The Kingdom Of God Suffers

Ho, you reapers of fields you did not sow;
You plotters who yearned for your brothers' grail*
And took it by means e'en the world deems low!
The cloth** has watched you stoop to prevail,
And none is fooled by your self-righteous stance,
That of liberals you the vineyard*** purge!
They see the rich rewards yourselves enhance;
How your means from Jesus' teachings diverge;
How sorely the Baptist's tent has been rent****,
Whose unity you once vowed to effect!
Don't protest how noble was your intent,
When brethren destroyed you ought to protect!
Spare us the boast of how valiant you are;
The Kingdom of God suffered from your war!

*rewards; **clergy; ***field; ****torn

Please vow to maintain your personal comitment to love others even if you see leaders abandoning their own commitments by attacking brothers who have incurred their displeasure. My own denomination has recently gone through a shameful exhibition of how not to love others. Self-styled fundamentalists attacked hundreds of fellow Christians for liberalism. As a result, the spectacle caused many whose early spiritual growth was dismayed at supposedly mature Christians savaging brothers in Jesus to abandon Jesus. One example: Jerry Falwell, in a commencement address at Southwestern Seminary, told the graduating preachers they were to replace the 'duds' in the pulpits. Pray that your faith doesn't crumble when you see or hear such un-Christlike behavior from someone supposed to be mature.

Differences between mature Christians often display worldly weaknesses. This ought to convince new believers that their commitments should be stronger than that; our love for fellow Christians and for non-Christians must not falter, especially in the midst of conflict. Jesus wants us to demonstrate to others a love that rises above the pettiness of the world. It is also a reminder that many church members are not sincere or true Christians. Let us not mislead ourselves; our commitments must hold up under any stress.