Our pastor has completed a sermon series titled, "Like Jesus." Pastor Ross’ thesis included an appropriately reinforced challenge to move from "liking Jesus" to "being like Jesus." Each week during the series I was reminded of Saint John’s Spirit-inspired call, "In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him." I heard Vance Havner, a Baptist itinerant preacher from another era, preached a sermon, "Why not just be Christians?" His text was 1 John 4:17 in the KJV, "As He is, so are we in this world."
Last week I offered an opinion about the church’s reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act is the short title of a federal law of the United States passed on September 21, 1996 as Public Law No. 104-199). In that essay I wrote that I expected my e-mail box to fill with heated reactions and appeals for funds to arm good people with righteous ammunition to the fight against and defeat "bad people," commonly known as secular humanists and god-haters. And, my mail box filled as predicted!
I observe that none of those who sent me mail offered to teach me how to navigate the twisting, treacherous trails which lead to understanding, patience, forgiveness and love. There is no apparent interest in equipping me to be a "good guy" who fulfills the ministry of reconciling the "bad people" to God. But, I really want to reconcile people to God because the assignment comes from the Highest of all possible authorities. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) Instead, the promise was to lead the way in fighting against reconciling anyone anywhere. The appeal for money was attached to the promise that the monies would be used to make sure that the "bad guys" were always unsuccessful and the "white hats" win!
I ask myself, and any who dares to read farther, "How do the ‘good people,’ or the ‘Right,’ the ‘Conservatives’ who hover just inches from Jesus Himself, think Jesus would expect us to respond to the news that ‘bad people’ won again?" How do I be as Jesus in this world? What does being "poor in spirit" look like in this situation? Is anyone mourning? Is "arming for the next great fight" meekness? For what are we hungering and thirsting? I could go on . . . and on . . . but, people who have read this far probably understand my destination.
In the first paragraph of one digital appeal for the "good guy’s" contribution for arms, the dire, dark, doom-filled threatening shadows lengthened. The possibility that churches may lose tax exemption rose from the e-pages like an atomic bomb’s mushroom cloud. That’s next! It’s coming! An attack on our God-given right to deduct our generous gifts on an obscure line on an IRS form is next! Arm for war! After that, churches will have to pay real estate taxes on their buildings! Can you believe that? What in the world will we do?
I wonder, are we really committed to not offending "bad guys" whom we want to reconcile to Jesus? Do we "like Jesus" or are we like Jesus? Peter wondered, and I wonder. Jesus answered Peter’s question, ". . . so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours" (Matthew 17:27 NIV). If we "good people" lose that skirmish, perish that thought, we may have to go back to believing in miracles and expecting coins in fishes’ mouths!
Another question that comes to me – I promise, this is the last I will pose in this essay – "If we wind up paying taxes on the ambitious dreams built with 2 x 4's and concrete blocks, how will that effect our commitment to missionary endeavors?" Will we experience a round of "Doing Church Without Buildings" workshops and hire specially trained architects to convert altars into arcades? What will happen to the "newest" and "greatest" strategy reconciling people to Jesus since the Apostle Paul so in vogue today if funds for professional training seminars are reallocated to school tax bills? I wonder. I ponder. My children and grandchildren will deal with the nuts and bolts of the issues that are mere subjects for my wondering today. In the meantime, I want to reconcile some of the "bad guys" to Jesus! And, I want to do the reconciling by being like Him in this world!
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