Psalm 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

Which quote is more pleasing to your ear? Ignorance is bliss. OR You can’t handle the truth.

The first is steeped in sorrows. The second is full of pride. Both come from a place of experience.

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Can you identify with Isaiah 53:3 in that part, “we hid as it were our faces from him”? Do you tell yourself; that isn’t me, I don’t do that? This is our Savior Isaiah is talking about. This was His experience and His answer to all that was to be obedient to God the Father and His will. It isn’t pleasant to think about. It isn’t fun. It isn’t something we want to identify with, but we in Christ and Christ in us is the whole of who Christ is and not just parts we would like to see.

Growing is Christ means that sooner or later we are going to have to deal with this ugly truth, it can be painful. One of the definitions of esteem deals with finding value. We find value in Him in salvation, intercession, forgiveness, redemption, mercy, love and friendship. Do we see value is sorrows or pain?

Mercy and love will allow you to be blissful. But you will not come to know the fullness of Christ by not experiencing the value of the sorrows and pain that are a part of His experience.

2 Corinthians 1:5-7 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

Exodus 21:23-25 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

I grew up my whole like listening to this eye for and eye language. These scriptures were so often quoted as justification to do harm for an injustice, perceived or real. These words came from the mouths of men who had heard the words of Jesus, judge not, forgive and be forgiven, and the golden rule, do unto others.

I often wondered if they heard those words rightly, if they truly understood the teachings of Jesus. We have the clarifying word by He who is the Word. We should know the truth of these matters when He speaks them so plainly and clearly without ambiguity. Yet so opt to choose the Old Testament words and understanding because that is their hearts desire.

Sunday as I listened to the sermon it came to me that the Old Testament characters did not have the New Testament teachings to clarify the merciful and gracious side of those scriptures. Could it be possible for them to come to a proper rendering of the Word without these teachings? The I saw this;

1 Samuel 24:6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.

I could see David applying the golden rule to Saul. Saul hunted David, seeking to kill him. David had Saul delivered to him, vulnerable and easy to kill. His men urged David to kill Saul. David knowing he was about to become the King of Israel rendered unto Saul that which he would have others render unto him, mercy and grace. But how did David know this right rendering of the Word without having heard Jesus teachings? The answer was found in verse 4.

1 Samuel 24:4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.

Do to him as seems good unto thee. God left it up to David’s heart condition, David’s heart which was after God’s said show mercy and grace. David even repented in verse 5 for just cutting off Saul’s skirt.

The heart that is properly condition will lead you to a correct rendering.