Neighbors and Conflict
Thursday, July 24, 2008 -- Week of Proper 11
Saint James the Apostle
Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer)
EITHER: the readings for Thursday of Proper 11, p. 977)
Psalms 50 (morning) [59, 60] or 66, 67 (evening)
Joshua 9:3-21
Romans 15:1-13
Matthew 26:69-75
OR: the readings for St. James (p. 998)
Morning: Psalm 34; Jeremiah 16:14-21; Mark 1:14-20
Evening: Psalm 33, Jeremiah 26:1-15; Matthew 10:16-32
(I read the lections for Thursday of Proper 11)
How are we to treat our neighbors, especially when there are tensions between us?
Joshua has been told to annihilate them. The army of Israel has been consecrated to a holy war. God will fight for them as a divine warrior, but God requires that some of the spoils of war be set aside from Israel's use and placed under the ban, to be given to God as a sacrifice. The instructions are at the beginning of chapter eight. Israel is not to claim as slaves the survivors of the defeated peoples, but rather they are to destroy them all in an act of complete genocide. Their enemies' lives will be given to God. We've already seen in the story of Achan how seriously God takes the ban. The expectation throughout the military campaign of Joshua is that the armies will kill every human being, including women and children, as an act of worship and sacrifice to God. Israel will be allowed to keep for their own use the defeated peoples' cattle or other valuables as booty.
Now, that's one answer. How do we treat our neighbors, especially when there are tensions between us? Destroy them. Solves the problems, doesn't it? It is Joshua's understanding that genocide is God's command to him and to his armies.
As we begin today's reading in Joshua, we pick up some local responses to the Israelite invasion. Chapter nine opens with the gathering of all of the local kings from the various indigenous tribe to create an army to fight Joshua. That's a pretty typical response to threat. Fight it out. Destroy or be destroyed.
But one city acts with a creative bit of cunning diplomacy. The citizens of Gibeon outfit a delegation that appears to have traveled for a long journey. They flatter the Israelites, saying they have heard from afar of the power and victory of their armies, and they seek to make a treaty. The ordinary Israelites, Joshua, and the leaders all fall for the ruse. Thinking the Gibeonites live far away, they make a treaty with them. Actually they are neighbors whom God has commanded Israel to "utterly destroy" and to "make no covenant with them and show them no mercy." (Deuteronomy 7:2)
When the trick is discovered, Joshua is mad. He's also in a pickle. He's under divine instruction to annihilate them. He's also made a solemn oath not to. His solution? He makes them slaves, they will be drawers of water and hewers of wood; some will serve in "the house of my God."
How do we treat our neighbors? Paul finishes his exhortation for tolerance today. "We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor. ...Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you."
Paul is creating a new society. He is welcoming Gentiles into the community as equals with Jews. He broadens the circle of God's blessing infinitely. He closes this section with a beautiful benediction: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Radical hospitality and blessing.
But what if someone messes up? ...real bad?
We have the story of Peter's betrayal. Not once, but three times Peter fails and betrays Christ. He has fallen. He is a coward and a traitor. He is no better than Judas.
What does Jesus do about Peter? Maybe the answer is in John's gospel, when the resurrected Christ visits Peter and asks him three times, "Peter, do you love me?" Three times Peter responds, "Yes." Jesus commissions him to service -- "Feed my lambs; tend my sheep."
How do you treat your neighbor, especially when there is tension or conflict? Some Biblical solutions from today's readings: Fight and destroy. Negotiate. Tolerance and radical hospitality. Forgiveness and renewal. Different people choose different Biblical solutions. What's your choice?
Lowell
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| The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love. See our Web site at www.stpaulsfay.org Our Rule of Life: We aspire to... worship weekly pray daily learn constantly serve joyfully live generously. Lowell Grisham, Rector St. Paul's Episcopal Church Fayetteville, Arkansas |
posted by Lowell @ 8:03 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Lowell: I think there is a time to fight for what is right and just but not kick your opponent violently. I don't mean physically but with compassionate communication. Almost anything can be solved with "the right stuff" and I think forgiveness and radical hospitality will win hands down in many situations. Not enough people practice what Jesus and other saints have practiced so many people think that type of behavior was just for the saints and Jesus but not for us today. I am sure you have heard of women and men who go into ghettos and find the way to get gangs to talk to each other and turn themselves around. We have to spread the word that it is possible without clubbing people both physically and spiritually.
Thanks for your insightful words and compassionate thought.
A bit of creativity instead of violent reactivity can change the day.
Lowell
So like going to the UN and passing resolutions. Yeah, that is a great one. Or economic sanctions, yeah that too. Or reminding someone, lets say a Sadam for example, that we have and can still take you out if you don't get rid WMD and prove it.
Yeah those worked REAL good.
In response to this post from Anonymous:
"So like going to the UN and passing resolutions. Yeah, that is a great one. Or economic sanctions, yeah that too. Or reminding someone, lets say a Sadam for example, that we have and can still take you out if you don't get rid WMD and prove it.
Yeah those worked REAL good."
_____
Actually, it was deep and spiritual movements like Solidarity that overcame the greatest threat in the past 50 years, the Soviet bloc. The U.S., NATO and U.N combined deterrence and containment with diplomacy, while a deep movement of liberation emerged from within. That worked pretty well.
Years of British diplomacy succeeded in moderating Kadaffi in Lybia. When the U.N. and U.S. finally acted in Serbia, Bosnia & Hertzsogvenia they were effective and efficient at stopping genocide. I wish we had the same heart for Liberia and Sudan.
Years of economic sanctions and a remarkable indigenous movement overcame apartheid in South Africa. North Korea has responded to economic and diplomatic pressure to begin dismantling its nuclear program.
And remember the facts. The inspectors were correct. Saddam had no WMD's. He had no way to launch them even if he had. And, he was thoroughly contained and deterred. He was not going to launch WMD's -- just like the U.S.S.R. never did. Deterrence, containment and diplomacy work. Multi-national action to stop genocide works.
But we went into Iraq with "shock and awe" and took care of the situation, didn't we. Yeah. That worked REAL good. Showed them. How many hundreds of thousands dead later? A couple hundred thousand American troops now living with PTSD. Current costs to you, me and our grandkids over $500 Billion; Boston Globe now reports final estimates will be $2 trillion. Yeah. That worked REAL good.
Lowell
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