"Snares" (not drums--but beat them as if they were)

It is meant to be duly and deeply noted that “Screwtape” came at Christ Jesus in the desert with the gross misuse of Scripture—but Jesus came back with Scripture correct not only in its immediate context but its universal one, supremely so.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Reading about Gideon reveals that even a full blooded albeit reluctant hero can be a great leader on the battlefield for at least a few days, but an utter failure at home—repudiating but repeating Baal in his own flesh—the desire to control much wealth and many women, caused one of his sons, Abimilech, to kill all the others on one rock in one day,once Dad was out of the way. (Shakespeare makes much use of such bloody  scenarios)

Man, like Gideon, may serve God for one day; often inadvertently or under much protest; but like the Israelites indeed, they go back in the manner of those who eat their own vomit and wallow in their own manure.  If one has grown used to a pig sty, one gets a pig’s eye…this from Christ Himself…

…Who said far more than we can accept or realize. For instance, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham says to the rich man, who wants to warn his brothers of their danger, “They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them.”

“But Lord” (we always say—butbutbut) “if someone comes up from the dead, surely they will listen!” (my paraphrase here hopefully with the essence intact) But Abe replied:

“If they do not believe Moses, then neither will they believe even if  one rises from the dead.”

(Speaking of the Resurrection but also the Great Denial, “despised and rejected of men.”—Is 53 in Handel’s Messiah.)

This is no less—nor more,actually—than is true in our current generations, BB,X,Y,toZ. The predicted predicament of the Jews has merely become worldwide; enough so that a Jewish columnist from the New York Times called the persecuted Christians in the third world, “The New Jews.”  (well we are engrafted in…)

Other Scriptures from Christ paint the picture even more vividly.  Some are prone to embrace portions of the Beatitudes by, like Screwtape, taking them out of context for their own largely political and self-legitimization projects—and to support their defense mechanism of projection;  not to mention Freud’s Friendly Others. It helps to read the whole thing, even though it is, as a whole, not only overwhelming but unperformable by any but Him who spoke the Words.

Let’s see…”Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”  And to continue, a bit more prosaically: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.” 

Yes, He said that.

 

James the brother (once a bother) of Jesus put it another way, one that Christians in general have a hard time with: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops  perseverance. “  Well it can—but without joy?

Or as Rev. Dan Smith (“I didn’t go to seminary—but I’ve been to Calvary.”) sang, “Take every knock as a boost, every stumbling block as a stepping stone…just keep goin’ on.”

 

Gideon and his gold—supposedly self-effacing but in actuality just the opposite—see Judges 8—became another poster child of the Sad Snare of Success.   McWorld and its many disciples don’t mind at all if we are successful—it just means we will buy more of their “stuff.” See Bunyan’s Vanity Fair, not the magazine which glorifies itself and also hates the prophets.  Success, yes.  But if we are happy for more than a moment, between purchases, it growls.  If we are content,  it howls.  But if you have joy—from Christ—don’t worry, but it will try to kill you, not just ignore you…”Faithful” met his end in the gaol of Vanity Fair’s Unanimous Judgeship—just for not buying…”He’s not buying this.” Said Calvin of his Dad. Should we,  then, lend our votes and ears and tongues to be “a six year old all your life.”?