Whether it is Charlottesville , Canberra , or North Korea , it seems we are being confronted with evil. What is even more interesting is our response to it. Is it really the initial act that is evil? Is our response wise or unwise?

Wherever we are, and whoever we are, we are being asked to condemn others “not like us”. We are being asked to prove our own goodness socially, for the world to see, by condemning someone else. Is that really the response of heaven? Or is our condemnation merely going to be deliberately misinterpreted and co-opted to create a perception of alliance where none exists?

Verses

John 8:10-11 Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

Matthew 7:1-2 Do not judge, or you will be judged. For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

2 Samuel 12:7 Nathan then said to David, “You are the man!

Observations

Since my post about blessing those who don’t love us, I have been thinking about its application in this time and season. While thinking about that, I have also been reading “Not in God’s Name” . There is an extremely astute and applicable assessment of religious behaviour towards those outside “our own” community of faith:

The world’s great faiths have said sublime things about love, compassion, sacrifice and charity. But these noble sentiments have often been confined to fellow believers, or at least potential fellow believers. Against non-believers – members of another faith or of none, and those of our own faith we deem to be heretics – religions can be brutal and pitiless.

Natural Response

As a further coincidental snippet of information, a news article today identified brain areas in monkeys that respond differently to friends and to unrecognised “others.” It would seem that there is emerging evidence in neuroscience that we do respond differently to those who are “others”. Whether we are members of a faith or people who have turned away from faith, there is a natural response that drives us to interpret the behaviour of “others” through a different filter than we do for ourselves.

Transcendent Response

With this in mind, we have some firm foundation to understand Jesus statement in Matthew 7. Jesus was being urged by many voices around him to condemn someone who had violated the law. How they knew and why only one party to a two party act was presented to him is left unstated. He decided to exercise considerable restraint in an emotionally charged environment. He chose neither to condemn the woman, nor to endorse the act. To observers, it may have seemed right to issue the condemnation. After all, that was the law, right? But how was that condemnation going to be used by those urging Jesus towards their preferred outcome? Would he have been referred even earlier to the Roman authorities for exceeding the imposed boundaries on Jewish leaders’ authority to execute?

It is possible Jesus was providing a commentary on David’s response to Nathan’s subtle reproof of his sin. David did not recognise the reproof until he was confronted by the statement that the judgement he pronounced was, in reality, the judgement on himself. David had the humility of heart to respond well. I cannot expect those who make no claim to God’s name to respond to evil with such humility in any emotionally charged environment. Judgements and condemnations issued by them in regard to my community may hurt, especially if they are true, but also if they are not. But I cannot expect them to walk in the grace of Jesus towards me, by saying “Neither do I condemn you.”

However, those who make claim to Jesus’ name must transcend a natural response. If we condemn others we ourselves will also be condemned. Can I respond with the humility of David? Can I respond with the grace to speak a priestly blessing over those different to me, even if they have acted, or propose to act, unwisely or even malevolently? I can refuse to condemn, and at the same time refuse to endorse.

An Aside

Romans 13 has been debated for a long time. But let’s look at it another way. Paul was writing this from within Rome to christian Roman citizens about Roman authorities. At best it defines our relationship as christian citizens of a natural realm to the rulers of that natural realm. It makes no claim to speak about the relationship between rulers of two different natural realms. We must look elsewhere for guidance to provide from the transcendent realm of heaven to natural rulers in this case. As one with no relational contact with such a ruler, I will make no claim to access such advice. However, whatever the deliberations and ultimate decision, even while refusing to condemn or to endorse, I have no hesitation in praying the priestly blessing.

Prayer

Lord grant me the humility to respond well to both the judgements of others and to my own judgements being returned upon me. Guide me to step beyond the natural response of my body and my brain to those who are not like me. Grant me the courage to refuse to condemn and refuse to endorse, no matter the emotion of the environment. May I always respond with the blessing of heaven and bring the goodness of your presence.

References