Facing Judgment
An image grab taken from a video released by the Islamic State (IS)
and identified by private terrorism monitor SITE Intelligence
Group on September 2, 2014 purportedly shows a masked militant
holding a knife and gesturing as he speaks to the camera in a
desert landscape before beheading 31-year-old US freelance writer
Steven Sotloff. (AFP Photo)
Have you ever gone to bed mad at a sibling?
That is one thing my mother wouldn't tolerate. If my sister and I fought, we had to make up before bedtime.
I think it had something to do with that scary prayer, "If I should die before I wake." She didn't want us to live with the guilt if the other passed before dawn.
I know, it sounds a bit morbid, but that was Mom. Apparently, it is also what God wants.
'You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, "You shall not murder"; and "whoever murders shall be liable to judgment." But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, "You fool," you will be liable to the hell of fire. - Matthew 5:21-22
Surely we won't face punishment for being angry with someone, will we? I can understand facing judgment for murder, but for calling someone a fool?
When I think of facing judgment, I usually associate it with heinous crimes, horrendous acts of violence and abuses against individuals. Does arguing with my sister qualify when compared to those?
Perhaps the point Jesus is making is that we are not good at differentiating when it comes to our intent. If I put saying nasty things in the same category as doing them, it makes everything black and white, easy to differentiate. Either I am treating someone well or not.
It sounds absurd, though, that we would not make a difference between killing them and flipping them the bird, and if our punishments were the same regardless of the crime, where would a minor argument lead?
We can see an example of where it leads by looking at the way people treat each other when they see them as an enemy, or worse an enemy of God.
Instead of focusing on the negative, the judgment we will face if we are cruel and nasty toward each other, perhaps we should turn that around and focus on the rewards of loving one another.
Yes, it is hard to talk of love with the man in the black hood standing over you with a knife, and it is clear to me that many of us are making our own judgments about that.
Is that wrong? Shouldn't we retaliate and put an end to this death group?
This is one of those times when I would like to sit down with Jesus and have a long talk. What is going on here, J? How do we deal with this? Are we to wait for the knife or take up arms against it?
We Christians have a problem. We really don't want to take up a cross and walk to our own death, the way God as man did.
Ironically, it is that very belief that makes us a target.
And don't think we have done a good job keeping our confusion over our faith secret. It is our very indecisiveness that is being challenged here. We are being called to judgment by people who claim to know the truth about God and it is their way or death.
I am sure my mom wouldn't mind if I go to bed angry with them. But that doesn't answer the question. What do we do about them?
We think we can't defeat them without weapons, and maybe that is correct. But we do have weapons of the Spirit and perhaps it is time to call them into action.
So, the first step? Let us pray.
More to come...