First Weekend (Frid/Sat/Sun/day)

Hi everyone, I kind of was on a hiatus for the weekend. The whole time I was gathering my thoughts for what to write about, so this should be a good chunky post.

My interpretation of Jesus' commandments make living very tricky. The whole turn the other cheek thing for example.

Is so hard.

Feeding, clothing, caring, sheltering my neighbor is hard. It is extraordinarily difficult if they aren't my friend but are either poor, homeless, addicts, criminal or my enemy. But because Jesus commands me to treat everyone as if they were my brother (Matthew 5:43-48 & Luke 6:27-36) I am moved to think creatively about how I can change and what I can do differently to obey.

In those verses we are called to be different: to be perfect (holy), to be merciful, to lend without expectation of return, to treat as we would like to be treated (I would discern this to mean more simply: treat others humanely or fairly), to be prepared to bless and pray for anyone, to give to any who asks, to greet and welcome everyone (which I would also discern to mean: be hospitable to all, noting the context of the culture). That's a fairly heavy list.

In fact, when I read it over, I feel like we are supposed to the doormats and servants of the Earth. I like servants a bit better than doormats, but I know that the "doormats" probably embodies what the more prideful among us might feel like.

So, in view of this, what do we do when--say a person robs our convenience store like in this video: click here for youtube video

What transpires in the video, is a man comes in demanding money and the owner pulls out a shotgun. The robber immediately apologizes and claims to have no money to feed his family. The owner is sympathetic since the robber is now on his knees and crying, so he gives the robber $40 and a loaf of bread. The robber then announces his wishes to become a muslim, so the owner has him lift his arm and recite a muslim prayer.

I think you might agree with me when I say that the owner was pretty fair to this man, especially considering that the guy got away afterwards. What would you or I do? Would we pull out a shotgun? Would we give over all our money? Would we call the police afterwards and seek to put him in jail? What do you think Jesus' views on prison are? (Considering the jailbreaking theme in the New Testament with Paul, "set the captive free" dealio and what have you.) Would it have been Christlike for us to use a gun to protect ourselves? What about just to scare him off?

Or, more radically, would you offer to give him not just the register--but perhaps more?
You: "Sir, would you like any snacks or beverages? Can I carry this to your car? Is there an address where I can send you money after you leave, so that you don't have to put your life in danger like this in the future?"

Believe it or not I think this is a pretty simple scenario considering humanity's affinity for chaotic messes. Take this video for example (I'm gonna embed this one, so you don't have to go to youtube).



In this video, some Israeli soldiers appear to be patrolling through a Palestinian village. It's been edited so we don't have the story, but despite our ignorance surrounding the context, the last couple minutes involve the blatant harassing/hitting/shoving of elderly women (some men too, but I'm focusing on the elderly women here--in turkish we say "Teyze". Someone you respect because they are your elder). I don't want to get into the Israeli-Palestinian exhausting quagmire except to say that both sides have deep issues. This is the more complicated scenario.

What, as Christians, could we do here? If we were there, what should we do? How can we love both sides?
How can we begin to sow the seeds of reconciliation and shalom/salaam as outsiders?
As members of a religious group that has historically persecuted both Jews and Muslims?
As members of country that continues to support Israel's persecution of Palestinians, and whose presence in the Middle East provides incentive and support for militant groups intent on destroying Israel?

Some people throw up their hands...but here is one idea.
In 2008 roughly 617,000 American tourists visited came to Israel. Roughly 587,000 of those were not Jewish. I don't think it'd be too out of line to say that many of those people were Christian (Israel's Center Bureau for Statistics). Christianity Today claims that 1.8 million Christians visited Israel in 2008 (obviously of all nationalities). Considering that Israel has a population of 7.3 million people, and considering that Israel is very much dependent on tourism ($3-4 billion industry). Even a fraction of those visiting Christians showing a Christlike attitude and service I think would make a very big difference.

