Esther 4:1-7:10
1 Corinthians 12:1-26
Psalm 36:1-12
Proverbs 21:21-22
Yesterday we began to read the book of Esther, and Pastor Scott Taylor connected it so clearly to recent events in Charlottesville, and issues that have plagued the US since its birth. He talked about how we are respond to sinful ideas - specifically, in this instance, racism. Today we continue that story, and in this blog I will try to suggest how we are to respond to people who espouse those ideas.
The book of Esther continues; word of Mordecai's hateful plans has spread through the Jewish community, and people are deciding how to respond. Let's be clear - so much more was at stake here than is at stake today in the US: during Esther's time, the Jews didn't face vile language or job discrimination, they faced death. And let's be clear again - the odds were different in Esther's time, when the oppressors were so much larger in number, and so much more powerful, than is the case today in the US. As one meme put it so appropriately, the group of "several hundred sick [racist] puppies" was dwarfed by the by the 52 million Americans who went to church, the 62 million who volunteer, and the 83% of adults who give to charity.
How did the Jews respond? Did they, on their own volition, go out in righteous anger (and yes, it would have been righteous), protesting Mordecai's plans, picking fights with the ignorant? Their response could not have been more opposite - "Mordecai...tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly." And "there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes." Even Esther's response could not have been more different - she said "go, gather together...and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days...I and my attendants will do as you do..."
You see, the response of the Jews to the imminent evil being planned against them wasn't to go fight (they did, eventually, after God had made clear their course of action). No, their response - and, I believe, our response as Christians - was to cry out to God. Now here's the amazing thing: God fought the battle in His way, and in His time...the king welcomed Esther, and not only thwarted the plot, but elevated Mordecai to a position of great honor, and for good measure did away with Haman - and to that point none of the Israelites had to lift a hand to do any of it. It gets better - when it came time for the Israelites to do something (and apologies for jumping the gun here), we will see that God gave them the advantage by allowing them to prepare to defend themselves.
As Christians, then, how better for us to respond to the evil of racism? With black hoods over our faces, middle fingers raised, shouting profanity and, as the opportunity presents itself, assaulting those who harbor such sinful views? How much good is that going to do? Is it going to change a racist heart, or merely reinforce their convictions? And does it repay evil for evil? It's easy to see how Psalm 36:2-4 might apply to the racists...does our response mean it applies to us as well?
I submit that as Christians, our first response has to be prayer. Our God is bigger than all the racism in the world, and only He knows a man's heart and can change it. And I submit that there are better ways to be instruments for God's change than repaying evil for evil. Check out the link below for an example - a black man who has probably turned more men away from racism than all those counterprotesters in Charlottesville combined.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/kkk-klu-klux-klan-members-leave-black-man-racism-friends-convince-persuade-chicago-daryl-davis-a7489596.html?
Father, when faced with evil, may our first response as Your children be to turn to You, to cry out to You in our helplessness, to ask You for Your help and Your guidance. And when You tell us what to do, give us obedient hearts that we might be instruments of Your will in these evil times and these evil situations.
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