Ministry among Monsters

In the opening verses of James 2 we read the command about not showing favoritism. The passage from James 2:1-13 is calling out the separation of the rich, for favor, from the poor for distasteful treatment. The writer was scolding the recipients about how this handling of people based on appearances is sin. There has continued to be a necessity for this reminder. It is important to obey the command not to show favoritism. I am no fool, we know many still struggle with judging based on outward appearance. It doesn't make it ok, it is still sin.

As my husband and I went through these verses the first thing that came to mind is how does the church deal with the new threat of shooters attacking the church? You may wonder how the two relate? I think the latter problem deteriorates Christians desires to connect and cause distrust for anyone looking a certain way. Our entire political system has caused suspicion in our society and it has seeped into our churches. God's True children fight the push to discriminate or to play identity games based on appearances. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to succeed.

Last week there was a shooting in a church in Texas. The security team, trained and prepared, was able to take the man down before more than two people were killed. How do these scenarios allow us to minister while we know monsters that want to kill us may enter our churches? How do we avoid becoming, "judges with evil thoughts?"

Jesus' entire three year minister was wrought with death threats. The Jewish leaders wanted him dead, tried to kill him and finally succeeded. These threats did not stop Jesus from ministering, until it was his time to die. Nor did it keep him from commanding his Apostles from ministering. They, too, lived among death threats and each, besides John, the son of Zebedee, was martyred. When Jesus commanded us to minister, and commissioned us to make disciples he knew we, too, would minster among monsters.

We can waste our time worried and paranoid. Or, we can do the converse, prepare, practice, like these security men did, then propel forward in obedience, by faith. It will be easy to look suspiciously at some people while dismissing others just based on appearances. If we do that we become "judges with evil thoughts." How do we avoid that? We must trust that God knew the evil that would ratchet up in our time period. He knew the threats to our lives. Yet he called us to "make disciples" nonetheless. All over the world Christians are persecuted and murdered for their faith. Christianity in Western civilization has only tasted, slightly, what those believers face. Maybe not even a taste. But we have to deal with the danger we do face, and there is one. How do we keep that from disuading us from our Kingdom work on earth?

Remember, Jesus doesn't send us on a fools errand. By no means are we to be careless. He sends us protected by His Grace until our time on earth is done. Be Courageous in this mission. In Matthew 10:16 Jesus told his disciples, "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." That is how we minster among monsters.