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GOD’S LOGOS, GOD’S COSMIC WORD
Jan 19, 2022
Since last December there have been scientific articles about strange radio waves emanating from the center of the Milky Way. Now, the universe is full of waves, from pulsars to colliding objects, but they detected a difference in this wave.
Space experts have detected unusual radio waves coming from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The energy signal is unlike any phenomenon studied before and could suggest a previously unknown stellar object, according to a new study. [Katie Hunt, CNN October 12, 2021]
I read this article around Christmas. Maybe because of John’s gospel being part of my text reading during my devotional time, and John’s use of Logos for “word” in his gospel, and his connecting that word to creation and the cosmos, it really caught my attention.
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
14And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. [John 1:1-5; 14]
For me, this reading of John’s gospel reveals those waves detected by scientist today are echoes of God’s Logos, God’s Cosmic Word. John uses the word Logos, which means more than spoken word, but the word that identifies the essence of who the speaker is. In John that cosmic Word came for a specific reason, to reveal once again that God is love and life giving.
1:17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
8:16For God so loved the world [cosmos] that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [John 1:17; 8:16-17]
In the midst of our nation’s struggles through the political, religious, and societal tumult, as we continue to face this relentless virus, these verses take on significant meanings for me. According to the gospel writer John, Jesus was the manifestation of God’s word of truth. That truth is to save the world — which in Greek also translates to cosmos — and to set us free. As disciples of that truth, we should be ones that articulate and are examples of that truth.
If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. [John 8:31-32]
In this time of being in bondage of alt-truths and political spin, with religious entities supporting politicians, as well as following them in such practices, and who unapologetically indulge in those deceitful practices, I believe it is time to follow Jesus’ lead in understanding his truth and freedom, in John. We need to understand that it is that cosmic Word of truth, that Logos that is our hope for saving this fragile world floating in the cosmic vastness. To understand Jesus’ mission of truth we must understand it as life-giving.
3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.[John 1:3-4]
The cosmic word of truth is to bring life and light in the midst of darkness, to set us free from the alt-truths, so we can love as Jesus loved us and give life. That’s what Jesus’ life as John recounts it did, it gave life. From a young couple running out of wine at a wedding in the backwater town of Cana to the cleaning out the Temple in Jerusalem of its religious trappings; from freeing a pharisee of his bondage to the law to freeing the gushing waters of worth within a Samaritan woman; from freeing a woman accused of adultery from the death threats of the law to free a blind man from the blindness of the law. These few examples reveal how the arch of the universe may be long, but its energy, its wave, its Logos always bends toward justice, and God’s Cosmic justice always gives light and life.
Sometimes on a clear late night, when the world is hush, step outside and look towards the vastness of the heavens and see if you can see those eternal light waves, those pulsating stars, and listen for that small still Logos. In and amongst those waves of light, be still as you listen for that Word of life, and experience God’s vast love for the world.
In Christ the Word,
Pastor Tim
the Christ-Child’s radically hospitable life
December 15, 2021
As we conclude our Advent journey, and prepare for the Christ-Child, I want to visit Mary’s Magnificat.
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
It is a beautiful song of praise to God for how Mary has been granted this wonderful part of history, one she will be remembered throughout time.
But… if we listen closely we can hear that it is also a canticle of turning. She recalls the righteousness of God throughout history, scattering those who were prideful about themselves, bringing down those who rely on their own power to rule. She then shifts and remembers God’s lifting up those brought low, and made hungry by the behavior of the rich and before mentioned. For the 1st Century societal structure, this would be a major social shift from might makes right, and the privileged are those who have been blessed and can exploit without consequence.
Mary’s song reminds the reader that behavior was never God’s intent, and the birth that is about to take place will be the turning point away from that concept of those type of societal relationships. Even in the nativity story in Luke we witness the lack of hospitality verses the hospitality God yearned for humanity. Joseph and Mary will find no hospitality — partially because of historical crowding in Bethlehem, but also because of religious restrictions for post natal cleansing rituals for property — while Mary and Joseph will welcome lowly shepherds into their small and hectic stall. Radical hospitality will become the theme Luke will hear in the interviews of those who witnessed Jesus’ life. A life that will reveal how we humans can be part of the Magnificat.
