Scripture: Psalm 43:3
O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.
Thought for the Day: These little devotionals (yesterday’s wasn’t so little) create numerous opportunities to discuss faith and life with people I wouldn’t otherwise encounter. Yesterday afternoon, I was contacted by someone who had received my devotional about the shooting at Spring High School. He was troubled by what I was suggesting in the devotional. I asked for a clarification to make sure that what troubled him was truly what I was suggesting. He proceeded to explain that my goal of using non-violence in the face of evil violence was unrealistic. I asked, “But was it Christian?” He thought about it for a moment and then agreed that it was what Jesus would probably want…though he quickly added that there are times when Jesus is unrealistic. I don’t know if that is exactly true, but there are times when what Jesus asks of us is hard or doesn’t appear to make sense. Other times, it might even be risky. Yet as Christians (and as a pastor), are we to strive for the ideal or stumble toward the status quo? These situations are tough, and they play on our insecurities and evoke feelings of fear. I cannot guarantee that world peace will come about because we showed our children a true alternative to violence, but I promise you that nothing will get better as long as we continue to tell our children to act nice while our culture celebrates the use of intimidation and brutality in its attempt to solve problems between individuals or nations.
Prayer: Holy God, I give you thanks for all those who work with our children, and through their witness, offer a vision of peace. Yet their voices are continually lost amidst the clamor for more violence and more weapons. Lord, we need you more than ever. We need your spirit who calms our troubled hearts and allows us to give witness to your transformative way. Amen.
The Next Three Sundays…
Have you figured it out yet? 53rd?
New Sunday School Class Begins
this Sunday during the 9:30 hour.
This class is targeting youngerish folks
ages 25-40ish
The class will meet
on the 2nd Floor
of the Youth Building
1 thought on “Ecclesiological Etchings: 09-06-13”
Most of the world is stuck in the old, Imperial world view, where peace is precariously kept through violence–the famous “Pax Romana” of the Roman Empire. The United States has done a terrific job replacing the Roman Empire around the world. That’s not a compliment, either. But Jesus suggests a radically different approach to life, which is extremely difficult to accomplish, because it requires pacifism even when presented with unspeakable violence–like crucifixion (the most painful and humiliating way to die ever devised by humans).
As you say though, nothing will ever change if we keep teaching our children that brutality is the solution to our problems. I continuously pray that some day, those of us who understand the power of peaceful non-cooperation with our modern Empires (people like MLK and Gandhi) will outnumber the people who think cutting off one’s nose to spite their face is a good idea.