In the words of Michael Dalton, “Sometimes, hippies are productive”

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There is now, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 8:1

But Christians don’t just walk around their churches dispensing judgement.  We’re most notorious for judging those who say they are something other than a Christian.  To that, Jesus said,

You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.
- John 8:15

I know that feeling you sometimes get when you see something you disagree with.  It’s that thing rising up from the pit of your stomach.  It makes you want to scream and shout – Telling someone they are wrong or dumb or a ‘sinner’ – thinking we’re doing it in God’s name.  All the while, God is looking in saying, “I’m withholding my judgement.  I am extending grace because I see a beautiful tomorrow for that person.”

But, if you’re like me, once I realized that it’s not my job to roam the earth dispensing judgement, I didn’t really know what my other options were.  Then I read :

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!
- Romans 10:15

So what does that mean?  How about a video :

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Radiolab : Words

is there even one example where Jesus petitioned the government to validate or support his message?

Jesus lived in a society with a pervasive and present government.  The common Jewish view of the messiah was a warrior who would come to overthrow the Roman (and all other governmental) oppression of the Jews.  And Jesus could have joined the ranks of the freedom-fighter zealots who lashed out violently against the Romans.  So why did he choose to go about his business without at least engaging in the political process?

There are two types of interactions Jesus engages in when it comes to the government.

First, there are a few occasions in which Jesus says or does something like in Matthew 17 where he tells Peter to pay the temple tax – both a religious and governmental tax.  Words like these are spoken as instructions to the hearer to live at peace with humanity as much as it is possible.  They weren’t a call to civic or political action.

And second, we see Jesus interacting with individual governmental officials whom he treats as humans with needs, strengths, weaknesses – another person he had the opportunity to love.

But one of the tenants of modern religious activism is the need to dehumanize officials by relegating them to a particular party or belief system.  This is essential first step in the process of viewing government as a tool to leverage in order to create legislation with the end goal of getting citizens to live “moral” lives.  This process of dehumanization and disunity is contrary to the very nature of Jesus.

Perhaps another reason Jesus didn’t leverage the government to validate his message is because he understood that, while legislation could change someone’s actions, it did nothing for the state of his or her heart.  It is the epitome of what he called “white washed tombs” – someone who looks to be doing what’s right on the outside but is full of dead bones on the inside.

Often times legislation doesn’t just ignore the heart.  It is actually effective in pushing the reality of people’s lives and struggles into the shadows where it lies festering and growing.

Is it possible that legislation actually has the opposite result than Jesus’ objective while here on the earth?

Ultimately, I think many Christians like legislation because it’s easier than the alternative.  It’s easier to pass laws making gay marriage illegal than it is to befriend someone you’ve already decided you hate.  The third reason I think Jesus steered clear of leveraging the government is because legislation is, at its core, one thing – judgement.  And Jesus, in his own words, makes himself very clear on this issue :

“You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.”  - John 8:15

And why didn’t Jesus judge?

Judgement ends a conversation.  Grace begins one.

Jesus wasn’t interested in walking the known world pointing out what was broken about it.  Jesus was interested in relationships.  He was passionate about telling the world, not what they were, but what they could be.  And you and I, as ambassadors of reconciliation, are commissioned with the same task.  We are not here to pass judgement that builds walls.  Rather, we are here to bear grace that thrusts us into relationships with hope for tomorrow.

“Ratatat – Drugs”

Beauty out of tragedy