Patterns for Peace预览

Made For The Middle

Standing in the middle is hard. But what if God wants us to stand in the middle so that everyone can cross over into His best? Yes, it’s awkward and yes, it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s even painful, but isn’t that what Jesus did for us?  It was in the middle of two criminals that Jesus hung on a cross for all to see. It wasn’t pleasant. But it was necessary so that we might be able to enter into the life Jesus was so graciously drawing us.

What we often miss when we are trying to prove our point is that we can never help anyone when we’re shouting from the sidelines. That’s why we need to move past the walls we’ve put up and move into a space where we can help. Are there standards we should hold to? Yes, absolutely. However, where we stand is in the middle, because the middle is the space where God can move.

When we look at scripture, what we see is that God is more concerned about providing a place than proving a point. We see this when Jesus was hanging on the cross in the middle of two criminals. One of the criminals hurled insults at Jesus, but the other silenced him.

It was to this criminal, someone who was in the wrong, that Jesus said,  “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

It’s a picture of the penalty of our sin and the grace that God offers. God didn’t look down from Heaven at our sin and tell us to come up to His level. No, He sent His Son, to meet us where we were at.

Are you able to stand in the middle between those that believe and those that don’t? Between those who are right and who are wrong? Between those you agree with and those who disagree with you? Can you stand in the middle like Jesus and not lose your character and not lose your purpose?

Questions for reflection.

How can you uphold truth while still standing in the middle?

What does standing in the middle allow you to do that you can't do when you've chosen a side?