What do you want? Do you really, really want?

Matthew 7:7, 9, 11, 12 (NASB95)

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. . . .
9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? . . .
11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! . . .
12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I have always wondered what this passage meant. Is this scripture promising me anything I want if I just ask? Or, more spiritual, promising me anything I ask that is God’s will? Why does God say that what he gives is the best (even if I don’t recognize it as such?). And, what does the Golden Rule have to do with me getting what I want? Do I earn what I want by being kind to others?

One way to sum up the Bible is: Love God, love people.
Can I use this to guide my interpretation?

In verse 12 Jesus says: Always, therefore, love other people (my summary). To me, “therefore” means that to accomplish the previous verses I need to love others. Does that mean I earn what I want by loving others?

Or, does it mean that what I really want (God’s best “loaf”) is to love others?

If I ask, seek, and knock to have God give me love to give to others – he will. When he gives me that love I may not recognize it as the best. But if I choose to treat others the way I want to be treated, God will love that person through me. And joy for – the other person, and me, and God – is the result.

Thinking right in a culture whose Mind’s Left

Copyright by James Bruce McNaughton

I have internet experience with “those whose Mind’s Left.”

Do some claim the protection of being a Platform but want to control content like Publishers?

“Platforms” are given legal protection from what is written in them. This is what some claim to be. In exchange for this protection they give up the right to censor what they don’t agree with. They become a public forum.

“Publishers” have control of what will be written in them. But they give up legal protection from damage for what they say.

Any thinking person can recognize that content (memes, podcasts, etc.) that fails “fact checking” or “community standards” can be statements that those who are afraid of the truth want to censor. The truth proves them wrong, they have no valid counter-arguments and they politically don’t want to admit that. So they exert their brief (that is, until a fair platform reaches enough people) power to censor, under the guise they are “protecting” us. (Oh yes, they may have made token attempts at fairness, I have seen one “fact-check” that was not against conservative thought. I haven’t seen more).

I have personal interaction with “those whose Mind’s Left.”

I’ve been accused of being a Conspiracy Theorist. I was talking about Revelation in the Bible and a Twenty-Something asked me if I believed this conspiracy theory. I felt I was instantly discredited and dismissed merely by their question and the way they said it. I was also shocked at the Bible being called a conspiracy theory.

I also asked this Twenty-Something if the statement:

“There is no Absolute Truth.”

is a true statement.

He said, “Sometimes.”

I had never heard such an illogical statement from someone.

(“There is no Absolute Truth” is an Absolute Truth statement itself and therefore self-contradictory, it is never true; but “those whose Mind’s Left” believe it is true).

This is what we are dealing with. Not all Twenty-Somethings are “those whose Mind’s Left.” Not all “those whose Mind’s Left” are Twenty-Somethings. But what we are dealing with are people who do not think logically, rationally or reasonably. They have been taught in college that truth doesn’t exist, they have believed this lie as true (ironic) and their actions have followed this belief.

What can we do?

Pray. To Jesus. And humbly ask Him to intervene. He is on the side of Truth, and Grace, and people. All people. Including “those whose Mind’s Left.” Including you.

By responding to this you are affirming “Freedom of Speech” is a right for yourself and all others.

Jesus notices the Poor Widow

Mark 12:41–44 (NASB95)
41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.
42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.
43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;
44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

I don’t think this is about sacrificial giving. I think this is about dependence, trust, and relationship. The widow did not have Social Security or a retirement plan; she had nothing. Her dependence on God had developed trust in Him and facilitated an ever closer relationship with Him. Giving her last cent to God was saying: “God, I give away my last money to you as my way of saying I am totally dependent on You, I trust You more than money, I love You.”

This is what I think Jesus thought was significant, not what percentage of your disposable and essential income you give. When I am making my daily decisions, and I make my decisions based on my relationship with God and what He wants and not what money dictates; I will have learned this lesson.

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