But… here we are in the 21st century, facing the same societal woes Mary addressed. The prideful not only have not been scattered, they hold political offices, and have even wielded and abused presidential powers. Those who are hungry continue to grow in numbers and experience even more hunger. The lowly are even oppressed more and experience more exclusion as their voting rights are deteriorated by gerrymandering, and outright voter oppression at the polls. While a virus continues to haunt us as we experienced more than 800,000 deaths over the last two years because the tools that could mediate this pandemic have been highjacked by political partisanship and religiosity. In the midst off all this one may ask “Where is the materialization of Mary’s song?”
Sometimes I think Jesus asks the same question, but addresses all his disciples, including us. Jesus told his disciples, all that God had given him, he gave to us. What are we doing to live out Mary’s song? We Lutherans like the phase “God’s work, our hands.” But how can God’s work materialize if we “sit on our hands”?
As we ponder the coming of the Christ-child, let us remember those small hands that seemed so vulnerable, were no different than ours. As that child grew to change the world, so can we. May Mary’s song become our song, and may the Christ-Child’s radically hospitable life be a guide for our lives for this Christmas season and beyond.
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Tim
Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 16, 2021
Coming this Saturday, November 20th we have two opportunities to participate in Transgender Day of Remembrance. The first one will be at the Harriet Hancock Center at 7:00 pm. The second one will be via Zoom which will be presented by the PFLAG of Whatcom, Washington Chapter.
I have been asked to be a Spiritual Presence at the Harriet Hancock Center’s presentation at 7:00 pm this Saturday. Then, at 10:00 pm Eastern Time (which is 7:00 pm Pacific Time) we have the opportunity to join via Zoom [ https://pflag-org.zoom.us/j/94374663071 ] with PFLAG of Whatcom for their Remembrance Service.
For me, this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance has become of even more importance. Yes, violence against Transgender individuals has been ongoing for decades, but over this past week, Michael Flynn, a former and indicted national security adviser of former President Trump, has proclaimed at a fundamentalist-ultraconservative far-right gathering in San Antonio, Texas, on what is being called ReAwaken America tour, that America (USA) needs to be a one religion country. Knowing this group and these individuals of this far-right ilk and their blatant pronouncement of hate towards anything or anyone who are not fundamentalist Christians, which is predominately white-straight-males. This is the same group to which Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley pandered to when he spoke the National Conservatism Conference last month. Hawley accused the political left of seeking to redefine traditional masculinity as toxic, and called for a "revival of strong and healthy manhood in America."
These types of groups seek to weaponize religion and masculinity in a way that avows them to dehumanize any and all who do not think or live their masculine-gendered way. Their worldview is narrowly defined by a black and white masculine-gendered-biblical interpretation of marriage is between male and female, men are the head of the house, and there are no variations. For me, this is where the mustard seed of the Universal God’s wonderful diversity intrudes.
First, this whole image of God being defined as male? That’s just the masculine gendered languages of Hebrew and Greek’s allotment. But from the beginning, we are introduced to a God who is beyond gender in Genesis 1,
26Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness;"
27So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Yes, God created them in God’s image, male and female. But God’s diversity of inclusion does not stop there. In Isaiah 56 the prophet tells us,
1Thus says the LORD:
Maintain justice, and do what is right,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my deliverance be revealed.
2Happy is the mortal who does this,
the one who holds it fast,
who keeps the sabbath, not profaning it,
and refrains from doing any evil.
3Do not let… the eunuch say,
"I am just a dry tree."
4For thus says the LORD:
To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
5I will give, in my house and within my walls,
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.
