Acting Up and Out

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.  Acts 12

Peter got himself thrown in jail...see there are real life risks for living the way of Jesus.  He is shackled and stuck in a prison.  Two guards are sleeping next to him...which is a hilarious image.  Can you see them curled and cuddled up next to each other?  A bit of drool coming out of their mouths, snoring, and slouched upon each other's shoulders!  C'mon now,  that is a great image.  When suddenly, God shows up again to do the work of liberation for the sake of God's love.

I was just at the Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. and saw image after image of people being arrested standing up for what is right.  And here I sit with a squeaky clean record.  Or as someone once said, "If we were charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict us?"  That is a challenging...convicting...kind of question.  What would I be willing to be tossed/thrown in jail for?  Are there issues I can no longer stay, stand silently on the sidelines waiting to respond?  Racism, homophobia, economic oppression where a state this week reduced the minimum wage, political intolerance and de-humanization of each other...what I am doing about that besides just writing words?

Secondly, spiritually, where am I bound by chains that need God's liberation for the sake of God's love?  Am I silent, on the sidelines, because of shackles of fear?  Am I silent, on the sidelines, because of cynicism thinking surely my presence isn't going to make a difference?  Am I silent, on the sidelines, because my recipe for faith is too rational and not enough risk?  I sometimes think my life can be like a recipe that forgot to add the spices!  

This passage asks us to kick it up a notch.  Get in the game.  It also remind us that it won't be easy!  There are obstacles.  There are major setbacks.  Remember Rev. Dr. King spoke out about the Vietnam War and people told him, "Stick with racial equality."  "Stop saying those things."  "That isn't your battle, Martin."  Sounds a lot like what Peter went through.  

So, I pray there will be a trace of grace for you to step off the sidelines into the action knowing that it won't be a magical pony ride...and you may not see much progress...and people will stand in your way...and we need humility, lots of humility, because none of us have the full truth.  Remember, Peter didn't protest, he simply wanted to engage and get to know the enemy.  And while that won't get you thrown in jail today, it will cause restless sleep and moments where you feel like you are in-between a rock and a hard place.  Or put another way, between two guards drooling and snoring and trying to keep you in place.  

As I've said...so wonderfully challenging.  May the traces of God's grace guide us for the living out of our lives in such a time as this.

Grace and peace ~~