Near and . . . Far

So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near . . . .

 - From Ephesians 2

A Facebook friend of mine loves to hate Donald Trump. By extension, he likewise expresses hate towards people that voted for Trump. He doesn't think he hates. He certainly does not believe he hates people that voted for Trump. But hate is what is felt, in the way people are treated. If we are to believe the victims in the #MeToo movement, then that means we should believe people that say "You are being hateful to me."

And as we have learned in the social justice movement . . . when someone says "You have stepped over the line," we are expected to change course, and even apologize. Make things right. Swallow your pride. 

This friend is a self-described evangelical. But he hates Christians that vote for Trump, so much, that he eschews being called an evangelical, if it puts him in the same camp as Trump voters. But he's also a retired professor in a Christian seminary (which should clarify the picture somewhat). He also had a career in journalism (which should clarify the picture totally). 

The mark of Christian purity should be evidence of humility. This friend is not at all interested in being proven wrong, in making things right, in admitting he's human, in apologizing. 

Let's see if we can get to Paul's point, in the letter to the Ephesians. In fact, let's see if we can understand any Scripture that talk about unity in the Church, or how to handle people from other cultures (like Samaritans, for instance). Let's try to identify a short-cut to empathizing with Samaritans, or Women at the Well, or Greeks, or Gentiles, or people of color, or white people, or males . . . . 

How can we tap into these emotions that have made people so hateful, so bigoted, so racist. Is it possible?

 Let's start with how you think of trump voters, (if you're a woker). Let's start with how you think of progressive millennials (if you're a traditionalist).

Now you've got it. That's what we're talking about. It's what Paul was talking about. It's what Christ talked about, and still talks about. You hate people without thinking. You want to separate from them. You are not with them, or of them. You look down on them.

And you must stop. 

Those who are far off will unite with those who are near. Near and Far are a very long way from each other. They are farther away, than a Trump voter is, from a San Fransisco liberal. God tore down the division between us. 

Let's start acting like it. 

Curtain

You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak and spread out the heavens like a curtain. 

 - From Psalm 104

The truth of God is often presented, as though covered by a veil. Most people will look at God, and His Word, and see only a curtain. They see nothing. They can't see what's just beyond the curtain. 

It may be a common trait of humanity - - - to not want to look beyond. To be satisfied with the curtain. 

Why do we hide from the truth? Why don't we dig deeper? Why don't we want our knowledge to be more complete? Why don't we want our perspectives to be enhanced by the unique purview of others? 

Just today, I saw on some Cable TV show, a true story about a guy with a large cyst on his arm. He let it grow until it was the size of a grapefruit. When asked why he didn't take corrective action a long time ago, he said "I don't want to find out there's something bad under there. I'm happier not knowing."

How much harm comes into the world, into our lives, because people are afraid to dig? What damage comes from not wanting to find out?

God's truth is veiled, yes. God Himself comes as a stranger in the night. He is a stealth God . . . 

 . . . but only to those that are afraid to dig. 

Once you get past the veil, you see that God Himself is so open, so approachable, that even the light around him is like a vast curtain. Even the openness of Heaven itself, is like a cloak around God. 

We find paradox everywhere in Scripture. The truth of God is often found in the paradox. You have to part with your parameters. You have to question your assumptions. You have to be open to new information. This is the path to Truth. Is God hidden from us? Yes . . . but in reality, the cloak around Him is actually light itself, so that He is clearly seen by those passing beyond the veil. 

And so in the symbolism found in describing the Lord Himself (and God is Love, and God is Light) we see that He does not cover His Face, the source of Light. The path beyond any human danger is a lighted path, illuminated by the light emitting from the Face of God. 

And if God shows us His Face . . . then we also should show our faces, to one another. We have come to a point in history, where even the showing of a face is an act of faith.