Suffering, The Sin of Silence, and True Character

Three thoughts today.

Firstly, we serve someone who has power over death. The church of Christ was born out of immense suffering. It was born of a man who was wrongly accused. That man hung on a cross, His friends denounced him, and He took our suffering upon himself. He was placed in a tomb, and many thought his teaching was buried with Him.

Three days later, He walked out of that tomb – alive!

Death defeated. We serve a greater kingdom. God has power over every situation. No heart is hidden from his sight.

Secondly, as if the first thought wasn’t enough…because Jesus is surely enough – Amen! I am reminded of Esther. I think there are times when God calls us to be silent like Jesus was before his accusers just before his death. Then, there are times when our silence is unholy. For example, Jesus also boldly proclaimed the following(and I’d like to think the Pharisees were listening) in Matthew 23:

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Similarly, I am reminded of this verse from chapter 4 of the book of Esther…

¹² When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Thirdly, severe trials reveal true character. It reveals the character of the one facing the trials. It reveals the character of those who watch it transpire or pass by as it occurs. Who among us is tasked with being the Samaritan(stopping to help the man who was beaten)? Who among us passes by and does nothing? Who is tasked w/ being Mordecai(advising)? Who is tasked with being Esther(the one with the sole power to prevent destruction)?

At the end of the Bridge of Spies, James Donovan(played by Tom Hanks) falls asleep on his bed. His community thought that he had simply been on a business trip. In fact, it would be revealed on the nightly news that he had been on a secret, overseas diplomatic mission trying to free Gary Powers. Prior to that, Donovan was reminded the task at hand(reference the scene below). Be thankful for the people around you who keep getting back up again in the face of wrong doing, and will “do right” in spite of the current which says otherwise.

“‘My father used to say, ‘Watch this man.’ Never once did he do anything remarkable. ‘And I remind you of him?’ This one time, I was about the age of your son. Our house was over run by partisan border guards – dozens of them. They beat my mother. They beat my father. This man, my father’s friend, he was beaten. And I watched this man. Every time they hit him, he stood back up again. So, they hit him harder. Still, he got back to his feet. I think because of this they stopped the beating and let him live. Stoichi musiz. Sort of means something like…standing man.” Bridge of Spies (2015)

(This was written on April 17th.)