thoughts provoked on violence

I was reading jake's blog this morning and my thoughts were re-awakened and provoked by the post and comments on violence. read more @ http://nosotros-thetwoofus.blogspot.com/

Here is what I thought:

"Am I leading a rebellion, that you come at me with clubs and swords?" - Luke 22:52
"Put your sword back in its place...for all who draw the sword will die by the sword"
-Matt 26:52
Our greatest example, Jesus our Lord and Savior, not only taught us a higher road, but lived it and has shown us that it is true and truth always wins in the end. He was able to call on legions of angels, but that would not fix the root of the problem, one's conscience. If we are to look for defeat, we look to defeat evil with love, not to fight evil with evil (Rom 12). Why do we feel we have to make things right? Is that not God's job? We are called to love our enemies and pray for those that persecute you, and "not to resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take you tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go a mile, go with him two miles..." You get the point.

Why is it that when it comes to countries (lines made to seperate one people) do we feel it is okay to justify what the Bible clearly teaches against? We are justified to use force and to kill to make things right, to defend people and a piece of colored cloth (our flags). And this superseeds fighting with love and mercy as we are taught to defend His kingdom. That which we defend we are a part of. Which will we choose when the two collide, country or kingdom?

I suggest to all reading Tolstoi's The Kingdom of God is within you, and Lee Camp's Mere Discipleship. They will make you think, as good books do.

It all comes down to how we hope to change the world, by force or by love, reaching to their conscience so they will make the decision to love in return and do what is right because it is right, and not because of fear of power. With power we will only touch the surface, make things right on the outside. Oh but with love we will change all of their being, God will change.

When did Jesus or the disciples ever use power to reach out to others? It was always in love, and that will mean we will suffer, as we were promised to (one of the promises we often forget). 1 Peter 2:20, Phil 2, Hebrews 2, etc.

Obviously you can see I am deeply convicted by our mistake of using power for good over using love. It makes things less efficient, what we really hate. It is harder. It is slower. And what's worse, it takes the power out of our hands and puts it in God's so he can work in others. He did not call us to make all things right, he called us to love him, pick up our cross and follow in his footsteps.