"Rulers have persecuted me without a cause,but my heart stands in awe of your word." – Psalm 119:161"Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible; but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary." – Reinhold Neibhur
Other Loosely Related Reflections
Jeremiah describes a religious establishment that seeks to serve the establishment of rich, powerful, privileged, and decadent rather than God and people. The rich and powerful are people too, but must be stripped of the false presumptions of privilege and right-to-rule in order to stand with the poor in the feeding line of mercy and grace. Religion does not exist to reinforce the decadence of society or keep the boat of oppressive wealth from rocking. God appoints prophets to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Jeremiah was such a prophet, contrasting with the ethos of the court prophets of his day who told rulers what they wanted to hear.
Concerning the prophets: My heart is crushed within me, all my bones shake; I have become like a drunkard, like one overcome by wine, because of the LORD and because of his holy words. For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course has been evil, and their might is not right. Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their wickedness, says the LORD. Therefore their way shall be to them like slippery paths in the darkness, into which they shall be driven and fall; for I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment, says the LORD. In the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a more shocking thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from wickedness; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah. Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: "I am going to make them eat wormwood, and give them poisoned water to drink; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land."
April Fool's Day was also Easter Sunday in 1996 and it was my first official day in Fresno. It was a wise choice to follow God's leadership to this city that I love 29 years ago today.
1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?1 Corinthians 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
We feel fully justified to speak ill of our neighbors as long as we perceive them to be ideological enemies.
We have the audacity to think that when our words are graceless, they can be godly, that we are somehow like Him or he like us when we speak against another with venom, half-truth, misquotes, presumptive assumptions, anger, or malice.
Such speech has nothing to do with God. God is not like us that way.
It's not just what you say that matters.
It is also how you say it.
It is also what you hope to accomplish through your words.
It is, even more, your attitude in speaking them.
It is, above all, your heart, a heart of love, truth, purity, and grace.
“You give your mouth free rein for evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother;
you slander your own mother's son.
These things you have done, and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you."
-Psalm 50:19-21 ESV
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