This page is written from an Australian context but it may have
universal application. Today is
Pentecost Sunday for the Church at the same time Reconciliation Week is a period
that is designated to learn about The country’s ”first inhabitants” and their
culture. It is also a time to think
about their status in the society of 2012 and how we may have contributed to that.
Having said that, I am struck by the fact that we live in a
multi-cultural society. We should, as Believers be, living an “A Spirit
of Reconciliation” to all peoples. .I am aware that dealing with material of
this is capable of being misconstrued but I hope, with God’s wisdom, to avoid
straying off the middle path.
Jesus entire ministry was directed at enabling
reconciliation. It was primarily in reconciling
mankind to His Father. That being so He
did do some work in offering ways for us to be reconciled to our
neighbours. Further He challenged us,
His followers, to live the reconciliation life as His Followers.
The prophet Micah in chapter 6 verse 8 that God has shown us
what is good. Simply to act justly to
love mercy and to walk humbly with God is the model He gives. Jesus also went on to give us examples to apply
in our lives. Take for instance the
Samaritan woman. The disciples had gone
to buy something to eat and presumably to drink so He had no need to talk to
the woman but He had a higher purpose: to bring this sinful daughter of Jacob into
the Kingdom. In doing this He brought
the possibility of reconciliation to the entire village.
Again Jesus taught that “when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive
them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Knowing the importance of Prayer in the
Master’s life it is significant that Mark recorded Jesus’ teaching that “And
when you stand praying, if you hold
anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may
forgive you your sins.” Apparently
not being at peace with someone was enough to disrupt our prayers to the
Father.
So then how do we apply this to our lives here and now? Especially with the heartfelt cries of our indigenous
brothers; it is true that in every country there are people who were there
before we arrived and hurts have historically happened. We need to attempt to rectify these slights in
as far as we are capable; not as a guilt reaction but as a partnership with our
indigene.
Of course that is only a part of a bigger picture. Many have experienced cultural slights in our
countries; a friend of mine has a prickly sensitivity to jokes that play on his
ethnicity. This is just one area where
we as a society cause a lack of peace in those we unthinkingly discriminate. When we marginalize people be it economically,
socially, educationally, or whatever we place a barrier between them and the
Master.
Let us portray the total picture of the Master to all we
encounter, being ready to offer love reconciliation and truth to everyone we encounter
wherever we encounter them. That way we will
have an answer in season and will usher people into the freedom of living for
God
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