Defending God

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.” (I Peter 2:21-24 NIV)

The president of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi, appeared before the U.N. General Assembly yesterday and said this regarding any insults of the Prophet Mohammed: “We reject this. We cannot accept it.  We will not allow anyone to do this by word or deed.”

The Muslim world is particularly sensitive to any perceived insult to their Prophet.  They believe it is blasphemy to speak about or portray him in a disparaging way.  In many Muslim countries, such things are punishable by lashings, time in prison, or even death.  And on several occasions, westerners deemed to have insulted Mohammed have been targeted for death.

The reaction is understandable to a point because when people speak ill of or mock Jesus, Christians can become deeply offended.  Yet, instead of retaliation when our Lord is insulted and mocked, we are called to respond as He did.  He absorbed the insults thrown at Him and did not respond in kind or with retribution.  In fact, He told His disciples this: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-13)

Rejoice and be glad?  The religious mindset is that we have to defend our God or gods.  The biblical mindset, however, is that God will defend Himself and in due time.  He is patient, wanting none to perish (II Peter 3:9), so He is willing to endure the insults and rejection and asks us to do the same.  By doing so, we, too, participate in the suffering that brought salvation to the world and we will be greatly rewarded for it.  

And He does not need us to defend Him. He is the Almighty and His judgment will stand when it is finally handed down.   Instead, He calls us to love those heaping insults upon Him and those who follow Him.  

Today, remember God doesn’t need you to defend Him.  Instead, He needs you to love those who insult and disparage His name.  For if Jesus didn’t retaliate against them, then neither should you.

© Jim Musser 2012