Changing Others

I’ve noticed over the years that what motivates people to change is not always telling them things they need to hear. Sometimes, maybe usually, it involves creating the kind of relationship with the person that will change them via presence and love. So, if a boss is being mean to his employees, it rarely helps anyone for the employee to jump down his boss’ throat and make ultimatums. Sometimes all that is required is that the employee submit to and respect his boss in new and “over the top” ways. This will change the relationship between boss and employee such that the boss will actually care about his employee and thus will change how he treats him.

For the Christian, there is nothing new here. The Bible tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mt 22:39). It tells us to love our enemies (Lk 6:27), to bless them and don’t curse them (Mt 5:44). It tells us to love our wives (Col 3:19), husbands (Tit 2:4), children (1 Jn 5:2), parents (Eph 6:1-3). It tells us to submit to governing authorities (Rom 13:1), our employers (1 Pet 2:18), our husbands (Eph 5:22ff), to love our wives with understanding (1 Pet 3:7ff). The Bible tells us to imitate Jesus (1 Cor 11:1), which, when we study it at all focuses almost exclusively on submission, sacrifice, humility, love, and kindness.

Christianity is about servanthood, not power (Lk 17:10). Christianity is about submission, not rights and authority (2 Cor 12:13-16). When someone wrongs us, we bless them (Rom 12:14). When someone, anyone, does any kind of evil toward us, we thank God, we pray for the evil doer, we rejoice in being able to suffer for Jesus’ sake, and we bless the one who caused our pain (Mt 5:44). As Christians live this way, God transforms the world.

I’m just saying…