PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

November 3, 2021

US AND THEM (Part II)

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus has an interested observation.  He says, “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.  For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.  Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in our own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” (Mat. 7:1-5)

In the ongoing interaction between different groups it is hard not to fall into the behavior which Jesus criticizes in Matthew.  We all feel much better dealing with someone else’s shortcomings rather than dealing with our own.  In fact, we are somewhat hesitant to mention our own group’s issues to others for fear of being ostracized.   We remain quiet and just go along with the crowd, even when they commit horrible acts.

David Berreby in his article, “What Divides Us,” in the April 2018 issue of National Geographic reports how the crisis of 2014 changes the lives of the Tiv and Hausa Muslim people.  Peoples’ norms of behavior on both sides changed for the worse.  Dahiru Babla, a Hausa Muslim whose family are cattle ranchers, told David that when people began to seek revenge he “thought they should not take the law into their own hands.  But (he) didn’t have the courage to approach (his) own people and tell them that.” (National Geographic, April 2018, p. 50)

Jesus said that our number one priority should be to address our own behavior.  Where are the areas that we fall short, where do we need improvement?  In what ways, especially those that go unrecognized do we participate in the “us” vs ”them” way of thinking.  How does this kind of thinking prevent us from seeing “them” other than from a caricatured way of thinking?  Before we even think about criticizing someone else, we need to make sure that we are without sin.

In the Gospel of John, a woman who has been caught in adultery is brought by some Scribes and Pharisees before Jesus. (John 8:1-11)  According to Mosaic Law she should be stoned.  Those who have brought her ask Jesus what should be done.  In response Jesus bends down and writes in the sand.  While we are not told what he wrote, it is generally assumed that he writes sins of which the Scribes and Pharisees are guilty.  Then he stands and says, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” (John 8:7c)  Slowly everyone melted away until only the woman remained.  He tells here to go and sin no more.

How might our political discourse change if only those who were without sin could accuse an opponent?  Before anyone could make an accusation of someone else they must make sure that his or her own house was in order.  I suspect that political discourse would come to a screeching halt.  Perhaps the discourse would focus on issues and not on personalities and character assassination.  Ad hominem  accusations would forever disappear.

David Berreby suggests in his article in National Geographic that all of us have a preference for us/them thinking.  Each of us is a part of a number of groups within which we feel comfortable.   As we comment about members of other groups we should always keep in mind the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your won eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” (Mat. 7:5)