There is a hyper-personalization of our encounter with Christ. He comes with a strictly personal agenda and we respond with worship that rises out of the personal benefits that being in relationship with him brings. But what if his coming kingdom has some apparent disadvantages for me as it did for the rich, young ruler? What if some of the systems of this world are bent toward me in ways that disadvantage others, and he has come to straighten them?
Can I worship Jesus even if his reign causes me to have less money, less status and less power? Can I worship him when his rule will bring the deposing of the powerful and advantaged and the exalting of the powerless, even if I am the powerful and advantaged that get deposed? "He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty," (Luke 1:53) was the song on his mother's lips as she considered the radical reversal of fortune the coming of her son signaled.
As someone who has been advantaged by centuries of slavery, who has had doors opened for no reason other than the fact that I carry the right color passport, as someone who has more in common with those up
Actually, you should probably just go read the rest of it as well.
1 comment:
Very powerful message and one that probably makes most of us feel uncomfortable, for we certainly are the rich and advantaged aren't we?
Post a Comment