A WORLD FEARFUL, BUT A HOPE UNBROKEN

Christian love draws no distinction between one enemy and another, except that the more bitter our enemy's hatred, the greater his need of love. Be his enmity political or religious, he has nothing to expect from a follower of Jesus but unqualified love. In such love there is not inner discord between the private person and official capacity. In both we are disciples of Christ, or we are not Christians at all.”

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

My thought these last few days have been resting on the Sermon on the Mount. It was the place where Christ gathered with His disciples amid a vast multitude where He taught the need for humility, forgiveness, and care for our neighbors.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed are the merciful and those pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers and those persecuted for righteousness and those insulted and lied about.

For they will be comforted, theirs is an inheritance and they will be filled up and mercy shall be given and they shall see Him and they shall be called His children. Theirs is the Kingdom. - Mathew 5:3-11

The world has always been a cruel and splintered place. A place full of hearts worn thin by life, bruised and broken. A society jaded and up in arms. Man was never meant to be in this muck and mire. But it is our reality.

I’ve been reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer as of late who I quoted above. A German theologian, pastor and martyr who has intrigued me for some time; this was a man of conviction and bravery. He was an intelligent man but an ordinary one, but his conviction and absolute dedication to the Lord inspires me to root myself much more deeply in Him.

I think of Dietrich when I see those who are wringing their hands, angry and at odds or fearful of what will be transpiring in our country. Despite whatever “side’ you may claim the fear is there. And it is palpable. As is the distrust, name calling and anger. Who are we then? Those who have called ourselves Christ followers? Are we not meant to be a people set apart, reflecting the mercy, the devotion, the longsuffering, and the love of God? Not a milquetoast love mind you, but a love that always, always reflects the heart of the Father. We are meant to be the peacemakers, those who hold “no distinction between one enemy or another.” Those who are to share unconditional love. Those if wronged are to go the extra mile.

But tribalism, cliques and clans, the Rights and the Wrongs have eaten us up. We have become a people of the Us Against Them. We have allowed our faith to be subjugated to political machinations and used to an end. We should never allow our national identity to shape our faith identity. Rather it should be the other way around. It would be said this isn’t true, but hearing the political ideologues, and podcast talking heads says otherwise.

Jesus came into this world in poverty. He came into this world without pretense and without grandeur. There was no guile about Him and no ego to be had. When He spoke, it was never in condemnation save for the lawyers and doctors who twisted the laws and strained at gnats. His Sermon on the Mount taught us how to live. Turn the other cheek, go the extra mile. Consider those around you with great humility, do not murder by your words.

Yet our hijacked faith in the public arena has shown to be quite the opposite.

We mock one another and place scorn and contempt on our brother’s heads, but when we do this, we do this against God for these people that we deride and look on as our enemies are image bearers of the Father. They are from the same dust that you and I are from.

So where do we go from here? From a lateral view this all seems horrible and futile. But, there is always hope and there is always peace to be had. In the larger scheme of things your say doesn’t hold much water. But in your own small corner of this world you can affect the change you want. But done in God’s way. Not the way of men. In scripture the words, “Fear Not” appears over 71 times. (Which depends on which translation you use.) We love to sing about this and make bookmarks with the words printed on them and testify to it but have we really applied this to our lives in this situation? To where we don’t fret and wring our hands raw over our fates, where we aren’t on the defensive because we are told our way of life is being threatened? Yes, we have agency in our role in the world, we have an important part to play but let us not forget who commanded us to Fear Not. The ideologues would like to paint a different picture to drive votes.

But your hope isn’t in them. Your hope isn’t in fallen and broken men. It is in Christ and Christ alone. The same Christ who gave His life for you is the same One who watches over you and the paths you walk daily. Remember this today as you gather with friends and family. His goodness and your well-being do not rest in the raging and accusing cries of people on your TV. It rests solely on the one who Was. And Is. And Is to come.

And that is a very comforting thought.