Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday. There were parties in every neighborhood across our country. Friends and family gathering to fellowship around a television set with “man food” which, according to my son and husband, must have some variety of wings present if football is on television.
Our family spent the evening with some great family friends. When we were there, they shared a funny story about their eldest child. He was on the basketball homecoming court at his Christian school this semester. During the festivities, they announced each student’s name and read details about them, ending with the “life verse” the student had chosen. He knew exactly which verse he wanted: Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” The only problem was, he got the address for the verse confused and told them his life verse was 1 Corinthians 4:13, which is “when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world”
Needless to say, his parents looked at each other with some confusion when the verse was read out loud. I can only imagine what he was thinking when he was standing before his school listening to this verse. They have laughed more times than they can count about this event and have shared the story many times I am sure.
I woke up thinking about this story and started thinking about the verse read at the homecoming festivities. I looked up the version in the Message: “When they call us names, we say, ‘God bless you.’ When they spread rumors about us, we put in a good word for them. We’re treated like garbage, potato peelings from the culture’s kitchen. And it’s not getting any better.”
Now, I don’t imagine I would choose that as my life’s verse, but its message is powerful. We are to be like Jesus. Turn the other cheek. So, the next time you are taking out the garbage or peeling potatoes in your kitchen, stop and think about the way you’re treating those who aren’t kind to you. Are you blessing them or are you wallowing in fowl words with them? In Matthew 5:44-46, we are commanded to love those who don’t love us. If we gave them what they deserved, we would be just like the world. We are set apart and if we live set apart, we glorify Jesus.