God Given

Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.

That is from the Book of Zechariah, but it is the thinking behind the instructions given in today's reading from Acts.

Then he said to them, 'Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them-in that case you may even be found fighting against God!' - Acts 5:35-39

If the leader of the movement is from God, you will not be able to stop the movement when you kill the leader.  That's how we see ourselves as Christians and as a nation, isn't it?

Our Constitution holds us together, even when our President is assassinated.  We hold to the belief that some things, like our nation, are ordained by God or at least approved by Him.  In God We Trust.  One Nation Under God.

So, it is only natural that we would see enemies of our nation and threats against us as something else altogether, something we can defeat and all the followers will scatter.

But it doesn't always work that way, does it?

Sometimes evil survives the death of the leader, and that is puzzling for all who believe that the survival of a movement is God's message to us.

Maybe we have to admit that the premise could be false.  So, does that mean we can not see the rise of Christianity as a sign from God that we are doing His will?

Perhaps we would be more open to loving one another, something we are charged to do as Christians, if we did.

When we profess to know God's will, we start on a path that can lead us to our own destruction.

In case you hadn't realized it, none of us is God, and none of us is more loved, more special, more valued than any other of God's children.

Now, how do we deal with the threats against us and our way of life knowing that?

More to come...