The Struggle for Independence

Our country continues to spiral out of control as new legislation, symbols of racism, and terror sweep across the land.

First of all, may I say how amazing it feels to be able to have the time to sit down and write? The past three weeks, I've been attending a college program and taking classes for credits, while also meeting new friends and going on service projects. We barely had any free time, and when we did, we spent it together, rather than alone (which is a good thing)! But I'm glad I can sit down alone and put some thoughts down.

While at the university, we learned of Shalom. Many will recognize the Hebrew word, along with its definition: peace. However, due to the many limitations of the English language and the translational discrepancies that plague any word, we miss out on so much meaning.

The best way to describe Shalom is to think of it like this: it's the peace, harmony, and fulfillment that will consume and capture our hearts when Christ reigns once again, and all evil has been thrown out. When God walks among His people, and they rejoice in Him. Shalom is the way things are supposed to be; not any skewed idea of peace we know of right now.

When we wish someone Shalom, we are wishing them to be in a state as close to what it'll be when Christ comes back as possible. It is, in my mind, the greatest greeting/wish that anyone could ever bestow upon another. 

Shalom involves relationship; more specifically, it involves living in a right relationship first with God, and then with Creation, ourselves, and others. It involves understanding the way God wanted this world to be, and then striving to bring that about. By creating order, beauty, and abundance, we bring about God's kingdom. Therefore, we don't necessarily need to be a priest or a missionary to do God's work; doing what He has for you to the best of your ability is what He enjoys! He'll delight in the work of a gardener as they plant beautiful flowers just as much as the work of a missionary as they plant churches; favoritism is non-existent in Christ. There's freedom in that; you do not need to be a super-Christian.

However, as we think about Shalom, we realize our world doesn't even come close. While I was away, the Supreme Court passed legislation that forces the federal government to recognize gay marriages; giving them the same benefits as opposite sex marriages. There was a shooting in a house of worship in South Carolina that killed 9 people. There are debates about whether we should remove the Confederate flag from our nation. After all, it is one of the biggest symbols of racism and slavery in our country; but it is also a part of our heritage. 

That's just in America. With injustices like sex-trafficking, slavery, abortion, terrorism, poverty, hunger, consumerism, performancism, and oppression, it can be hard to see how we could bring about good in our world.

Shalom requires that we live in a right relationship with others. One of the biggest problems we face today is dehumanization. Think of the Nazis during the Holocaust; they dehumanized Jews to an extreme degree. But here is something that may surprise you: we do the same. 

Think about it. The Jews, oppressed by the Nazis, could only think of the monsters that beat, burned, and gassed their community. They despised the Nazis, and with good reason. The Nazis did terrible things, unspeakable things.

In the eyes of a Jew, a Nazi couldn't be human. Rather than seeing an image-bearer of the God that created them, they saw a monster. They did not recognize the humanity of the Nazis, just the inhumanity. Please recognize that I am generalizing, and am not condoning anything the Nazis did.

But don't we do the same? We look at ISIS, and are horrified at their injustices. They terrorize many people, and oppress the citizens of many countries. However, EVERY human was created in God's image. Can you see the image-bearers in ISIS? Or Osama Bin-Laden? Or even the shooter from South Carolina?

It's July 4th. Independence Day. This day, in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed and sent to the King of England, declaring the thirteen colonies' secession from Britain. We fought a war and won our victory, thanks to the help of the French. 

Even today, we still war for Independence. Christian values quickly swirl down the drain, and we begin to lose hope for our community. The same lobbyists and legislators that call for greater equality and more freedom also trample on those that used to have a right to practice their religion as they wanted. Priests who refuse to marry gay couples are dragged to court because of their beliefs. Our battle for independence is not fought on the battlefield, but in our hearts.

It's a struggle to recognize the humanity, the God-given life that all men have. To know that God created EVERY human beautifully and wonderfully, rather than just those who exhibit beauty and wonder, is extremely difficult. We are constantly seeking to dehumanize those that oppress and deny us. And while it can be easy to seek justice, all too often justice oversteps itself into vengeance. Too quickly we call for dead evil-doers and dehumanize them to a point where it is okay to kill or throw in jail or torture; they aren't like us, after all.

The problem is, they ARE like us. The destruction of one is the destruction of an image-bearer of God; the salvation of one is the glorification of our God. As we press into ever-darker times, remember that Shalom is coming. We can cultivate a community where things are the way they are supposed to be. But we must not deny the humanity of any individual. 

Our troops fight for the freedom and hope that we enjoy here in America. Many of the families that lost loved ones in the shooting have already forgiven the shooter; they did not dehumanize him. What do you fight for? I exhort you to fight for humanity, to combat injustice, and realize that evil-doers bear the same image as you: God's. This Independence Day, so choose to #LiveItLikeJesus.