Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21 NET Free Bible)
I’ve had the opportunity to chat with Cubans living in their homeland. There have been some pretty strong limits on their use of the Internet, but no actual prohibitions, and there are places in more or less neutral countries hosting social websites in English. There have always been Christians there, and they haven’t been totally oppressed.
The most difficult thing for them is the presumption of hostility on the part of American Christians. Given the vast majority of evangelicals here have absorbed politics into their religion, they simply aren’t ready to hear from Cuban Christians who aren’t hostile to their own government. While officially Christianity in Cuba are “counter-revolutionary,” some officials have long known their local Christian citizens have been a real asset. The Cuban Christians I spoke to realize they don’t live in a perfect world, and are content to express their faith within the limits allowed.
That is, they give themselves to manifesting God’s glory. Most people who aren’t Christians, and way too may who are, don’t understand the moral obligations. We show mercy and meet human needs, not because there are needs, but because those needs are an opportunity to present the image of sacrificial love. It may be hard to distinguish the apparent hair-splitting here, but the issue is what you can do, and what you should do, from a divine perspective, not what someone else imagines you need to do. There is no such thing as a human expert out there who can direct your sense of calling. So there are Cuban Christians even working in the godless communist school system there. (sarcasm alert) Oh, horrors; the compromise! (end sarcasm)
Recently, after decades of pretty harsh limitations, the committed Christians have been allowed to start little house churches. They are so grateful they find it hard to express. They see the glass half full.
The quote from Apostle Paul isn’t just pretty words for me. My own government has become my enemy, the greatest threat to my property, liberty and life. But they can’t take my sanity. When martial law comes, my plan is to rise above it. I’ll be taking a page from the Cuban Christians’ manual of service. I already know the futility of resistance; I understand all our civic religion is such a big crock of nonsense. I don’t worship at the shrine of the State or get a tear in my eye when the US battle flag passes. My God is in Heaven.
When it gets really ugly, I still have more important things to worry about than giving the satanic thugs a hard time. Not cowering, but from a position of strength such that I simply don’t have any use for making a scene. Not in glowering hatred, but from a powerful sense of pity some are so insecure they can’t walk away from evil. Not bitterly biding my time for a better tactical moment, but letting it pass completely. Their doom is sure, because it’s in God’s hands.
Nothing they can do to me changes my commitments.
Pity, sympathy, hate, evil. I suppose we each are stuck with deciding just how serious all this is and trying to live within the context of what we conclude. Maybe we aren’t even consistent in ourown conclusions.
Whatever you might know is happening, it’s difficult to imagine the happener doesn’t have a vivid sense of humor. We had to acquire ours somewhere, or in many instances, ou8r lack of one