The Call For Conflict

Matthew 10:24-39

Yesterday, I attended a workshop featuring theologian Allan Boesak. It was a great workshop which helped us understand the bible in a different light. For instance, he talked about the story of Babel in Genesis 11 not as how God gave language to the nations, but rather how God ensured God's promise to fill the nations with God's people as well as give these same people the ability to think for themselves and the permission to ask questions and stand up as the voice of justice.

To explain how he got there would take more time than I'm willing to write today, but if you ever want to have that conversation drop me an email, find me on Facebook, or send me a tweet.

I do want to say that he helped me to understand today's passage a lot better. You see, as I thought about what to say today I found myself in a struggle as to how I could talk about the passage in its entirety. The first half seems rather straight forward: nobody is greater than the other and be careful of those who think they are.

The second half, however, is about conflict and setting family against family to prove our worth in our belief in Jesus as the savior. I've always had a difficult time believing in a God that would set people against each other over ideology, and this is how I've learned this part of the passage. So, instead of facing it I focus on the unity and love of the first half.

However, I remembered Mr. Boesak's admonition to not shy away from the difficult passages and to wrestle with them, because in the wrestling we find truth. So I wrestled. And I found truth.

The challenge, or call, from Jesus is to stand up for injustices in order to ensure fairness in an abundant life for all. We are asked to do this through tearing down systemic injustices such as wage inequality or societal discrimination. This is what Jesus did, he spoke out against the upper-class and their unwillingness to share as well as the religious hierarchy in their setting rules which separated people. So, in my opinion, if we are to Christ-like, we should do the same.

The difficulties are when we choose to speak out in such a way, as well as act upon the words we speak, we will alienate many of the people we associate with; including friends and family. You see, it's not enough to just say we believe in Jesus, we have to become like Jesus, and that won't sit well with more than a few of those around us.

In other words, choosing to speak and act as Jesus did, not simply believing in him, will bring the conflicts that might intrude into your household and come between you and your family and friends. But, if you're not willing to let that happen, and shy away from the difficulties of being like Christ, why then do you call yourself a Christian?

It takes courage to be willing to stand up for what's right. One of the things Mr. Boesak mentioned was how today's churches need to start asking a new question based on the story of the "Good Samaritan." No longer should the question be who is your neighbor, we all know who our neighbor is and are willing to jump in when we see her half-dead in a ditch. But, Mr. Boesak asked, "How many of us are willing to jump in while our neighbor is being beat up?"

Being a Christian in today's society begs that question. It's become too easy to go into the parks and feed the hungry. It's become too easy to go to a homeless shelter and spend time with the children. It's become too easy to sign petitions and attend rallies on behalf of justice around the world.

How many of us, though, would stand shoulder to shoulder with the outcast, and say in the face of possible ostracization from the people most important in our lives, that we want justice and we want it now?

I know Jesus did.