Rick,
Thanks for your insight. I also find that many people irritate me
for a variety of reasons, however the Lord has revealed to me that my
response needs to be His Love. We are most like Christ when we love others
with His Love----this is the only thing that changes people, including us.
Love to all.........Foster
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Carr [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 4:49 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: About insults
> ...Christ calls us to respect one another. Calling him
> demented, saying he has mental problems, stating he needs help does not
> show the Love of Christ.... Just some things to think about.......
> Love to all.............Foster
Foster, funny you should mention this. I've been thinking about some
similar issues recently, and Kevin's "Moron" post brought it to mind
again. Websters defines both moron and idiot the same: "a very foolish or
stupid person." Both were originally clinical terms for mentally retarded
people indicating specific IQ ranges. But both have come to be used as
words of personal insult.
I have a tendency to get a little irritated with other drivers from time to
time. "Idiot" is the term that most often comes to mind [and out of my
mouth] to describe some of them for the things they do. The Lord has begun
convicting me about that. I read something awhile back about how someone
can justify taking the life of another human being. Essentially they have
to see the other person as less than human. It's the only way one person
can abuse, injure or kill another. If one truly values another as a God
created individual with God given life, with family, friends, wife,
children, who are also valuable individuals, it will affect how they treat
them, and make harming or killing them virtually impossible.
Kind of explains why Jesus took "You shall not commit murder" a few steps
further by saying, "...everyone who is angry with his brother shall be
guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca' shall
be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,'
shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." Mt 5:22
According to A.T. Robertson's "Word Pictures in the N.T." Raca is an
Aramaic word of contempt meaning "empty." It "expresses contempt for a
man's head = you stupid!" The word used for "fool" ["mor�"] "expresses
contempt for his heart and character."
I'm not saying this is the absolute most accurate application of these
scriptures, just that the Lord has been using these scriptures to remind me
to hold others in higher esteem.
Rick C.
Col.2:6
Newcastle, OK
www.rickcarrphotography.com
