Word, He consulted His father in Heaven, He sat with sinners and encouraged a change in their heart, and yes, He spoke up when He saw somebody doing wrong and even flipped over a table at times.  Let today be a rally cry for believers who love a humble Jesus to remember that if you want to be like Jesus, you may also have to go into the temple and flip some tables!