Lesson 7* MondayAugust 8 The “Anyway” Principle
MondayAugust 8
The “Anyway” Principle
A leper approaches Jesus and begs for healing. Conventional wisdom says that this man should be isolated. Jesus, the clean One, touches him and heals him anyway (Matt. 8:1-4). Peter denies Jesus three times during His trial (John 18:1-40). After the resurrection, having searched Peter’s heart, Jesus reinstates him into His serviceanyway (John 21:1-25). God’s church in Corinth is unappreciative of Paul’s authority and influence. Paul serves them anyway (2 Cor. 12:14-15).
This principle of “anyway” or “in spite of” is essential for revealing the character of the One who desires their good.
“Millions upon millions of human souls ready to perish, bound in chains of ignorance and sin, have never so much as heard of Christ’s love for them. Were our condition and theirs to be reversed, what would we desire them to do for us? All this, so far as lies in our power, we are under the most solemn obligation to do for them. Christ’s rule of life, by which every one of us must stand or fall in the judgment, is, 'Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.’ Matthew 7:12.” - Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 640.
This “golden rule” is foundational to a mind-set of ministry that thinks first of what is good for the ones we are serving instead of what benefits us.
Read Matthew 5:43-47; Luke 6:27, 35; 23:34. What crucial point here has Jesus revealed to us in regard to our attitude toward a certain class of people?
Jesus is calling us to show love and be kind to people “in spite of” the fact that they hate you or are your enemies. Notice, too, that Jesus links these acts and this attitude with the character of God Himself. “ 'But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked’ ”(Luke 6:35, NIV).
How do we understand the idea that God is “kind to the ungrateful and wicked”? (How does this answer, for example, the question “Why do the wicked sometimes prosper”?) How does Romans 2:4 play into the picture as well?
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