Today's Daily Lesson comes from 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 14 through 21:
14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
"We regard no one from a human point of view."
What a radical worldview -- to see people not as they are but as they could be, to see them not with the the eyes of the head but those of the heart, to see them not as humans see but as God sees.
How might that change us all if we were to put such a thing into practice? How might it change the world if Christians started putting this Christianity into practice? What if we became "ambassadors" of God's reconciliation?
Surely, it would make us more compassionate. It would make us more empathetic. We would not -- could not -- hate and loathe and wish ill. We would see that everyone we know is lugging around a bag of rocks. We would remember that everyone has a story. And our hearts would be open to event the "vilest offender" as the old hymn says. It would open us also to even the vilest of politicians, and neighbors, and brothers, and sisters, and kindred, and nations.
It would change our hearts and it would change our world. It might not change our politics -- but it would change us.
At the end of the book of Acts Paul is standing in chains before King Agrippa, a crooked half-Jew and scoundrel who had the power to either save Paul or send him to his sure death -- which Paul knows he is morally incapable to do.
Paul asks the king, "Do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
Agrippa responds by asking, "Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?"
Paul then replies, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am -- except for these chains."
It makes me wonder, which one was the really free man? Clearly it was Paul.
And would that we could be free also.
And when the Son sets us free -- we are free indeed.
NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible through this year. Tomorrow's Lesson comes from 2 Corinthians chapters 10-13.
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