It’s quid pro quo and we’re not stupid

THESE two verses in the gospel of John became my Christmas reflection this year. I am grateful for the fresh insights God opened to me, not only insights for refection but insights that compel us to transcend from concepts to concrete acts... meaning, a reflection which does not only deserve appreciation but also clamors for application.

If Christ our Lord modeled both grace and truth, those who claim to be followers of Christ are not expected to be the source of grace and truth; rather, they are expected to be reflections of grace and truth.

If evangelism is about inviting the lost to be saved, my article today would be about inviting the “saved” to be nice to the “lost.” I hope I got your attention here...let us go deeper.

If I were presenting a proposal for a thesis or a dialogue, the thought would revolve around this statement... “Those who gladly receive the gift of God, who gladly believed on His Son, who are given the right to be called sons and daughters of God by faith in Christ- must now realize and learn from the example of the Lord on how to handle rejection from others.”... a very compelling Christmas reflection indeed.

Many are ready to give and receive but not many are ready or ably-equipped to handle being rejected!

Rejection is a universal feeling. All of us, though not in the same degree, have experienced rejection.

A child does not have to wait long until he or she hears about and feels the pain of being rejected. Many have learned to numb their senses to cope with rejection but it is only a matter of time before they find out that like a volcano, an eruption is unstoppable!

For those of us who say we have trusted Christ, remember how the Lord handled rejection with grace. As our eyes are fixed upon the Lord, we do not only see our privilege of being sons and daughters of the King, we also count and carry our crosses.

If the world rejected Him who created the world, we must learn how to handle, with grace, the rejection the world will subject us to because we are followers of the One they rejected.

It is here we become reflections of the source of grace and truth. The acid test to this is not our action but our knee-jerk reaction to rejection. Our vulnerability to vengeance must be arrested by the grace of Jesus and by the freedom we exercise because Truth sets us free! This handling of rejection in grace and truth is actually powerless living.

A “Powerless life” does not mean becoming a doormat or a numb, dumb martyr... rather, it is being aware that on our own, we are powerless to deal with the matter, so, in desperation, we choose to depend on the One who is all powerful.

In the heart of a person who desires to live a “powerless life” is actually a diminishing desire to be powerful; a growing discernment of what is really at stake when the Lord allows power to be at our disposal; and a consistent fear in our hearts that we might begin to really like, then long for power to do what we have long wanted to do.

THE United States, a “New York Times” Dec. 15 report said, has deferred its economic aid to the Philippines because of concerns about violation of the rule of law in the campaign on illegal drugs. Last year’s subsidy was US $434 million spent on infrastructure and social projects.

Preferential status given by European Union may also be suspended on 6,800 products such as tuna, textiles, dried fruits and footwear. Meaning big tariffs will be slapped on those products, taking them out of the market competition and diverting thousands of dollars to other countries instead.

Why the backlash from EU, which parallels the U.S. reprisal? EU grant of special status requires the Philippines to comply with “good governance, respect for labor rights and non-violation of human rights.” And this year, our human rights record, as the global community rates it, tanks.

Our leaders must know that it’s a case of quid pro quo: foreign nations give us aid, we give them something in return.

We are not forced to submit to the conditions, of course. As a sovereign nation, the Philippines is free to charter its own course. It can choose its aid-givers, as the country has lately done: a pivot to Russia and China, from old friends America and Europe.

But it would be silly to think that help from Russia and China wouldn’t have conditions too. The strings may not be seen, their leaders may not publicly “lecture” our president on the killing spree here but undoubtedly there would be price to pay.

Did you experience rejection lately? Rejection in general and rejection from others because of your closeness to the Lord... though coming from different routes, inject the same amount of pain. The pain will be common, the responses will be different.

Honestly, those who claim to not have rejected Christ, have more responsibility to understand the rejection of others... in general or because of Christ. Learn from the Lord, He quietly allowed others to reject him while he humbly accepted it without a desire for vengeance.

Imagine, He created the world and the world did not recognize Him. How Jesus handled this would result in how his followers would reflect it? He responded with silence, with space and with an open invitation because one day, they just might change their hearts.

You cannot reflect this grace until you have tasted it first! Being gracious to those who reject us is the gospel that the “saved” need to display for the “lost”.

Enjoy this season of Christmas where grace and yet more grace is expected to abound! Thank you for reading… I always write from my heart.