It feels no compulsion to win. To subdue enemies. To exercise force over others. To come out a winner by any means necessary.
This was the motivation behind Jesus commanding Peter to put away his sword, and then healing the man’s ear that Peter had cut off. It was more than mere compassion for the wounded, more than mere pacifism.
Jesus was playing by an entirely different set of rules because his kingdom plays an entirely different game. One in which the winning team will probably look like wimpy losers at first. One in which lambs overcome lions.
Being on the side of truth does not mean proving yourself right or defending your cause. The truth does not need you to take a stand, certainly not a violent one. The truth asks you to listen—to Jesus before anyone else—and then to testify. To bear simple, quiet, gentle witness to the truth.
To be more like a lamb than a lion. Just like Jesus.
