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An Instruction Manual for Christ Followers - Joanna Sell
A few weeks ago I was assigned the
scripture passage in Luke which is almost identical to this scripture in Matthew. Then I remembered that
the
gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke have so many of the same stories often in a similar sequence and in similar wording. When doing a little research, I read that these Gospels are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels for that reason. Syn meaning "the same" and Optic meaning "to see".
I found so many theories and studies on the Gospels it became a little overwhelming to comprehend all of the information.
The more I thought about the stories in the Gospels, the more I realized they read like an instruction manual. An instruction manual for Christ followers, if you will.
If you desire to follow Christ, these chapters tell you how. They contain truths that Christ practiced and lived by, and as imitators of Christ, what we also should live by. However there is one catch I do believe. Jesus also shows that following these rules alone is not enough; it is the attitude towards them that is most important.
Throughout my life, I have imagined that if I follow these "laws" and simply  do what it says, then I am doing all that is necessary. Jesus preaches this sermon to show us that keeping the law is not so much about outward actions as inner attitudes of the heart. Whether we are interacting with friends or enemies, Christians or non-Christians, our attitude toward other people should be to love them. None of us have problems loving the friends and family members we get along with. It's the people, and even family members or other Christians who seem to hate us, and the people who are out to cause us harm, and the people who spread lies about us that we have trouble loving. I am
quick to see the sins of others and often blind and unwilling to hold myself accountable to the same standard I impose on everyone else.
So why do I continue to put the plank in my eye every so often? Because living the laws on the outside and the inside is a tough act to follow. I firmly believe that my relationship with Christ and being a follower of Christ is a lifelong process. This is a challenging concept for me to wrap my brain around. Mostly because I am a task-oriented person. When I can cross something off the list that I have accomplished, it makes me feel good! If I have to continue to work on a task for a long period of time, I can feel defeated like I will never cross the finish line. Following Christ is a lifelong marathon. The training is never finished, there is always more to learn.
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