Who Are Our Enemies?/Will You Dance?

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. -Matthew 5:43-44

Yesterday I attended a chapel service led by several Peace Studies students. Their message was provocative, but very much appropriate. I would like to say that I don't have any real enemies. I was challenged to look deeper inside myself and become aware my gut reactions, or soul reactions, when I see or hear about someone who does not hold the same views that I do. To use some examples from the service- How do I react when I see pictures of military personnel, or listen to someone with political views or theologies that are not my own, or when I see someone on the highway with a Confederate flag on the back of their truck or driving a Hummer, or when I sit in on a worship service at a right-wing church or even a church that is not like my own? Do I have a heart that is open and prepared to notice what gifts these people are as creations of God, just like me? Do I truly love my enemies?

This evening I attended an International Fellowship group that meets on Wednesday nights for Bible study. This is a group of diverse nationalities- Canadian, Korean, Ethiopian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Paraguayan, and American. Tonight we studied Matthew 9:35-38-

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Together we imagined what it would have been like to be among the crowds, harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. These people would have been oppressed by the Romans, over-worked, over-taxed and underpaid. Many were also oppressed by sickness, depression, hopelessness, and demons. As we worked to contextualize this experience in our world today we heard stories of genocide in Congo, religious and political oppression in Ethiopia and Vietnam, the struggle of the church in Japan, even students here at AMBS who are faced with the often lonely process of questioning their faith and theology. In particular, an African-American woman in the group shared her story of facing oppression from white-supremacy groups right now following Barack Obama's election and the danger she experienced even last week. It is easy to feel safe in our own little bubbles, but the world is so much bigger than the communities we live in. The world is unsafe for many, even our very own neighbors. We might be living a nice, neat, wealthy life. But just down the street or across the globe is someone who is very much feeling harassed and helpless. The harvest is plentiful.

Then we shifted to imagining how the disciples felt as Jesus sent them into the harvest. As they looked out over the crowds and later traveled through Galilee, the task before the disciples must have seemed huge, even impossible. How were they to do the very miracles that Jesus had been doing? How were they to free all these people? And we asked the same questions of ourselves. How are we to bring the Gospel to all nations? How are we to free the oppressed? How are we to stand as a light and bring the love of Christ to our neighbors, and to the world? The number is so huge and the solution seems so impossible. What are we to do? The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

As I listened to these stories and these questions, my mind returned to the challenge of the peace service yesterday. And I asked myself- What do I feel when I hear these stories? What is my soul reaction when I think of not just the oppressed, but also the oppressors? And I realize that I do have enemies. When we hear these stories it is easy to be overwhelmed with fear for our world, our nation, our communities, our lives. And it is easy to forget that those who kill, those who take, those who threaten, those who judge, are created and loved by God just as much as you and I. It is easy to forget that they also are a part of the harvest. It is easier to be blind than to look at the pain and evil in the world and in our nation. This, I believe, is exactly what Satan wants us to do.

So how are we being called to work among the harvest? What can we do? We can pray that "the Lord would send out workers into his harvest field", and that love would reign over hate. We each can do our own part in the places we are and with the gifts that we have (yes, you do have gifts and there is something you can do). We can tell our stories and the stories of others who are being oppressed. We can listen to these stories. We can open our hearts to be aware of who our enemies are and how our actions may be reflecting our "soul reactions". We can choose to act in love rather than hate, or even apathy. We can give a smile or kind word, or even offer our friendship to someone who does not look like us, or vote like us, or believe like us. We can stand for justice and mercy. The question is no longer "What can we do?" but "What will we do?"

Once in a while
the time is ours to look inside.
Once in a while we get the chance
to take the floor and then to dance.
And for awhile all the world will stop
to watch us dance or watch us flop.
Looking for love,
it's the heart of the dance.
Looking for love,
it's the heart of the dance.
So now it's your turn.
So tell us, what will you do?
Will you stand strong in love?
Will you do unto them as you hope they might do unto you?
Or will you run off and hide?
Look away so you don't see the tear in their eye?
And now it's your turn.
Tell us, what will you do?
Sometimes we like to turn away,
and live to dance another day.
Sometimes we sit here on the side,
afraid to dance and full of pride.
So often it seems we've all been told
of the words from days of old-
walk humbly, with just mercy your guide.
Walk humbly, with just mercy your guide.
Cause now it's your turn.
Tell us, what will you do?
Will you stand strong in love?
Will you do unto them as you hope they would do unto you?
Will you run off and hide?
Look away so you don't see the tear in their eye?
Now it's your turn.
Tell us, what will you do?
Now it's your turn.
What will you do?

-Herm Weaver, "What Will You Do?" from Stories and Songs for the Road

Will you dance?