Reflection on Matthew 10:24-39

An open letter to the Lord.

Dear Jesus,

You asked us to be like you, and, quite frankly, that scares me.  Be like you?  I know what they did to you!  There was that one time that you healed a man of an evil spirit, and people accused you of being evil for casting out the spirit.  You were made to be evil even though you did something good. 

I understand what you are saying when you tell us that we are the learner and you are the teacher.  You are the one who knows what is right and good, and we are simply the follower.  So, we should just follow, no matter the cost.  I get that.  But, how do you deal with those who hate you for doing what is right?  Losing friends, quite frankly, scares me.

Please understand, I have this friend in Minneapolis who just wanted to help her brothers and sisters in the black community through these tense days, so she organized a food drive for those whose community had become directly affected.  The food drive was an amazing success.  Lord, you truly blessed that effort. 

But, some people saw that she was one of the people behind the effort.  More to the point, choice family and friends saw that she was one of the people behind the effort, and those family and friends slowly started disappearing as friends on social media. 

To say that she is disturbed by the prejudice among those she loves is an understatement.  These people thought their prejudice was more important than having a relationship with her.  She is devastated.  She took a step beyond her fear, and the very thing she feared the most happened.  She lost people close to her.

Jesus, I know that you explicitly said that following you and pursuing the ideals of your kingdom, will “set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household.”  It is not like you hid it from us.  It is right there in the Bible.  But, how did you deal with it?

How did you deal with the hatred spat your way after you healed that woman on the Sabbath and people considered you evil for doing good? 

How did you deal with your mother and brothers and sisters coming to the house and trying to silence you when others were saying that you were off your rocker?  How did you overcome the fear of all those people set against you?  I truly want to know. 

How did you deal with those who disagreed with ministering to Samaritans; and how did you deal with those who stood slack-jawed as you spoke to a woman as your equal; and how did you deal with those who chastise you for caring about the poor and the poor in spirit, for comforting those who mourn the wrong people and for upholding the meek, for supporting those who seek justice and for aligning yourself with those who show mercy; and for refusing to mock the pure in heart and the peacemakers.  And, how did you stay strong enough to continue to love those who the world considered the wrong people…even the tax collectors…even the worst of the sinners. 

Jesus, I actually want to hear how you dealt with the mob from your own hometown that drove you out and tried to throw you off a cliff. 

How did you endure in the face of self-righteous people, and a power-hungry Herod and a Pontius Pilates who would dismiss your “truth” and instead preserve his own kingdom rather than see your kingdom of grace take over the world?  How did you endure through the cloud of fear?  We truly want to know Jesus.

And, this is a little off topic Jesus, but did you have an Aunt Frieda and an Uncle George who just could not be together at family gatherings?  I am just wondering about that.

Back on topic Jesus, I know of a guy who stood up to his alcoholic dad and his abusive ways, and for his righteous efforts to protect the weak against the regular, alcohol fueled attacks from his Dad, those involved in the situation turned on this guy who tried to help, because he was upsetting the world that they understood.  As sick and abusive as it was, they were more willing to preserve the world they knew than to venture into an unknown world.  I guess that it human nature, but it is not right.  And, the one who tried to do good was the one who was abandoned. 

What do you have to say to him Jesus?

I guess what I am saying is that, we have good reasons to be afraid.  We have good reasons to just remain silent when it is the easiest thing to do.  And, we want to know how you did it.

You say things to us like: "have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.”  You tell me during those dark times to keep on shouting, because it is your kingdom that matters.  And, that gives us hope.  That propels us forward.

So we hold back the fear and we continue to shout out your truth, but the fear floods in again, and the knee jerk instinct to preserve our own life kicks back in. 

That is when you say, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?”  Right?  Can’t you buy 10 baby chicks for just a little over twenty bucks at the supply store? “Yet not one of those sparrows will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  And even the hairs of your head are all counted.  So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.”  “Aren’t you of more value than those cute baby chicks who everyone loves?” you ask.

Jesus, you have this amazing trust that even when they threaten to nail you to the cross, you still refuse to abandon the very soul of your kingdom.  It is as if you trust that there will be a third day.  It is as it you know the grave is not the end.  It is as if you know that love always wins.

Jesus, we know that faith is a gift from you.  So, I guess we ask that your gift of faith might not fade, especially when it is needed the most.  May we live our lives in the ways of your kingdom.  And Jesus, free us from the fear.

Sincerely,

Jira (a humble follower)