Disunity

Dear Eugene,

Lately I've been reflecting a lot on what makes a good shepherd--or even more importantly, what makes a true shepherd of God's people.

Growing up in a family full of pastors, I am not a stranger to fighting within the church, sometimes full-blown civil war, both as witness and participant, so much so that at times I even accepted disunity in the body of Christ as part of God's modus operandi to carry out his will.  The world has done a better job discipling us than the other way around.

N. T. Wright called the disunity in Western church the biggest scandal with which we have all colluded.  I call it the biggest ever anti-Gospel, anti-Jesus conspiracy.

When everything goes well, we can all afford to be nice.  It is at time of crisis and conflict that we show our true colors: self-preservation, finger-pointing, outright denial, lies.  "Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies," I read this line just now.  (It is from "Bastard out of Carolina."  Have you read it yet?  A marvelous novel that you would love.)

In disunity we are undoing Christ's accomplishment on the cross one broken relationship at a time, and the world has the right to shake its head at us.  If we say anyone in Christ is truly a new creation, that the old has truly passed away, then the world must be holding its breath, wondering what is so "new" about us, when all we have to offer is the same old disintegration of relationship running rampant, killing people and community many times over, round the clock, hell on earth.

Whoever does the Father's will is a true son, a true daughter.  Whoever lays his life down for the sheep is a true shepherd.  How true.  Lately I've heard many arguments, perspectives, theological articulation, grand(standing) statements from people who are supposed to be shepherds.

But I don't want to hear, I want to see.  I want to see a life being laid down for the sheep, and that's when I know I've seen a true shepherd.

Make me a channel of your peace. 
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love; 
where there is injury, your pardon, Lord; 
and where there's doubt, true faith in you. 

O Master, grant that I may never seek 
so much to be consoled as to console, 
to be understood as to understand, 
to be loved as to love with all my soul. 

Make me a channel of your peace. 
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope; 
where there is darkness, let me bring your light; 
and where there's sadness, ever joy.

Make me a channel of your peace. 
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 
in giving to all people, we receive, 
and in dying that we're born to eternal life. 

Yours, Alex

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