It’s really a brilliant idea—a bunch of dots that, when you drew lines with your pencil, form a picture that you wouldn’t have seen before the dots were connected. Maybe I ought to put connect the dot outlines in the sermon notes section in the worship bulletin. It’s a thought.

Seriously, a lot of life is about connecting the dots. But connecting real life dots is more complicated than doing it on a placemat. As a Christ-follower, connecting the dots between seemingly disparate areas of your life—between things like humility and healthy ambition, genuine compassion and healthy personal boundaries, being loving and truthful…is essential. It’s also no picnic. My experience is that people find distractions to keep them from making the connections. Plenty of grown ups can have some pretty significant meltdowns trying to figure them out. These days, I guess parents just show movies on their smart-phones to keep their kids behaving in the restaurant. In life, we still have to connect the dots.  

Sunday night, I heard the news of the discovery and death of Osama bin Laden; the terrorist leader who, among other despicable acts, planned the attacks on the U.S. in September of 2001. In one sense, I was relieved. The way the media built up the presidential announcement that night, I thought there might be some kind of cataclysmic event unfolding. What happened later was very disturbing, as groups of people stood at the gates of the White House, on campus at Penn State and other places shouting “U.S.A” and celebrating Bin Laden’s death and that justice had been meted out. Then I came across the facebook comments—“Bin Laden’s dead. Justice is done. God Bless America.” Later, I heard what the operative said upon the completion of the mission to take out the terrorist leader: “For God and Country. Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo.”

I understand the sense of relief. I also get the sense of justice for someone who killed so aggressively and without remorse. And, I also get that this is not the end of the violence. It’s just another turn in what seems to be an endless cycle of violence and retribution. Bin Laden’s death will not bring peace. One death, however, did. It was the death of an innocent man—who instead of fighting back, absorbed the violence that was meeted out on him, forgiving its perpetrators. In the middle of being interrogated this man said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest…” We celebrated that death and its aftermath just about a week and a half ago at Easter.

I have not solved all the intellectual and practical dilemmas of government and justice, any more that I’ve solved the issues of free-will and the sovereignty of God. I’ve got my pencil and I try to connect the dots, but I certainly won’t get a full grasp of these things this side of glory. I don’t have any expectation that the kingdoms of this world will act according to the principles of the kingdom Jesus was talking about—though I expect it wouldn’t be a bad thing if they did.  However, for those of us who follow this one whose death brought peace, Jesus, it is incumbent upon us to connect the dots between the words of the one we say we follow, and our thinking and behavior. The apostle John writes, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (I John 2:6)

This moment is an opportunity for us to consider again Jesus’ teaching and action regarding violence and coercive power. It is my conviction that, as followers of Jesus, those who owe their primarily allegience to the Kingdom that is not of this world, forsake the same use of power that Jesus forsook on his way to the cross.

This belief is often criticized as implausible and just downright unrealistic. But, connect the dots. So is Jesus’ resurrection.

Yours for the Journey,

Pastor Tom

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.        Jesus in Matthew 5:42-45

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.       Romans 12:17-21

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.       Ephesians 2:14-16