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If you be angry… act in love!

The political climate is crazy. There's so much to talk about. I can easily be angry. I so want to post a meme or spout off about a number of events!! But yet, I am constrained by my own credo-

"Is what I am about to say or do done in love? Does it ascribe unsurpassable worth to others? Does it increase in others an ability to ascribe that same love to those they are in relationship with?"

In Mark 3 Jesus met a man with a shriveled hand. This man was not born with a shriveled hand. The original Greek word is a verb, it became shriveled. In the course of living his hand lost function and was of no use anymore.

He asked the law keepers and law makers, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath, to do good or to do evil?” They remained silent. (because in their understanding of the law to do anything on the Sabbath was to do evil, therefore doing good on the Sabbath was also doing evil, this question was either rhetorical or a conundrum) It is said Jesus looked around at them in anger, and deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “stretch out your hand.” He stretched out his hand and it was completely restored. Restored as in reconstituted to it's former healthy state.

Even with anger in his heart He acted in love, He ascribed his own unsurpassable worth to another which brought restoration. He did it knowing that this act of restoring another would be used against him.

It is my hope that I can follow in the path of my Savior. When I see a shriveled hand, a person who has lost the use of some part of their life, I pray I do not call them out for their failings. If I encounter those who would call me out for embracing another who may be considered a foe or politically wrong and I my anger rises up, then may my act of ascribing unsurpassable love hold the hope of restoration instead of another person's destruction.


I, too, have a shriveled hand in both known and unknown areas of my life. I, too, desire restoration of those areas before they call out another's weakness in an attempt to divert attention from myself. May all I do and say be done in the unsurpassable love of Triune God!
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