Let anyone with ears listen! —Matthew 11:15
It's natural to see the world through the lens of our tribe.
We are right.
They are wrong.
And behind these lenses, we can hear a verse like Matthew 11:5 and assume that Jesus is talking to them: The Democrats, the Republicans, the Muslims, the Atheists, the LGBTQ community, the Catholics, the Protestants, Fox News, Calvinists, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, your crazy Aunt Sue, Social Justice Warriors, Feminists...
But in Matthew 11, Jesus is speaking to the crowd. A crowd, we should assume, we belong to. Do we have ears to listen? Are we wise enough to open our minds to a world without labels and categories?
Paul tells us "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."
The coming of Christ in our consciousness should give us a renewed mind that breaks down categories and labels, tearing to shreds the very notion that there is even a system consisting of "us or them." There is no longer anyone other; there is only us.
May we learn that labels and categories are often used to oppress the powerless. May we end the destructive nature of our dualistic thinking. May we see our brother or sister when we look into the face of our enemies and bring the refreshing gift of Christ to all we encounter, letting each person know that they are loved by the Divine.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Isaiah 41:13–20
Matthew 11:11–15
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