We Are Not a Church of Rats
If I win the rat race, what does that make me?
What do I mean by “the rat race” in this particular instance? Society is having a spitting contest that is masquerading as an intelligent conversation. Every issue has become wrapped up in a political polarity that vies to snatch our eyes and our spirits away from the things that bring us meaning and purpose. Instead of focusing on our kingdom assignment, we find ourselves wanting so badly to be “right” and to be heard. Even if we are right, we convince everyone of our opinion, and we win the rat race, that still makes us rats.
I’ve been reading Ephesians this week. Paul’s words in that letter are so beautiful because he talks so much about our ultimate assignment as believers to love people and sow the glory of Jesus in our relationships. We’re made aware of the fact that God is always working to bring unity to everything under Christ’s lordship. Don’t ever feel like God is just waiting until the end for things to turn out for the best. God has purposed to love us and draw us into his lordship and his community. I’m worried sometimes when I look on at conversations that take place in the church and the name calling that goes on among believers, especially as it pertains to current events.
I’m reminded of Ephesians 2:14-16;
“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”
When we champion our opinions, we aren’t breaking down the dividing wall of hostility. God is creating a new humanity in himself. Let that sink in! Of course, when Paul writes here about two sides he’s talking about Jews and Gentiles, but let’s consider his wider context for this; addressing division among people. Are we finding ourselves “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” as Paul says? Or are we trying to win the rat race?
The truth is, none of us are gaining ground for the kingdom when we feel like we need to vindicate our opinion about masks. None of us are a light on a hill when we allow the narrative of the world to stir up inside of us bitterness, anger, clamor, and slander, saying “not voting for one is a vote for the other”. I’m not saying it is inappropriate to have opinions. What I am saying is that we can’t afford to let those opinions cause us to be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” as Paul says in Ephesians 4. We have to make sure we’re in the driver’s seat, not our ideologies.
As a church, we can be leaders in this in Oxford (or whatever community you find yourself in). I truly believe that we are not a church of rats. My prayer is that every day we would become more and more a church that “lets no corrupting talk come out of our mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29) and that we would be laser focused on the work Jesus has for each of us to do. I truly believe that as we seek God for the words that will give grace to those who hear, he’ll give them to us.