That’s right, eunuchs, who were once defined as sexually defiled by the Levitical laws are, through the prophet, welcomed and honored in the Lord God’s house. The word or definition of eunuch in ancient times is the closest to defining a LGBTQAI+ individuals than any other term in the Bible. How do I come to that conclusion? Jesus, especially in Matthew 19,
12For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.
For Jesus, he brought up eunuchs right after speaking to gender equality, especially in marriage. For anyone in Jesus’ time, eunuchs were those who were not interested in sex or attracted to the opposite sex, either through birth or surgical procedure. And the latter speaks volumes to transgendered individuals. Jesus reminds his disciples the eunuchs are also to be seen as equal as well.
So, in the shadow of rising violence towards transgender individuals, and such heated and narrowing rhetoric of hatred coming from political and religious groups, we need to embrace this Transgender Day of Remembrance and lift up the growing need to stand in alliance with our Transgender brothers, sisters, and other-defined. When we do, we stand as the inclusive image the Universal Lord God intended us to be.
In Peace,
Pastor Tim
Fight to the gates of hell? Really?
Sept 20, 2021
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. [John 10:10]
After President Biden, in an attempt to curve back down the Covid surges across our nation, started the process of a possible national mask mandate, the Governor of South Carolina put out a belligerent Tweet on Twitter and said he would fight to the ‘gates of hell’ to protect the liberty and livelihood of every South Carolinian. Fight to the gates of hell? Really? Not only is that antiquated hyperbole, but I thought, “Gov’ner, look around you! Your policies have created more drastic spikes than any other time during this pandemic, which have overwhelmed our hospitals! Your persistence to fight municipalities that have tried to issue mandates has manifested South Carolina’s highest death count with over 130 deaths in one day! Sir, forget about President Biden, you, yourself, have taken South Carolina to the “gates of hell!” Yes, that too is a hyperbolic statement, but sadly the facts are true, and it is certainly not the abundant life.
Yes, the most simple mitigation effort of wearing a mask, which has been promoted by his own state health and education officials, he has turned into a political mantra of state rights and freedom. The governor has even supported a proviso that withholds state money for schools who use mask mandates for students. In the meantime children are taking the virus home to their parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends.
A South Carolina teacher, Nicole Walker told Associated Press, “This is one of those times where the adults should’ve risen to the occasion and been able to do the right thing and really been able to create an environment where kids felt more safe, We have failed them miserably, in my opinion.”
For me it is very simple. Wearing a mask is NOT a political statement about freedom, it’s NOT even a religious statement on whether you believe your god can protect you. Wearing a mask is an example of empathy and compassion, and when did that become a wrong thing to do? Jesus’ miracles of healing and wholeness were driven, not motivated by power or religious aspirations, but instead by compassion.
When he [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [Matt 9:36]
When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do not weep." [Luke 7:13]
I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. [Mark 8:2]
Gov’ner, please… put your political longings aside, and let us be like Jesus!
Pastor Tim
Overwhelmed and weeping
August 18, 2021
With all that has been happening in our nation and around the world, and I feel so overwhelmed, I’m reminded of what Jesus said to those following and weeping for him as he was approaching his crucifixion.
A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” [Luke 23:27-28]
Jesus reminded them they should not weep for him, but for themselves and their children. Why? Because the inequity that we participate in today does not usually unfold fully on us but on our children and grandchildren. That fact is, whether we’re a politician, citizen, scientist, or clergy, we reveal the truth about our hearts as we respond with decisions that will affect our children and grandchildren more than us. Sadly, as we watch our recent regional, state, national, and international decisions unfold, we expose our hearts.
Jesus is recalling the words of the Lord in Exodus story. When we worship business, politics, military, or religion, and forsake the stewardship of our society, and environment, well, the Lord laid it out for us, “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting iniquities of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.” [Exodus 34:5-6] This is not a curse, but an ancient sociological and environmental observation.
