EE Mission Day 29 - "Trolls" or "Neighbors"

1 Peter 1:3-9 - Born Again to a Living Hope

 ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.



During this adoption mission (preparation, travel, and soon to be homecoming, Lord willing), we have been and will continue to be blessed with trials.  Relative to the trials other brothers and sisters face in this world, ours have been mild in comparison.  Yet, we are thankful for these trials, as they are ordained in order to draw us closer to our Father in Heaven...

One category of trial has to do with blogging.  I knew that when we decided to share our story (thoughts, feelings, convictions, events), it could potentially spark some comments that would communicate disagreement.  I am okay with that...

With that said, there is a category of commentators, known in the blogosphere as "trolls", that only seem to offer comments that appear to arise from malice; containing many errors of reason (i.e., logical fallacies).  So, why do I categorize these types of comments as a trial?  Well, one reason is that comments like these create temptation to pull out the stops in conjuring up a logically solid, emotionally charged counter-attack.

Well, you might say, what is wrong with that?  Well...


In Matthew 5, Jesus states the following:

Retaliation

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 5:9 Greek huioi; see Preface
2. Matthew 5:16 Or house. Let your light so shine before others that
3. Matthew 5:22 Some manuscripts insert without cause
4. Matthew 5:22 Greek says Raca to (a term of abuse)
5. Matthew 5:22 Greek Gehenna; also verses 29, 30
6. Matthew 5:26 Greek kodrantes, Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)
7. Matthew 5:37 Or the evil one
8. Matthew 5:40 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin
9. Matthew 5:47 Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters

Cross references:

1. Matthew 5:1 : ch. 15:29
2. Matthew 5:1 : Luke 4:20
3. Matthew 5:2 : Ps. 78:2
4. Matthew 5:3 : For ver. 3-12, [Luke 6:20-23]
5. Matthew 5:3 : [Isa. 61:1; 66:2]
6. Matthew 5:3 : [Luke 12:32]
7. Matthew 5:4 : Isa. 61:2, 3; John 16:20; 2 Cor. 1:7; 7:10; Rev. 21:4; [James 4:9, 10]
8. Matthew 5:5 : Ps. 37:11
9. Matthew 5:5 : Ps. 37:11
10. Matthew 5:6 : Ps. 42:2; Isa. 55:1, 2; John 7:37
11. Matthew 5:6 : 2 Tim. 2:22; [ch. 6:33]
12. Matthew 5:7 : ch. 18:33; 25:34-36; Prov. 19:17; Luke 6:36; 2 Tim. 1:16; Heb. 6:10
13. Matthew 5:8 : Ps. 24:4; 2 Tim. 2:22; [1 Pet. 1:22]
14. Matthew 5:8 : Heb. 12:14; 1 John 3:2, 3; Rev. 22:4; [1 Cor. 13:12]
15. Matthew 5:9 : James 3:18
16. Matthew 5:9 : 1 John 3:1
17. Matthew 5:9 : Rom. 8:14
18. Matthew 5:10 : 2 Tim. 2:12; James 5:11; 1 Pet. 3:14
19. Matthew 5:10 : [See ver. 3 above]; [Luke 12:32]
20. Matthew 5:11 : Heb. 11:26; 1 Pet. 4:14
21. Matthew 5:11 : John 15:21
22. Matthew 5:12 : Acts 5:41; Rom. 5:3; 2 Cor. 12:10; Col. 1:11, 24; Heb. 10:34; James 1:2; 1 Pet. 4:13
23. Matthew 5:12 : See ch. 21:35
24. Matthew 5:13 : Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34
25. Matthew 5:14 : Eph. 5:8; Phil. 2:15; [John 8:12]
26. Matthew 5:15 : Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; 11:33
27. Matthew 5:16 : Philem. 6; 1 Pet. 2:12
28. Matthew 5:16 : John 15:8; 2 Cor. 9:13; Phil. 1:11; [ch. 9:8]
29. Matthew 5:17 : Rom. 3:31
30. Matthew 5:17 : ch. 7:12
31. Matthew 5:17 : [Rom. 10:4; 13:8; Gal. 3:24]
32. Matthew 5:18 : Luke 16:17; [ch. 24:35]
33. Matthew 5:19 : [1 Cor. 3:12-15]
34. Matthew 5:19 : [Gal. 3:10; James 2:10]
35. Matthew 5:19 : ch. 11:11; 18:1-4
36. Matthew 5:19 : ch. 11:11; 18:1-4
37. Matthew 5:20 : [Rom. 10:3; Phil. 3:9]
38. Matthew 5:20 : John 3:5
39. Matthew 5:21 : ver. 33; [ver. 27, 31, 38, 43]
40. Matthew 5:21 : Cited from Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17; [ch. 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; Rom. 13:9; James 2:11]
41. Matthew 5:21 : [Deut. 16:18]
42. Matthew 5:22 : 1 John 3:15
43. Matthew 5:22 : [See ver. 21 above]; [Deut. 16:18]
44. Matthew 5:22 : ch. 18:9; Mark 9:43; James 3:6; [ver. 29]
45. Matthew 5:23 : [ch. 6:15; Mark 11:25]
46. Matthew 5:23 : ch. 8:4; 23:18
47. Matthew 5:25 : Luke 12:58, 59
48. Matthew 5:26 : [ch. 18:34, 35]
49. Matthew 5:27 : See ver. 21
50. Matthew 5:27 : Cited from Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18
51. Matthew 5:28 : Job 31:1; Prov. 6:25; [2 Sam. 11:2]
52. Matthew 5:29 : ch. 18:8, 9; Mark 9:43-48
53. Matthew 5:29 : [ch. 13:41; Luke 17:1]
54. Matthew 5:29 : ch. 10:28; 23:15, 33; Luke 12:5; [ver. 22]
55. Matthew 5:30 : [See ver. 29 above]; ch. 18:8, 9; Mark 9:43-48
56. Matthew 5:30 : [See ver. 29 above]; [ch. 13:41; Luke 17:1]
57. Matthew 5:30 : [See ver. 29 above]; ch. 10:28; 23:15, 33; Luke 12:5; [ver. 22]
58. Matthew 5:31 : [See ver. 27 above]; See ver. 21
59. Matthew 5:31 : ch. 19:7; Jer. 3:1; Cited from Deut. 24:1
60. Matthew 5:32 : ch. 19:9; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; [1 Cor. 7:10, 11]
61. Matthew 5:32 : Rom. 7:3
62. Matthew 5:33 : [See ver. 27 above]; See ver. 21
63. Matthew 5:33 : Lev. 19:12; 1 Tim. 1:10
64. Matthew 5:33 : Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21; Eccles. 5:4
65. Matthew 5:34 : James 5:12
66. Matthew 5:34 : ch. 23:22; Isa. 66:1; Acts 7:49; See Rev. 4:2
67. Matthew 5:35 : Ps. 48:2
68. Matthew 5:37 : [Prov. 10:19]
69. Matthew 5:38 : [See ver. 27 above]; See ver. 21
70. Matthew 5:38 : Cited from Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21
71. Matthew 5:39 : 1 Pet. 2:23
72. Matthew 5:39 : For ver. 39-42, see Luke 6:29, 30; [Rom. 12:17]
73. Matthew 5:39 : ch. 26:67; Isa. 50:6; Lam. 3:30
74. Matthew 5:40 : [See ver. 39 above]; 1 Pet. 2:23
75. Matthew 5:41 : ch. 27:32
76. Matthew 5:42 : Ps. 37:21; Prov. 21:26
77. Matthew 5:42 : Deut. 15:8; Ps. 37:26; 112:5; Luke 6:34, 35
78. Matthew 5:43 : See ver. 21
79. Matthew 5:43 : Cited from Lev. 19:18; See ch. 19:19
80. Matthew 5:44 : Luke 6:27, 28; Rom. 12:20; [Ex. 23:4; Job 31:29, 30; Ps. 7:4]
81. Matthew 5:44 : Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; 2 Tim. 4:16; 1 Pet. 3:9
82. Matthew 5:45 : Luke 6:35; [Eph. 5:1; Phil. 2:15]
83. Matthew 5:45 : Acts 14:17
84. Matthew 5:46 : Luke 6:32
85. Matthew 5:47 : ch. 6:7, 32
86. Matthew 5:48 : [Luke 6:36]
87. Matthew 5:48 : ch. 19:21; 1 Cor. 2:6 (Gk.); Phil. 3:15 (Gk.); Col. 1:28; 4:12 (Gk.); James 1:4; 3:2; See Gen. 17:1
88. Matthew 5:48 : [Lev. 19:2; 1 Pet. 1:15]

I praise the Lord for His Grace and Mercy in letting me ponder a little on just who these authors are.  I mean, they are human beings created in His image, that have a story to tell from their experiences.  If given a chance to interview these people, some of the questions I would ask would include, but not be limited to:

(1)  Why do we exist?

(2)  What is wrong with the world?

(3)  How is what's wrong with the world made right?

(4)  Do you believe in a god?  If so, tell me about your god.

(5)  Do you profess to be a Christian?  If so, share your testimony.  If not, tell me what you understand about Christianity and why you reject it.

(6)  Tell me about the experiences in your life (both the joyous and the painful) that have helped shape your view of the world.  For example, if you are against adoption, tell me what helped shape that position.

(7)  What do you think you know about me that suggests you can apply what you think or know about one family to my household?

(8)  How may I pray for you?

Colossians 4:2-6 - Further Instructions

² Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. ³ At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— ⁴ that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

⁵ Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.



I am hopeful that this kind of dialog could exist.  I am not looking for compromise; I am looking to love my neighbor, in the name of Christ.  I know why I am in this world; yet understand why I am not to be of this world.

I am not looking for everyone to agree with or support what is stated on this blog.  I am not looking to bring glory to myself or anyone else.  I answer to Truth; which is found in His Word.

John 1 - The Word Became Flesh

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.