Do you ever find Scripture offensive? I mean, if we’re honest, aren’t there things Jesus says that make us like, “Really?! Does He mean that?!” The Second Mile commands might top the chart in terms of tough-to-swallow teachings.
Nevertheless, they’re here, so we can wrestle with them and ask God to align our lives with His Word, or we can ignore them, and be in danger of unknowingly rejecting the authority of Scripture.
“If someone sues you and takes your tunic, give them your cloak as well.”
—Jesus, Matthew 5:40
These are hard words, yes? But this sacrifice is clearly commended in other places as well:
“For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.”
Hebrews 10:34
Remember we’ve been talking about reward? That’s front and center here! Jesus is saying that when we willingly let go of what we could claim as ours, we secure for ourselves a better possession, an abiding one, one that can’t be destroyed by moth and rust, one that can’t be stolen by thieves (Matt. 6:10).
Shall we dive into this? Join me for Episode 24 as we count the cost of following Jesus, recognizing what may be at stake, and resting in His promised provision for our lives. Thanks for joining!
About the Kari Patterson Podcast: We need wisdom, y’all. Like, yesterday. Right?! We need God’s perspective. We need His heart. We need joy, resilience, clarity, and conviction. Feeling this need, author Kari Patterson opens Scripture and shares candidly how God’s Word informs her daily life. Appropriate for all ages, relatable and refreshing, join Kari for conversations on responding to unkindness, emotional freedom, parenting dilemmas, self-pity, forgiveness, and more. (Available most of the places you enjoy podcasts, including those with links above.)