In late spring and early summer, there was a surge of early Covid vaccinations, there were declining numbers of cases, the restart of in-person gatherings and worship, and hopeful plans for the 4th of July, but then reality hit. There were and are those willing to promote misinformation, hyperbolic-fear statements, non-factual data for some sense of political gain by undermining the vaccine. Now, I know there are people who are truly waiting for the various vaccines to be approved by the FDA, and even though I chose to receive the vaccine before its approval, I understand and respect their position. But, I do not believe those individuals are the crux of the surge we are facing.
I’m concerned about those who hold a public office and yet go completely against the science of medicine for their own gain. Governors who refuse various communities within their own states to use mask mandates to keep the public, especially children, safe as we begin a school year in which they are requiring in-person schooling. The simplest mitigating and proven practice is being refused. That… I do not understand! From all that I hear from the medical field, we have yet to see the full ramifications that will cause even more weeping as pediatric hospitals fill with our children and grandchildren.
Internationally; I have just witnessed a withdrawal from a battlefield that, for me, was reminiscent of our withdrawal from a Southeast Asian war we were involved in some 40 years ago. Neither one of those wars was rightly pursued, but neither one deserved the withdrawals that took place. In each of the cases, we used people in those countries who were willing to side with us. They were interpreters, ears on the ground, and just supportive allies. In our haste to withdraw we just abandoned them. I’m not a policymaker nor do I pretend to be one, but even if these people we abandoned survive the incoming regime, they will never trust us again, and quite possibly become supporters of the terrorists who will fester in this country we abandoned so quickly. I fear these iniquities may be visited upon us, but far more likely on our children and grandchildren. Does this not touch our hearts?
Environmentally; as fires blaze across the North American continent as well as Europe and Asia, we continue to deny climate change. As oceans warm, and glaciers melt, we deny climate change. As ecosystems collapse and extinctions increase, we deny climate change. We can’t even think about what this will mean for our children and their children’s children?
Again, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” Yes, we should be weeping, but not only weeping, we should be part of the healing that will leave our children and grandchildren the HOPE of a world that is whole. If we cannot be moved, either within our families, on the local, state, national, or international level for the sake of our children and grandchildren, then we are a species to be most pitied… BUT! I believe there is a universally Genesis-goodness within us. We just have to have the courage to open our hearts to it and let that goodness lead us to do what’s right.
Lord in Your mercy.
Leadership
July 20, 2021
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture… It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. ” [Jeremiah 23:1&2]
In Jeremiah, we have the prophet reminding us why every nation gets scattered… selfish leadership. From the time of Samuel’s sons’ corrupt judgements, to the kings and their priestly courts, it was the leadership that, throughout Israel’s history destroyed the soul of a nation and scattered them. For the prophets, it was the kings, each proclaiming their lineage, with their religious courts backing, that deeply divided a nation to a point of no return, drove it into a civil war, and watched first the north, then the south collapse under the weight of predatory empires. That’s pretty much the road map for almost every nation since.
Case in point, our own nation followed that path during the antebellum period leading up to our civil war that divided a nation into north and south, once again. That civil war became the bloodiest time in our history, with leadership on each side seeing a divisive war as a viable alternative. Each side had their leadership, both political and religious blessing the destruction and dividing. The war ended with a military victory for the North, but the cost was devastating. Not just in the destruction of property, but the horrendous human toll. The estimated death toll is between 620,000 to 850,000 lives. It was a divide, that superficially was erased, but mentally, culturally, and religiously never healed.
The reality of that divide was first geographically identified with the Mason-Dixon Line as it’s marker. It later morphed into an ideology with the Dixiecrats of the 20th century, and migrated from one political party to another, taking its fundamentalist religious beliefs with it. This ideology’s ramparts are, “Win at any cost, if God is for us, who can be against us? Destroy if we must, then build it up again.”
