In difficult times and circumstances it is both good and right for the Christian community to ask what does this all mean. How does it fit into what we know about God and humanity in the world.
James tells us to …
[!bible]+ James 1:2-8 – ESV
2. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3. for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8. he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Trials of various kinds test our faith to produces steadfastness, makes us mature and lacking in nothing. And I don’t know about you but I’ve been watching the news and have been wrestling with some tough questions particularly as it pertains to the conflict What is Christianity, What is it for? Does it have any efficacy in helping us to come to terms with what’s goin on in the middle east?
Without too much over simplification, there is the quintessential battle between two parties. They fight over land, they fight over rights, they fight over who did what to whom first and because human beings are terrible at remembering things accurately we are left with conflict. Conflict starts our as just a disagreement, just a disputation but after a while it takes on a form — we start to "other" folks and then we demonize and dehumanize them and that when the violence starts. That’s when they become enemies.
[!bible]+ Matthew 5:43-48 – ESV
43. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45. so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47. And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48. You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Othering
- Defining and pathologizing differences
- Reinforcing and spreading fear of the "other"
- How Fear once created and spread is used for political ends
It seems that when we break it down this way — we see the grace and mind of Jesus at work — that the ‘othering’ of people can be a grave mistake and an illusion carefully contrived of by the state and political actors.
In fact if we remember the story of the Exodus — there is a midrash or a Jewish commentary that provides more insight into the heart and mind of God and it reads:
And yet we have witnessed that spark, not only in the death and resurrection of Jesus but we have experienced it ourselves when we believed and the Holy Spirit came to us. The midrash goes on to tell us that
[!bible]+ 2 Peter 3:9 – ESV
9. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
So when we tackle this question of What is Christianity and What is it For? I think in this context — in this context of conflict these questions lead us to know more about God, ourselves and our ‘enemies’ in the world in the following ways:
- It reminds us to worship God
1. Love your Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength
2. Love your neighbor as yourself
