OUR DAILY BREAD : IDENTITY THEFT

[cimi]

February 28
Thursday


IDENTITY
THEFT

READ:
Matthew 5:21-26
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whoever is angry with
his brother without a
cause shall be in danger
of the judgment.
__Matthew 5:22
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Several years ago while having lunch with a friend, a white man called me "boy." Shock gave way to anger and hurt. My friend even shed tears. Why? The term boy was an insulting label used of black men in the US during slavery, an attempt to steal their identity by demoting them to less than men. As that ugly word recklessly barreled its way through my soul, I wanted to respond with an equally unkind name. But some ancient words from our Master about murder and anger changed my mind.

As Jesus was teaching His followers, He quoted the sixth
commandment__"You shall not murder"__and the penalty for breaking it (Matt. 5:21). Then He gave a fuller interpretation. Taking someone's life was not limited to physical murder, you could show contempt for someone through name-calling and be just as guilty. In Jewish culture, to call someone "Raca" or "Fool" (v.22) was the equivalent of calling someone empty-headed or an idiot. It was used to demean and demote another. What makes name_calling so damaging is that it insults the God who created that person in His image!

Jesus taught His followers that the weight of our neighbor's glory is a burden we carry daily. If we follow His teaching, we won't be guilty of identity theft. __Marvin Williams
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``````````````Teach me to love, this is my prayer__```````````````
````````````May the compassion of Thy heart I share;``````````````
```````````````````Ready a cup of water to give,`````````````````
```````````May I unselfishly for others live. __Peterson``````````````
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To insult the creature is to insult the Creator.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 5:21-26*********

21 You have heard that it
was said to those of old,
"You shall not murder, and
whoever murders will be in
danger of the judgment."

22 But I say to you that
whoever is angry with his
brother without a cause
shall be in danger of the
judgment. And whoever
says to his brother, "Raca!"
shall be in danger of the
council. But whoever says,
"You fool!" shall be in
danger of hell fire.

23 Therefore if you bring
your gift to the altar, and
there remember that your
brother has something
against you, 24 leave your
gift there before the altar,
and go your way. First be
reconciled to your brother,
and then come and offer
your gift.

25 Agree with your
adversary quickly, while
you are on the way with
him, lest your adversary
deliver you to the judge, the
judge hand you over to the
officer, and you be thrown
into prison. 26 Assuredly, I
say to you, you will by no
means get out of there till
you have paid the last
penny.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Anger as a human attribute is not necessarily wrong or sinful in
itself (Ps. 4:4 Eph. 4:26). The anger in Matthew 5 is anger "without
a cause" (v.22). Conversely, Jesus was angry with the Pharisees
(Mark 3:5) and those who desecrated the temple (John 2:13-16).
Anger is also a divine attribute of God the Father. He is angry at sin
and disobedience (Rom. 1:18; 2:5-8; Eph. 2:3; 5:6). Jesus died as the
propitiation for our sins, providing atonement and appeasing God's
wrath (Rom. 3:24-26; 5:9; 1` Thess. 1:10). __SKT