- Jul 13, 2019
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My 2nd post. The political climate and endeavors of modern life are trying for many of us. Nothing ever changes in human politics (there is nothing new under the sun, Ecclesiastes 1:9), yet it often finds ways to seem worse throughout history. And I want less hate in the world. Because life is tough enough as it is.
In this post I am not mapping current places or people directly to scripture or to anything with any sense of certainty, this is a metaphor and a thought exercise, and there is no geographic scale used here in comparison to Israel, the same metaphor can be shrunk to the scale of any state, or to even the scale of any small American town, and this is all just a writing exercise to express a message. If this US based metaphor is just not working for you, no worries, as Jesus did say things of this nature back during his real ministry in the Middle East.
If Jesus Christ’s miraculous life happened today in the USA.
He’d be born in Oklahoma City, grow into a man in Wichita, then fulfill his main ministry of 3 years between Dallas and Chicago.
He would tell stories like this, “A man was going from Austin to Round Rock, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest from San Antonio happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. Then a truck driver from Missouri, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side as well. But a grocery clerk from Seattle, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds. Then he put the man in his car, brought him to a motel and took care of him. The next day he took out two hundreds and gave them to the motel keeper, ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Jesus would ask, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Those with Jesus would reply, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus would tell them, “Go and do likewise.” [Luke 10:25-37]
Again Jesus, while in Chicago, would meet a local woman there, at a local meeting place, he would tell her great things about her life, that only she knew, for our lives are all made of the same human conditions, and Jesus knows this, he would tell her that no mater where we are from, or what names they give us we are all part of God’s family, that one day we will worship God in harmony, that geography and social labels do not get you closer or farther from God, but that God and His good will is not for one people, but for all. [John 4:1-26]
Jesus would gain many followers from all over, BUT in the end the liberals and the conservatives of the country would all turn on Jesus, they would accuse him of crimes against the state, for he only wished to shed light on their true relationship with God.
But he knew they would not come together, he knew that his message would divide people, because he knows people and their hearts. [Matthew 10:34 and John 2:25]
This thought experiment may become more fuel and devision when some people read it, but I write this because one of Jesus’ messages is: we should break down crippling and fictitious barriers between fellow humans. Because if we work together we are capable of more and we are capable of great love.
Here are other good verses about breaking cultural barriers and not discriminating, and about finding love, truth, and faith in unexpected people:
Matthew 8:5-13 “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."
1 Corinthians 12:12-26 - Unity and Diversity in the Body
Mark 9:38-41 - "for whoever is not against us is for us."
In this post I am not mapping current places or people directly to scripture or to anything with any sense of certainty, this is a metaphor and a thought exercise, and there is no geographic scale used here in comparison to Israel, the same metaphor can be shrunk to the scale of any state, or to even the scale of any small American town, and this is all just a writing exercise to express a message. If this US based metaphor is just not working for you, no worries, as Jesus did say things of this nature back during his real ministry in the Middle East.
If Jesus Christ’s miraculous life happened today in the USA.
He’d be born in Oklahoma City, grow into a man in Wichita, then fulfill his main ministry of 3 years between Dallas and Chicago.
He would tell stories like this, “A man was going from Austin to Round Rock, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest from San Antonio happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. Then a truck driver from Missouri, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side as well. But a grocery clerk from Seattle, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds. Then he put the man in his car, brought him to a motel and took care of him. The next day he took out two hundreds and gave them to the motel keeper, ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Jesus would ask, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Those with Jesus would reply, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus would tell them, “Go and do likewise.” [Luke 10:25-37]
Again Jesus, while in Chicago, would meet a local woman there, at a local meeting place, he would tell her great things about her life, that only she knew, for our lives are all made of the same human conditions, and Jesus knows this, he would tell her that no mater where we are from, or what names they give us we are all part of God’s family, that one day we will worship God in harmony, that geography and social labels do not get you closer or farther from God, but that God and His good will is not for one people, but for all. [John 4:1-26]
Jesus would gain many followers from all over, BUT in the end the liberals and the conservatives of the country would all turn on Jesus, they would accuse him of crimes against the state, for he only wished to shed light on their true relationship with God.
But he knew they would not come together, he knew that his message would divide people, because he knows people and their hearts. [Matthew 10:34 and John 2:25]
This thought experiment may become more fuel and devision when some people read it, but I write this because one of Jesus’ messages is: we should break down crippling and fictitious barriers between fellow humans. Because if we work together we are capable of more and we are capable of great love.
Here are other good verses about breaking cultural barriers and not discriminating, and about finding love, truth, and faith in unexpected people:
Matthew 8:5-13 “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."
1 Corinthians 12:12-26 - Unity and Diversity in the Body
Mark 9:38-41 - "for whoever is not against us is for us."
