Not Incumbent

 

It strikes me that it is not incumbent upon the follower of Jesus Christ to have an opinion about everything, nor are we called to judge all things – we have better and higher things to do. While Martha runs here and there, with her attention like a shotgun blast with pellets everywhere, Mary sits at the feet of Jesus with her heart, eyes, and ears fixed on Him. Martha moves to a cacophony, Mary responds to the sweet voice of Jesus Christ (Luke 10:38).

 

This is not to say that we, as a people, cannot judge all things if needed (1 Cor.2:15), but it is to say that we have better and higher things to do, living lives fixed on Jesus Christ and in service to others.

 

The notion that we can transform the world and culture, when the world system and its culture is under judgment, is a notion that distracts us and dissipates our strength (John 12:31; Gal. 6:14; 1 John 2:15). Yes, we are called to be salt and light, mitigating the evil and darkness of the world and leading others to Jesus Christ, but this is not the same as thinking that somehow we are going to make what is inherently evil and opposed to God into something righteous – see Psalm 2 and Daniel 2.

 

One benefit of realizing that it is not incumbent on us to have an opinion about everything is that we can model hearts and lives which are devoted to Jesus Christ, we can model what it is to sit at the feet of Jesus. This is the Light that others need, this is the City which does not need lesser lights, for it has the Light of the Father and the Son (Rev. 21:23; 22:5). How foolish to carry a flashlight when the sun is brightly shining, how nonsensical to eat food dead by the roadside when the Master has a seat for us at His Eucharistic Table.

 

However, it is not just that it is not incumbent upon us to have an opinion about everything in the world, it is also not incumbent upon us to have an opinion about everything in the Kingdom – indeed, it can be dangerous. Paul asks, “Who are you to judge another man’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Rom. 14:4). Then, “Judge nothing until the time comes…and then shall everyone have praise from God" (see 1 Cor. 4:5). (Writing this is not without irony!)

 

When Peter wanted to know about the trajectory of John, Jesus says, “What is that to you? You follow me.” (John 21:21ff).

 

When we should be relieved that we are not called to know everything, to judge everything, to meddle in everything...we insist on being mental and emotional busy bodies…and we call this wisdom and understanding? What’s worse, we model this scattered way of life for others and make it normative.

 

The ways of the world are not to be our ways, it is not incumbent on us to know everything, to understand everything, to have an opinion on everything, to judge everything. It is, however, commanded that we love God with all that we have and all that we are, and that we love our neighbors as ourselves and our brethren as Jesus loves them. It is incumbent on us to lay our lives down for others, with our eyes looking unto Jesus.

 

If we desire to demonstrate the relevancy of the Gospel, it is not by responding to every headline in the news that we will accomplish this; but rather by living in Christ, as Christ, declaring the Good News that there is an everlasting Kingdom and an eternal Way – the Way of Light and Life, the Way of Jesus Christ.