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Friday, December 14, 2007 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement In this paragraph from his letter to the church of Rome, Paul refers to “the scriptures.” He was unaware that the words he was then writing would become Scripture. What he meant by “the scriptures” were the five books of Moses and the eight books of Prophets. He also frequently used the Book of Psalms as sacred text. He wrote that these scriptures were for instruction, steadfastness and encouragement that “we might have hope” and “live in harmony.” The irony is that one of the major barriers to Christians living in harmony with each other is Scripture and its interpretation. Paul wanted us to be together, with one voice, to glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Perhaps if Paul knew how we would wrangle over words he would have stopped writing then and there, but he could not know he was adding to the Scriptures. We understand from Paul’s other letters that there was the need to plead for harmony in the early church. And, for that matter, ever after. How extensive need this harmony be? Like the lawyer seeking from Jesus a limiting definition of “neighbor,” we want to know the limits of love, the extent of harmony. Is it harmony among Christians? Is it harmony between Jew and Gentile? Is it harmony between the nations? With whom are we to live in harmony? While Ginny was involved in a Methodist Student Movement work camp during the summer of 1955, she saw an exhibit of photographs in Washington, D.C. The impact of the exhibit transformed her world view and changed her life. The photographs - large and small - pictured people from around the world in family groupings; at work, at play; in love and in friendship; in hostility, in despair; dancing, playing instruments; and at worship. The exhibit theme was expressed in photograph after photograph: across the cultures we are really one family. We recently paged through the exhibit book and realized that it continues to be a moving testament to the human family. Its theme and its emotional reality call for the broadest definition of harmony. To live in harmony with one another is a treasured goal. Our scriptures can either be a guide to achieving this, or a hindrance. I suspect that the difference is not so much within the Scriptures, but in our approach to them. |
