Personal holiness or justice in our world?
If we have decided that "both" is the answer we believe, if we resolve to strive for both ideals, what do we do with those who disagree?
What do we do, for that matter, with anyone with whom we disagree?
We are exhorted by our leaders, our culture, to show tolerance to those around us. Everywhere I turn, I am pleaded with to be tolerant, to show tolerance to anyone who is different, anyone who thinks or behaves differently than I.
Is this what we who are Christ followers are called to be? Tolerant?
Is this really all that we can manage, all that we can aspire to do?
Tolerance is easy. It costs me nothing.
Tolerance shrugs its shoulders and walks away, leaving you to your own devices. Tolerance doesn't care.
And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." ~ Matthew 22.39
Love is much harder.
Love affirms the reality of the other person, culture and way of life.
Love takes the trouble to get to know the other person and find out what makes them special.
Love wants what is best for that person or culture.
It was love that brought the world to oppose an apartheid regime in South Africa, not tolerance.
It was love that lead Martin Luther King to pursue civil rights, not tolerance.
It was love that drove William Wilberforce to lead the British parliamentary campaign to abolish the slave trade, not tolerance.
It was love that sent Jesus to the cross on our behalf, not tolerance.
Before November 6th and afterward, as I live my life in contact with people who are different than me, I will pray for strength to choose the harder way.
If I am to be Jesus to those around me, if I am to make a difference for Him in this world, I must choose love, not tolerance.
Love must confront Tolerance and insist, as it has always done, on a better way. ~ Tim Keller in Generous Justice
I listen to them argue, watching as each shakes his head and smiles condescendingly while the other is speaking passionately about what he thinks is best.
Surface level respect doesn't seem to go very far. Those who support each one seem to vilify the other, speaking ugly words of disrespect and hate.
Where should we who follow Christ fit in?
One group is concerned with personal morality, the other is focused on social justice.
Are we speaking of parties or churches? Is it telling that we sometimes cannot discern a difference?
When we bring religion into politics, can it turn people away from Christ? If I cannot agree with one set of ideas, yet that same idea set is anchored to Jesus, I may conclude that following Jesus is impossible.
Surely this breaks the heart of God.
Yet surely one passion is more important. Surely either personal morality or social justice should be our highest priority.
If I have a passion for justice, personal holiness may be simply a distraction.
If I desire to cultivate personal holiness, I may yet ignore working for justice in our world.
Perhaps, just perhaps, a balance is needed.
In describing what brings the wrath of God, Amos says
They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. ~ Amos 2.7
Personal holiness or justice in our world?
When describing the wickedness of Israel, Isaiah says
...He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land...Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. ~ Isaiah 5.7-8, 11
Personal holiness or justice in our world?
Jesus, when teaching the crowds how to live, spoke of refraining from lust, adultery and divorce. He also spoke of giving to the poor, refraining from overwork and resisting the siren call of materialism. All in the same chapter of the Bible. ~ Matthew 6
Personal holiness or justice in our world?
Perhaps, just perhaps, we should not choose one to the exclusion of the other. Perhaps we should strive to attain both ideals, following all of what Jesus teaches us rather than excusing away half of His commands.
And what should we do with each other? What do we do with our brother or sister who insists that another course is highest?
Perhaps we should speak of that next week.
