Put Down Your Sword!

“Jesus said, ‘Put your sword back where it belongs. All who use words are destroyed by swords.’” Matthew 26:53 (The Message)

What happens when we are face to face with an impossible situation? The values we hold dear are being threatened? I don’t mind agreeing with the folks who say that Christian values aren’t honored. But I do struggle with suggesting they were honored better at some other time in our history. Just a brief reminder of the past will show an amazing dichotomy between expressed commitment to Christian values and actions that didn’t add up. It doesn’t take long before the list which includes stealing Native American homelands, importing Africans as slaves and killing people accused (often falsely) as witches, to wonder what it means when we say our founders meant us to be a “Christian nation”.

Humble and Meek

“But I will leave among you a humbled and poor people, who shall take refuge in the name of the Lord.” Zephaniah 3:12

Humility and meekness (the intent behind the word “poor” in this passage) have rarely been seen as desirable character qualities, and understandably so. If a person’s world-view includes getting the most out of life, making the most money, advancing yourself to the highest possible pinnacle, humility simply isn’t the way to get there. Qualities that appear much more active are required; such as perseverance, courage or confidence. But meekness? No, that is for monks and nuns. Humility? Forget marrying it with a career in big business.