We Can’t Change The Whole World. But We Can Be The Weird Ones…
Late last night, my daughter came downstairs with tears & sat on my lap. I held her & asked what was wrong (she’s 15, & honestly, I thought it would be about a boy). She said:… Read More
Posts Tagged: "Non-violence"
Why Did Jesus Tell Them To Buy Swords?
A friend recently asked me the following question:
My reading this morning is in the latter chapters of Luke. The Last Supper is finished, they’re heading for the garden and what Jesus knows is His arrest and murder. He tells the disciples to bring swords. They say they have two, and He says “It’ll do.” Off they go.
Yet, in John, when stuff starts to go down and Peter actually uses one of those swords, Jesus tells him to put it away, because answering violence with violence is not the answer. Then He fixes the damage that Peter did.
So here’s the conundrum:
Why did Jesus tell them to bring swords in the first place?
If He didn’t want anybody using them, why did He… Read More
Jesus, Hyperbole, & Ignoring Him Completely
*note: picture above is a statue of Jesus in Hallgrímskirkja – the iconic church in Reykjavík, Iceland.
I got into a crazy discussion with a pastor friend recently.
It all started when I answered a question honestly. My answer was something like this: “I don’t believe in guns.”
Chaos erupted in the room. Every eye was on me as I attempted to explain myself.
I tried to describe how, as a follower of Jesus, I embrace his way of non-violence, forgiveness-times-infinity, enemy-love, blessing those who curse, etc.
There were more questions. Hypothetical situations raised. Some ridicule. Maybe a little genuine curiosity too.
But then it got weird. Somehow the question… Read More