Two men walk in a bar, they share a drink, they talk through their day and their conflict. Yea, right. In the Wild West sometimes you would hear of a shootout and who had the fastest draw. Occasionally innocent bystanders would get gunned down and shot glasses and dreams would be shattered.
Modern day- Two madmen meet to discuss peace (Random example). Their nations are volatile and if they can get along they can avoid a nuclear holocaust. The odds are high that there will be casualties because advanced weapons are being used. If either one was perceived to be reasonable –the other one may back down, so bravado and bluster are employed to harness fear. Those behind the factions lean in to see who will “break” and who will triumph. Speculation heightens as to who really is a madman and who is trained to call the others bluff. Those who understand the pressure will see that both are capable of human atrocity and both have a look deep in their eyes signaling past pain, current turmoil and future anger just waiting to be unleashed. Who really knows their capability?
A peace treaty, “is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties.”[1] You’ve heard the expression it takes two to tango.
Years ago I had the joy of meeting a Nobel Peace Prize winner. He was one of the freest men I’ve ever met. Handsome in appearance, his true character radiated beyond that as he explained living a life with purpose. There was an inner fire that drew his listeners closer as he shared exploits that could only have taken place with a divine hand on his life. He had successfully sat down with Jews, Muslims and Christians to navigate peace in a war torn area. While discussing the intricacies of negotiation with our team afterwards I reflected on how he had brought so many factions to the table – friendship and food. A warm heart and good cup of coffee goes a long way in bringing people together.
The news this week tells stories of world leaders bargaining with resources, weapons and even lives. Some were poisoned as they represented their governments. Stateside we hear of battles over citizenship and walls being erected to keep “bad guys out”. What about the bad guys left in?
In Missouri last week a young man decided to strip down naked, steal a yellow ATV and go joyriding. He flew down the wrong side of the freeway, eluding police who could not follow him. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out drugs were a huge part of the war he signed up for voluntarily. My husband, a former submarine sailor, jokingly tells me that the letters in NAVY stand for “Never Again Volunteer Yourself. Two different worlds. Two different purposes for the risk involved.
Who are the madmen? Who are the madwomen in our society? Hostile parties, coming together looking for relief, treaties, agreement, armistice. It is so much easier to put all our anger, hatred into a bucket of North Korea, Russia or the drug dealer down the highway than to realize….I am the madman. We collectively are the madmen.
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Romans 8:7
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Romans 5:10
In order for there to be a peace treaty, it necessitates that both parties are hostile to one another. Christ comes between us and a merciful, loving God. There is no yin/yang in that equation. God is hostile to sin but loving towards us. One sided. Pretty amazing covenant! He gives all the benefits and we take all the provision. Is G-d a Sucker? No, He’s benevolent, compassionate, and merciful. May we never lose the wonder of that. We will — if we continue to believe that “others” are madmen and we are born free.
Colossians One (NIV) tells us, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23
if you continue in your faith,
established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.“
While some women are marching declaring rights, injustices and freedoms, other women are struggling to watch children, feed husbands and volunteer at schools. A question has stirred my heart. Why do we fight to look “xyz –good, advocate, confident”? Both want other women to “believe in themselves”. Both groups would probably tell us they are working hard to make life better for –others. Sheer madness or sweet sacrificial service? In the midst of everyone telling us how wonderful/ powerful we are and the focus on having perfect bodies I wonder if we could pause for just a millisecond…
Theologically, we too are madmen.
How long since we “identified” with our true roots? Hostile to God. You won’t see that on a poster. Unless we remember that, we will never realize the deep, pervasive need for a Savior, a maker of peace. Eradicate the need, eradicate the solution. Without the pain of the cross, there is no crown. Without the balm of the crucified, there is no blessing. Without the blood stained Jewish Messiah, there is no new creation Christian. Talk about cutting out the middle man! He offers us a
Peace Covenant –
because there’s only one hostile party and that is me, you. The difference is He offers all the benefits and reaches out across the aisle. The difference is –there is no gleam of cruelty in His eye or plan of hate in His heart. He offers us the glorious exchange – our hostility for His peace.
Who’s the Madman? Answer that question and you are on the right highway to real peace. When is it the right time to be reconciled through Christ to God?
Two rustlers _________ walk in a church (fill in the blank with bikers, minorities, elderly, women, teens, white guy, etc.). They share communion and talk about their day. The sun shines in the Calm East and hope for the future is apparent. They rejoice in their fellowship and things are restored.
Rejoicing that there is a solution, a hope, REAL Peace…..
RenaeRoche2018
[1] Wikkipedia (public opinion source)