We saw that ideology play out during the Covid pandemic and the capitol insurgence this past January 6th. The politicization of a deadly pandemic was a deliberate attempt to further divide an already divided nation. The simple mitigation of the virus by wearing a mask became a political battle cry. “If you wear the mask, your letting the government run your life!” So for a year and a half both politicians and their religious cronies were willing to be dividers for their own political gain, while over 620,000 U.S. citizens died. Yes, the number of people who have died in that year and a half period has match the Civil War’s death toll. Deplorable…
On January 6th, in an attempt to attack and stop a legitimate election, at the behest of the then President, an ideological driven mob attacked the nation’s capitol, killing a police officer and wounding many others, while hunting Vice President Pence, and Speaker Pelosi. They chanted biblical verses and racist slogans, along with the then president’s name. It’s clearly an ideology of win at any cost, even at the cost of division, destruction, and scattering.
Then, just a few weeks ago a conservative PAC met in Dallasand revealed how far a group is willing to go to win elections. When one of the speakers announced that President Biden did not reach his goal of 70% of Americans being vaccinated by July fourth, all who gathered there burst into a resounding applause. That’s right, they applauded over the failure of a goal which would save thousands of lives. Why? Because over 620,000 lives ain’t enough?? All this for the sake of their own goal to win elections. That is not just wrong, that is diabolical. I believe with their religious-right ethos, they need to hear Jeremiah’s “woe” which I began this Mustard Seed with, and take it to heart. They are literally doing the same thing ancient Israel did during the time of the prophets, destroying a nation, by taking and scattering lives!
We cannot accept this as a new normal. We must continue to cry out for justice. We must continue to fight the good fight, to finish the race for the soul of a nation. We must live the righteousness of the prophets found in the love of Jesus and do good for the sake of many.
Lord in your mercy!
Pastor Tim
The dangerous practice of conversion therapy
May 17, 2021
As a pastor who resides in Columbia, SC I wish to express my concern about the possible tabling or voting down of a ban on the dangerous practice of conversion therapy within the city. From what I understand, this comes under the pressure of those —
who mostly reside outside the city of Columbia
— decrying the auspices of religious freedom.
First, conversion therapy is a barbaric and terroristic process, in an attempt to force children to choose a life-identity that is not where their psychological, body, hormones, and chemical makeup is leading them. A few years ago Reformation took a group to watch “Boy Erased”. It was a movie based off a true story about a boy who was forced by his family, especially his pastor father to enter a Conversion Therapy program. These so called “therapies” used biblical text to attack, harm, and dehumanize this young man, “God will not love you the way you are.” So they could rebuild him into their perception of what a “biblical” male should be. It was horrific.
Second, religious freedom is not the freedom to attack a person’s humanity, and misuse biblical text as a weapon to psychologically harm anyone who doesn’t conform to a said religious belief. I say misuse because I believe the Bible is an honest record of God’s faithfulness, even in the midst of disobedient and wayward children. It is not a document to reverence such human behavior. In fact when Jesus was asked about the law of Moses, when it was going to be used as a weapon by the teachers of the law, “He said to them, ‘It was because you were so hard-hearted...’” But because the interchanged I reference started with the Pharisees question of divorce, those of the “conversion ilk” are quick to point out Jesus’ reference to male and female becoming one flesh to prove their heterosexual point. But... the question was not about their sexual relationship, rather it was about the absolute power of the male gender, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?" Any cause?! That is a question of one gender’s absolute power over the other. Jesus shoots it down with one flesh language, which in the light of the question asked, is an answered of full equality.
I fully believe this theological exchange was not about sexual identity because a few verses later, Jesus finalizes their gender misconception with, “For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can." Eunuchs are those who were described as sexually defiled by the Levitical laws, but as early as the prophets, the use of that law was being called into question... by God!
“...and do not let the eunuch say,
‘I am just a dry tree.’
For thus says the LORD:
To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
I will give, in my house and within my walls,
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.”
Yes, Isaiah is so sure of this inclusiveness of God’s message, he puts it into a poem or song.
