Recipe for opponents!

51 When it came close to the time for his Ascension, he gathered up his courage and steeled himself for the journey to Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers on ahead. They came to a Samaritan village to make arrangements for his hospitality. 53 But when the Samaritans learned that his destination was Jerusalem, they refused hospitality. 54 When the disciples James and John learned of it, they said, "Master, do you want us to call fire down out of the sky and incinerate them?" 55 Jesus turned on them: "Of course not!" And they travelled on to another village.

Food for thought!

When the time came, Jesus could no longer stay away from it, he had to go to Jerusalem. And going to Jerusalem meant certain death. Jesus knew it, and the people in the Samaritan village not only knew it but didn't want to be part of it. So they refused to cooperate; they refused hospitality to Jesus. The disciples James and John didn't like the villagers' reaction either. Solution? Call down fire from heaven to burn them alive.

In both instances, Jesus shows us how to deal with our enemies, or better with our adversaries, or those who disagree with us. In the first instance, the Samaritan villagers refused him welcome. And what did Jesus do? He just switched  course. Instead of forcing his way thru the village, he just went thru another village. He clearly avoided confrontation. THEY ARE SOME FIGHTS THAT ARE NOT WORTH FIGHTING.

Another lesson from Jesus, is refraining from misusing our powers. James and John wanted to use their powers to call down fire on the village. They thought Jesus would praise them for that; he did not. ''Of course not'', he said. In other words, of course evil is not fought with evil; of course rejection is not resolved with ejection; of course eye for eye only augments the situation.

So what are we to do when rejected? Just go to another village; leave your opponent by themselves; don't fight your last war. Remember Deuteronomy 32:35, which says, ''I'm in charge of vengeance and payback.'' In other words, vengeance lies not with us but with the Lord. He knows best when and how to retribute on our behalf.