reality
which ‘reality’ do you live in?
option 1. there is the reality of the world that we live in each and every day. this is the natural world. a world where justice is a consumer product, where war is always at our doorstep and where peace is only found in fairy tales.
option 2. there is the reality we create for ourselves. a world that answers only to our own circumstances. in this world nothing outside of our own sphere of influence can truly affect us.
option 3. there is the reality of the world that Jesus taught us about. a world yet to come, but one hoped for and seen in moments and glimpses. a world where the meek are kings and queens. a world where the impoverished and starved are wealthy and well fed.
do we hold onto this coming reality, seeking to advance its truth here and now, or do we live and die for what we believe to be real and meaningful according to our current reality?
must we participate in this world’s reality or are we called to a higher reality, here and now? must we be called dreamers or foolish if we seek to participate in the coming kingdom, despite living in this fallen reality?
in this world where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal…what is really worth holding on to?
-dave-
legislate this
John 8:2-11 (esv) - ”Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
i have always loved this passage (as has every other person who has ever read it) but until recently, i had never thought of it in light of the culture we live in today.
as we all know the two hot-button issues of our time in america are abortion and gay marriage. i’ve heard argument after argument about why these two “issues” should either be allowed or banned according to the law of the land. it’s gotten old quick.
however, i’ve found (in my own life) a solid reason to choose the way of Christ over the power of legislation…
aren’t we all guilty of breaking at least one of the laws of our land, never mind God’s law?!
have not all of us at one time or another gone over the speed limit?
have not all of us at one time or another lied?
have not all of us been angry with our brother or sister at one time or another (matthew 5:22)? have not all of us called someone else a fool?
have not most of us lusted after another woman or man despite our commitment to another to be faithful until death do us part?
have not all of us sought revenge?
we are all guilty of breaking the law, yet we continue to place other people’s flaws and mistakes above our own. it’s easy to legislate morality when you don’t struggle with the moral issue being debated.
many times, when we legislate against girls who are considering abortion or gay people who are seeking to marry, we lose any chance at loving them the way Christ would have us love, and showing them mercy the way Christ would have us show mercy. we have become the accusers (like the scribes and pharisees who thought they were obeying the Law of Moses) rather than the liberators. the judge and jury rather than the defendant. i think it’s time we got back to the cause of Christ, rather than the cause of the Law.
since we have been freed from condemnation because of God’s love, how much more should we be showing that kind of kingdom mercy and grace to all those dirty lawbreakers in our own time and place?
we don’t have stones anymore. they’ve been replaced with votes.
let him/her who is without sin among you cast the first vote.
-dave-
