being the lowest common denominator

matthew 5:44"love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who despitefully use and persecute you" this is all about REACHING OUT!!!!! and dont you know that all too often reaching out to your enemy can be like reaching out to pet a brazillian wandering spider, hoping you wont get bit ( i had the pleasure of seeing one of them suckers on discovery, as it barreled up this poor guys broom, and zinged his hand. this is not a mild manner tarantula. this critter is aggressive). and, roger that, we live in a day an age, where those of us who embrace Jesus as THE way to God, not A way, who believe in shaping our values around the Word, not vica-versa etc. is NOT going to be modern mainstream societys cup of tea. this aint a popularity contest, i dig it. BUTTTTTTTTTT, AND I PLACE A HUGE EMPHASIS
ON THE BUT HERE, when we come across a difficulty in life, where we feel compelled to grab for good ole trusty matt 5:44, for that feel-good attaboy, i found it also highly advisable to remember hebrews 4:12"the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.....it is a divider of the thoguhts and intents of the heart" sometimes this doesnt
give us that attaboy feeling, but rather, an OUCH!!!!!!! we all can relate to being persecuted.
but nobody likes to look in the mirror, seeing theres no guarantee, theyll like what they see. but,
true forgiveness and love of ones enemies is never going to come if we dont also have the willingness to allow God to search our hearts, to allow the Spirit to convict us, on where if the shoe fits, we happen to have fallen into a pattern of destructive behavior with others that is actually contrary to being in His will. true forgiveness is only going to come when we see where we are the lowest common denominator in the situation.

the TRUE litmus test as to whether or not i have truly forgiven someone: MY part in it suddenly becomes HUGE!!! if i dont balance matthew 5:44 with hebrews 4:12,matthew 5:44 becomes nothing more than a way of shifting blame, and feeling justified in doing so. the Gospel is pretty simple, common sense. its the ABCS of our walk with God
A. I CANT
B. HE CAN
C. I THINK ILL LET HIM.
after that comes learning to LIVE THE WALK, not just TALK THE TALK. this is largely inward,
and, trust me, when youre in a job situation, where you have charge nurse who is willing to frame you in order to get you fired, hebrews 4:12 is going to be alot harder to put into practice than matt 5:44. no one likes looking in the mirror, and seeing where he or she is the lowest common denominator in the matter. and the tragic thing, is many believers lose job after job, even one loved one after the other, and still not get it, as far as being able to accept responsibility
for their shortcomings. and, what happens as a result, they look forward to a life of defeat, and all they tell the world by this is "this DOESNT work" lack of humility, unwillingness to relinquish destructive interrelational patterns paint a picture of a very UNchristian christian.

trust me, satan KNOWS exactly how to push your buttons. why do you think that the people closest to you can be the HARDEST to forgive????? they can send you from 0-glad to 10-boiling mad in a nanosecond. this is especially hard when dealing with strongholds of relational idolatry, where ones world became so centered around people that one word from them could ruin your whole day or even your whole weekend. the problem with that sort of perspective is that its ME-centered,and you drain people dry, or they flee from you. like i said before, and hebrews 4;12 sums it up, the chief cornerstone of daily picking up that cross daily, and following Him, is finally getting the fact that is isnt other people i need to try to be CHANGING. who really needs to CHANGE is ME. my job with other people to to SHARE MY FAITH!!!