Friday, July 08, 2005
When I am weak, then I am strong.
As I was laying in bed this morning my thoughts went back to a discussion I had a few days ago about the relation of power and violence to the gospel of the kingdom of God. And as I reflected on this together with my thoughts about the terrorism in London yesterday, I was struck with the insight that abusive power, violence and oppression will never be overcome with more of the same. If the example of Christ and the lessons of history teach us anything, it's that power can only be overcome through weakness, violence through peace, and oppression through a willingness to suffer for the sake of a higher cause. The kingdom of God will never be won by using the weapons of the Enemy. If we desire to see the kingdom become a reality we can't overcome evil with more evil, we have to overcome evil with good. We have to start living according to kingdom values of peace and reconciliation now; they can't be put off. The ends do not justify the means.
