We have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. —Romans 12:4
Though there is so much packed into today's scripture reading, I'll choose to reflect on one of the more challenging themes, especially challenging for us tried-and-true pacifist Brethren. For in it is one of the verses that challenge the pacifist stance: Luke 12:51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
Interestingly enough, the ODB reflection, included this Romans verse on the members of one body, how we are called to the same function... how we are called to unity, good old Romans. (I've gotten so much out of the insights of our Bible Study this year.) Unity? Division? How does this work? What does this same function have to do with it? I believe today's scriptures can help clarify this unsettling point.
Good Judgment
3 His name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.
14 One of the servants told Nabal's wife Abigail: "David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. 15 Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. 16 Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them. 17 Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him."
18 Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs [b] of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she told her servants, "Go on ahead; I'll follow you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
32 David said to Abigail, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak." -1 Samuel 25: 3,14-19,32-34
I love the story of Abigail- that girl had strength, wisdom, and definitely good judgment. And David recognized this- ten days later, when Nabal her "Foolish" husband died, he took her as his wife.
The division is clear in this story. There is a division between the purposes of the earthly family of husband and wife- Nabal and Abigail. Nabal's purpose is to keep everything for himself, not trusting who he'd be giving his meat and bread and water to someone he didn't know. It's interesting also to note that Nabal didn't seem concern for his own well-being or that of his servants or his family, nor do we see the servants confide in him about the danger of the situation. Perhaps this was left out or perhaps it speaks of his division and separation from his servants.
Abigail's purpose on the other hand, was to watch over her 'extended family.' Although she was divided in purpose and goal with her husband, she was united with concern for the well-being of her servants and her family, as well as David and those who had watched over her livestock.
Additionally, while there was a noticeable division in the household, there was at the same time a peace that came from this literal 'peace offering.' David praises Abigail from 'keeping [him] from bloodshed" (33) and this is presented as a very good thing.
To me, this outlines the importance of unity of spirit across the lines of the mere 'nuclear family.' Hopefully the nuclear family will also have the same purposes and goals, but if they don't... we need to have the greater good in mind... using good judgment for the peace and unity of the 'whole' Christian family, even if it at times causes division.
We are called to use good judgment, to be peacemakers, understanding that our care for our family does not just mean our closest relatives as determined by our DNA strand. This was wildly misinterpreted throughout the history of the COB, when individuals would interpret the church as "siding with the enemy" just because they appeared "on the fence" and refused to pick sides in war situations. In fact, Christopher Sauer's printing press, worth $5000 was destroyed because of his refusal to openly side with the 'Tories' during the Civil War. Countless other histories, including that of the famous John Kline, demonstrate how individuals didn't understand this broader definition of unity of which he wrote in his journal in 1849, "love truly virtuous... in its most comprehensive sense takes in the whole human family."
Good Stewardship
42The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
49"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." -Luke 12:49-52
Here we have a hard verse to deal with, but I believe that some further context, as well as the story of Abigail, as cited above, will help to clarify the peace/division and unity/against dichotomy.
Here we must point out that though many of the 'headings' and chapter divisions in the Bible might prove useful, they were not there in the original text. They were later added, and are therefore relatively arbitrary. It's important to remember this and cross the lines of the context which we include in our readings of passages. So, the parable that Jesus tells previous to his comments on division might very well be a prelude to it.
In fact, in those days it would be rather uncommon to have a household with one single servant. Instead, there would be various servants to perform different tasks (many members of one body with the same overriding purpose to care for the home, if you will). That was how it was meant to me, at least. However, some of the servants were divided against their own house. They weren't performing their tasks, while they felt that their master wasn't watching.
Imagine your frustration. Your advisor has to go to a conference, but he also has a lot of prep to do on finalizing a research project. He splits the work evenly, and some of you work diligently all summer. However, a few choose to put off the work. The advisor isn't around after all, and 'he's taking a long time in coming.' I'm pretty sure this would cause division among the ranks, provided the RAs didn't actually get their work done.
We each have purposes and through prayer and Bible study, we know God's will, at least to a certain extent. And I'm sure that God has 'given you much,' so we are asked much. We all have a responsibility to our entire Christian family... to use those gifts and talents for the good of our kingdom... this would be good stewardship... doing what you can with what you've got. When you're not giving all that you have to the glory of God, you are creating a divide between your Christian family and your own family.
I believe this is what Jesus means when he says, "They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." Not that there is a need for division, but in our decisions to be good stewards of what God has given to us or not, we decide to create or abolish a divide.
I thank God that He has given me a beautiful faithful family, and I've experienced very little division within my earthly family, but I do remember a bit of tension when I went off to Brazil, very far away, or when I thought of moving to Mexico. I remember the harsh comment, "Well, you can come back for our funerals." Now I don't want you to think it was this way forever. My family usually comes around after warming up to an idea, but it was hard for them to recognize that I might have to leave them in order to follow Jesus' leading. However, when they saw me and heard how God was using my different gifts and talents and love of people and cultures and language in those settings, they were pleased... we were filled with love and unity and peace... as one body with the same purpose.
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