The Powerless Heart
We are in a moment, globally, that is revealing much truth about our hearts, our root system in faith, and our interior peace and stability through Christ. Pressure does this. Pressure bears down on the soul, and out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. When pressure bears down on us, what do we talk about first, and most often? It seems easier to me, I suppose, to demonize governmental leaders via conspiratorial grumbling and complaining amongst one another versus the narrow, difficult road of loving, praying for, and blessing your enemies.
If this was persecution (and if we called our very, very mild “house arrests” persecution we are likely going to lose our minds in the days to come), then Jesus encourages us to “greatly rejoice” as we are highly blessed when persecuted.
However, we weren’t persecuted. This season isn’t easy for many, but we seem to focus on the ideological side of an argument that highlights how it isn’t easy for *us*, and as the Church we are, in my opinion, to have a broader view in these kinds of moments of history.
Were our leaders “bad”? Maybe. This strikes me as a no win situation for a leader or politician that I have much compassion for. Do too little, and one “side” screams and shouts, do too much, and the other “side” screams their protest just as loudly. My fundamental argument is different, however: the Church isn’t really supposed to pick an ideological “side” as citizens of another kingdom. Therefore, our role is to work together to express to the world what the love of Jesus looks like in these kinds of difficult seasons.
There are folks who are going to read this and wonder if I am taking your hardship too lightly. That is not my intention, though that is the risk of posting these kinds of difficult to wrestle with Sermon on the Mount concepts in this medium without closer relationship with me. On the other side though, I do wonder if some are not taking the hardships of others “not you or of you” more seriously. It’s just a question that I have, not a conclusion that I am making about anyone.
I want to add one last thought: Conspiratorial complaint is where we can go on our hearts when we feel powerless.
“Power” for the Church in a difficult situation is loving the lost, broken and hurting like Jesus does.