If a fraction of those Christians visiting Israel should, instead of going on tours, buying souvenirs and staying in cush hotels, seek and begin to take care of the poor. Seek and rebuild the homes of those who've had their homes damaged by rockets. Seek and care for those who've been injured by bombs. Seek and live among the Palestinians, repairing their homes and villages. To seek out the military individuals responsible for violence, on both sides, and offering to provide food, companionship and physical assistance (carry the load an extra mile). To mourn their dead. To credit God and extol His name throughout the entire time. How incredibly dangerous this would. Who will dare do this? Is it unbiblical? Would such actions be pleasing to God?




I'd like to quote some words of Shane Claiborne now from the book I'm still reading:

One of the shortcomings of the Reformation was that the Reformers knew what was wrong (After all, half of the word "Protestant" is "protest"). But once they were in charge, they didn't know what do. And I think most people want to do what's right. They just don't know the alternatives. For instance, people don't want to buy clothes that are built on the backs of sweatshop labor. But a lot of the times they don't know where else to buy or how to sew. And part of the marketing job is to insulate people from the injustice, from the invisible people behind the way of life that we have. So you see the celebrity, buy you don't see any of the 14-year-old girls making that celebrity's brand of shoes. So the job with all the advertising and commercials is to keep us away from the pain. I think the job of leaders is truth-telling...unveiling. Like revelation, which means to "reveal" or disclose or unveil, it is our job to disclose what lies underneath the surface. Then we are compelled, not just to sweep something under the ruh but to get our hands dirty and do something about the problem.

There are a lot of people that can identify problems. A lot of people say "Amen!" when John [Perkins) preaches abou the systemic injustices like those in the prison industry--folks respond when John says that 70 percent of folks in prison are people of color, or 97 percent of them don't have fathers. But then he sas, "So what are we going to do about it" And there is silence...just crickets. But if the only message is what's wrong with the "system," then it doesn't lead you anywhere. You are just a victim or something to be pitied, or powerless under "the Man." As leaders, we have to have the ability to say, "So here's what's wrong and now here's what's right." We have to have some good news.

E. V. Hills, the late, great preacher, used to talk about a woman who would sit on the front row of his church in Los Angeles. He would be talking about all the things that were wrong and she would say, "Get to the good news. Get to the good news, pastor. Get to the good news." A lot of people never get to the good news. Certainly we have to start with the bad news, with the problems, the pain...but we also have to get to the good news. That's what Jesus brought. There had been plenty of prophets and zealots that knew everything that was wrong--just read the Old Testament and weep. People need good news. And the good news is that we have a God who so loved the world that He sent His Son, not to condemn it, or to leave it floundering in sin and injustice, but to save it. (pages 78-79)

I like that a lot. In a moment of honesty here, I'm really bad at sharing my faith. I'm really bad at "evangelizing"--at spreading the good news with my words. Part the reason, and this is being honest still, is because I don't feel like that I can spread good news when my actions aren't spreading the good news. I'm stuck in paralyzing hypocrisy and within that vicious circle, in inaction as a result of such (something you can earnestly pray for, for me). When I read of Jesus and the Apostles and Paul--one thing I noticed is that they're words of good news is accompanied with actions.
Their actions provide the foundation and proof of the good news of their lips.
Good news has come! How can we say this? Because the lame walk, the hungry eat, the poor are rich and the captives have been set free. It's, like, anarchy...all topsy turvy.




Now, please don't think that solving the Israel-Palestine problem is as easy as I've written. I don't think so. I don't know exactly what it should or would look like. I want to know, and I would ask that you think and ask God with me.

I think I shall end here, I haven't written about Jeani as I promised-- but I will later (more promises).

Another thing you can pray for me, is my struggle with the truth and relativity in its midst. I'm trying to remain humble, to learn, to observe, to understand. The allure of pride, and the feeling of self-importance when it comes to truth is very seductive to me and I would ask that you pray for me as I resist the temptation to give into such thoughts and emotions.

I have so much to talk, say and write about. Pray that I take my time and go slow, that I don't stop learning and stop growing and don't stop dreaming.