Anyone and 2X4ology

S - Luke 11:23; 9:50 (NLT): ""Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me. … Anyone who is not against you is for you.""

O - Both of these statements come from Jesus.  Is Jesus contradicting himself?  Is he just employing some Hebrew idiomatic language and style?  The beauty is while he may be using linguistic norms of his day he is clearly doing more than that.  The chapter 11 instruction (the first) is how we assess ourselves and the chapter 9 statement (the second) is about how we respond to others.  This is 2X4ology (i.e. take the beam out of your own eye) at its best. 

A - Amidst all the issues of interpersonal relationships and spiritual dynamics, Jesus consistently calls me/us to self-assessment in the context of his unconditional love.  Not only does his love make me safe and confident toward my own daily living, it insists I remember it is how he engages all others too.  The superlatives (the Greatest Commandments) are just that … the very best, the most important, the reality all Scripture hangs on and the directions for real life.

P - Lord who is love,

Thank you for calling me to 2X4ology and for these beautiful and life-giving instructions.  I am asking you to cause your life to come into me and to flow out of me.  Lord, I want to work with you … to be one who is intentionally helping.  Lord, I want to love you back make you glad by loving my neighbor as myself.  Thank you for loving me/us first and most and for refusing to change your mind.

Steve