Yes, God’s righteousness calls all of us to be that inclusive. I believe this barbaric conversion therapy is completely opposite of where God’s righteousness is leading us, and has nothing to do with religious freedom.
My prayer is that Columbia’s City council will all vote to uphold the ban so that this city will continue to grow as an open and inclusive city.
Peace,
Pastor Tim
PS. Some contacts to express our concerns:
Mayor Benjamin's office
shalaine.archie@columbiasc.gov
Councilmember Sam Davis
Councilmember Tameika Isaac Devine
Councilmember Howard Duvall
Councilmember McDowell
Edward.McDowell@columbiasc.gov
Councilmember Rickenmann
Councilmember Brennan
Justice
April 16, 2021
Mustard Project,
For this Mustard Seed edition I want to look at the word justice in the Bible. What I have found so interesting is that both the Hebrew and the Greek words for justice have the same root word as righteousness. The Hebrew word for justice and righteousness is tsedeq; while the Greek word for justice and righteousness is dikaiosuné. This becomes very important when it becomes clear one cannot have justice without righteousness, which means living rightly with others, and living rightly with others can only happen when others are treated justly. As we struggle with unaccompanied children at our boarders, with people of color experiencing a disproportionate amount of violent and deadly arrests, and the alarming rise in Asian-American hate crimes; we who identify as Christians, need to grasp the depth of the biblical call for justice, and it’s close relation to righteousness.
First, how does this address the unaccompanied children at our boarders, especially with Governor McMaster’s executive order of refusing the federal call for states to receive these children for placement? I understand President Biden’s heart for these children; whose parents, in an attempt to get them away from the violent situation in their home countries, have sent them to the U.S. boarder; but to open the boarders without replenishing the personnel, which was depleted by the previous administration, for processing such an influx was ill-advised. With that being said, how can a governor refusing these children entry into their state possibly be seen as anything else but exacerbating the situation. I would like to remind Mr. McMaster — who claims to be a staunch Christian — what Jesus said about welcoming a child, “Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’” [Mark 6:36-37]
Later, even in the face of frustrated disciples over the people bring children to him for a blessing, Jesus does not refuse them, “People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” [Mark 10:13-14] Justice for the children at our border will only be realized if President Biden replenishes the depleted processing personnel, and the states’ governors, such as McMaster, start accepting the children and treat them rightly. It is the Christlike thing to do.
Second, when it comes to treating people of color unjustly, we have to remember what Jesus said about viewing those we may perceive as adversarial or lesser. After his discussion with a lawyer on loving God and neighbor, the lawyer tries to restrict his love, “But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.
After two religious types passed by and left him for dead ...
... a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." [Matt.10:29-30; 33-37]
Samaritans were seen, by the lawyers and religious types as subhuman, you know like 3/5 human*, and were always suspect and criminalized. Sound familiar? But Jesus “blows” the lawyer’s precept of limiting love “out of the water”. The love Jesus speaks of, agape, sees no limitation; it doesn’t seek to minimize or criminalize anyone, but rather sees the other as equal. For our societal inequalities and to stem the violence minorities have experienced in this country for hundreds of years, we have to grasp the love Jesus commands us to live. When we do that, we stop seeing that which separates us or criminalizes each other, and find a commonality in our humanity, as we learn to love our neighbor, the alien, even our enemies as ourselves.
If we say we are a “Christian” nation, children should not be left at the border, but accepted by every state to alleviate the humanitarian crisis of their suffering. People of color should not be regarded by a constitutional mistake of a 3/5 compromise and be under constant suspect or criminalized. To live out the scripture’s righteousness and justice, we must speak out, write our legislators, help make a difference for the good, or as John Lewis, a man who was scripture-bound, use to say, “Get into some good trouble.” We can be that change. We can be that mustard seed.
Peace,
Pastor Tim
*The three fifths compromise was a constitutional determination that slaves — for legislative consideration — were to be counted as three fifths of a white man because they were considered as possessions and not fully human.