Healing Rays of Righteousness

During my earlier years, I enjoyed the music of gospel quartets singing “On the Jericho Road, there’s room for just two, No more and no less, just Jesus and you.”  And the easy melody and words continue to resound in my mind and memory.

Even though the song has many worthy statements of faith, I do not believe that “just Jesus and you” is a biblically correct statement or thought? According to the Apostle Paul, God’s purpose for Christian believers is to share life together within a body of interdependent members. “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’  And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”  (1 Cor. 12:21).

And in his letter to “God’s holy people in Ephesus,” Paul teaches that the Christian community should be so different and distinctive in character from the world community that the world notices and is attracted. He makes it clear that the difference is about the way the community lives together in LOVE and readily shares that LOVE within the community.

In the passage, 4:25 through 5:2, Paul gives precise directions for living this new transformed life given us in accepting Jesus’ salvation and lordship. These directives involve putting away certain things and putting on new attitudes and behaviors that imitate God’s ways of LOVE in caring for us.

Paul first directive is to stop lying and “speak truthfully to your neighbor.”  Why? “for we are all members of one body.”  As Christians, we are connected as siblings, being children in God’s family. What hurts you, hurts me, and vice versa. And all lying, demeaning, and disregard in our speech and lifestyle, always deeply hurts others.

And even though we may not speak lies, we may speak truth so bluntly and unloving that the relationship with the other is deeply wounded. Paul makes it noticeably clear that whenever we speak, love must always fully bathe our words and manner. Before speaking, we must always ask ourselves how we can best express truth in the most loving way.

The old children’s verse, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is not true. The older we become the more we realize that words do indeed painfully hurt. And hurtful words coupled with hurtful actions are much more painful than “sticks and stones.”  The sting of hurtful words and actions can remain with us for years.

Secondly, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”  Why? Because this will give the devil a foothold in your life and cause you to damage or destroy a relationship you have with another. We know that holding onto anger becomes a seething bitterness and most likely will break out in wrath-filled action toward others.

Thirdly, stop stealing. Why? Because stealing is selfish and sinful. And instead of stealing, Christians “must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” The Christian’s heart is changed and becomes more generous and wanting to add to the life of others, not take or steal from them.

In summary, Paul says, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

As children of God, we are to imitate Him. God is love, and our whole life, attitude, and actions, should be characterized by love. This means putting the needs of others before own; wanting and working for the best in others, being patient and kind, hoping and believing in others. This God-like love is much more than the soupy sentimentality of “just Jesus and you.”

When Christ was preparing to leave this earth, He said to His followers, “A new command I give you:  Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  (John 13:34-35).

Instead of traveling the Jericho road with “just Jesus and you” let us be as “Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod; For I’m a part of the family, The family of God.” And joyously singing “We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion. We’re marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God.” 

The biblical scriptures assure us that the “Jesus” highway is broad enough to allow all of God’s people to march together, side by side, helping one another on the way to the Father’s house. Amen! Let us do it!

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Ray M. Geigley – “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – 5/1/24