Reflection

Both of these instances of the word “you,” as is typical in the Sermon on the Mount, are plural. If Jesus were in the southern United States he might say, “do to others as y’all would have them do to y’all.” What added meaning does this insight bring to “the Golden Rule?”

Disciples as a group are to treat other groups as they would like to be treated. If, for instance, we as Christians want the freedom to practice our beliefs, we need to extend that freedom to other groups. Theologian Gerhard Lohfink writes that God uses “fascination rather than force” to draw people into God’s way. We are at our best when we draw others through modeling a good and beautiful ethic rather than by trying to force others to behave through political power plays.

(This is a complex topic. While Christians have a prophetic role in calling governments to righteousness and justice, our best witness is when we are living out a winsome and sacrificial ethic ourselves.)

Action (Reflect)

Reflect on last week: Were you able to find a way to love across racial lines? What if anything did you learn?

Think about the upcoming week: As many of us “shelter in place,” one way to stay sane is to get outside. This week we’ll think about how we can do better at caring for creation. Think of how God, in the examples Jesus gives us, cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. Rather than stewarding creation, Christians have sometimes justified the exploitation of the earth through faulty theologies that portray the earth as a disposable booster-rocket propelling us to our ultimate destinations of heaven or hell.

(The Biblical picture is one of God redeeming all creation and of heaven coming down to earth. See Biblical scholar N.T. Wright’s article in Time magazine for an excellent explanation of this.)

For this next week, choose something to fast from. You might choose to eat less meat and dairy (see here for how this reduces carbon emissions), or strategize about how to use less plastic.

Express your care for creation this week by planting something, going for a walk with God in a beautiful place, or donating to organizations that care for creation.