https://odb.org/MY/2022/06/02/set-apart
Be kind and compassionate with one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ, God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).
As much as we want to be like others, to burst into anger and rage when we are wronged and to seek justice (sometimes that’s just an euphemism for revenge or getting even), we are actually quite constrained as a child of God. The rule for us is that first and foremost we must be kind and compassionate – meaning to say, we take things calmly even if we are wronged. It also means that like what John Wesley did in defence of his brother Charles Wesley, we meet anger and rage courageously with calmness and serenity. In fact, we can be like Jesus of yesterday’s commentary, and calm and quiet down a raging storm by being soft and serene. I recall seeing a video of a vet patting down an angry and aggresive dog to serenity. Thus even a potentially dangerous situation can be contained and controlled if we are calm and composed.
That’s why some people have used this phrase, right side up, to describe our Christian life. We are different from the world because we are now born again. It’s an upside down world or right side up as far as we are concerned. We are still in the world but we are no longer of the world. We live by a different standard as we are now a child of God. Salvation is not only about our eternal life but also eternity living in the present. We live now like we would in eternity. We bring Kingdom living down to earth as the Kingdom of God is where we are, where we work, live and interact. We are to be compassionate and kind and forgiving. It may be unfair but we must still be kind and compassionate and forgiving. That’s the standard we live by nowadays as a child of God.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds – Romans 12:2.
Ronnie's Thoughts 