Not Peace, but a Sword....

Not Peace, but a Sword….

When Christians around the world celebrate the Advent of Jesus Christ to this Earth through his virgin birth of Mary, the news the angels sang out regarding ‘Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men’ is often heard and repeated warmly to friend and foe.  This Peace, though genuinely realized individually, is more often a spiritual condition of restored relationship with God rather than an outward physical peace with other human beings.

In the Gospel of St. Matthew and chapter 10, Jesus is quoted as saying, ‘He came not to bring peace, but a sword’.  In the context of his remarks, Jesus is speaking about the rejection by family and friends that some disciples will experience if they choose to follow his teachings.

In the Eastern culture of that day, Jews were closely socialized and connected to a local Synagogue.  The Pharisees and Sadducees were religious leaders and set standards for living as a Jew in the community.  To go against or disregard their opinions would have had serious consequences, not unlike the effect of a sword.  A disciple of Jesus, once found out, would most surely be ‘cut off’ from social, business and religious connection to the local Synagogue’s members, including their own family.

In many ways certain conservative Christian groups have mimicked this practice through implementing a shunning concept applied to specific non-conformist acts committed by one of their members.  Being found out to be gay, or having same sex attraction is often grounds for immediate excommunication from certain Church denominations, especially Fundamentalist and Old Order groups.  In effect, a gay person is essentially ‘cut off by a sword’ from social, business and religious connections with other members of that church’s community, often including family members.

Jesus Christ left his eternal pre-existence in glory with his heavenly Father, set aside all of Heaven, and took upon himself mortal flesh and lived as a servant.  He admonished his new disciples there as St. Matthew recorded it, to love God most of all and not be held back by the connections to family or friends, but whole-heartedly follow him.

A Gay Christian is doubly challenged in this regard.  Not only is it necessary to experience a ‘cutting away’ of the close ties to family and friends if they in any way impede following Christ, but often they must be willing to face the reality of shunning and separation from family because of misunderstanding, non-acceptance and prejudice.

Loving Jesus Christ with the whole heart fervently, being thankful to God for his great love towards us, and loving and treating our neighbor as ourselves is a big challenge.  Being honestly and openly gay in the face of family, church and community ridicule, disapproval and rejection is almost more than one person can possibly bear.

God is not forgetful that we are but dust.  He does not give us more than we can bear.

There is hope for those who are willing to trust Jesus to guide them through life and are willing to follow him no matter the cost.  Sometimes it just takes that first step of honesty and truth with your inner self, but once you’ve stepped OUT, he will take your hand and guide you the rest of your journey.