First, scripture. I read this morning from Acts 14 and from John 10. In both, there is mention of "stoning." The early Christians seemed to be in continual threat of being silenced by this means. Paul and Barnabas flee Iconium in order to avoid stoning. When Jesus speaks of himself as the Son of God, they take up stones against him.
As one who follows in the tradition of Paul and Barnabus (a preacher) I am glad that stoning seems to have gone out of vogue. Though I do sometimes worry that stoning would return, should the preacher get to the heart of the matter, rather than tip-toeing around the edges of the message. There were a few moments last evening when a few select individuals seemed to be gathering up stones. A few were thrown toward an imagined Christianity.
This morning, in my prayers, I returned to last night's experience. I had felt pain - not pain associated with any stones that might have landed on me as a Christian preacher, but the pain which gave rise to the desire to cast a stone my way. I am not so sure that Christians are the ones under attack; in too many instances we are the ones who are the aggressor.
By this I am referring to the public face of Christianity. When one person asked, "Why aren't there more opportunities to ask probing questions of God and theology and the Church?" I wanted to shout, "That is what we do every Wednesday and Tuesday and Sunday in LCM!" But I realized that he might not perceive us that way. His perception is that we gather in order to sure up our own arguments and condemn those who might feel differently. Too many stones have been cast his way for him to trust.
Let us all put down our stones. We have too little time to waste any of it on any actions which divide us.
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