Lesson Seven: Be Reflective if You Must Be Armed

Jesus says: “Put your sword back in its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52)

There was a time when the people of God were oppressed. They had been invaded by outsiders who did not respect their ways; they were mocked.

 They had to pay unreasonable taxes to support faraway cities, while they could barely pay their own bills.

 Their places of worship were desecrated. 

 They prayed daily for decades that God would send them someone to deliver them.

 Then rumors began to swirl that perhaps the time had come. There were whispers of miracles and unusual teachings, so the people started to pay attention.

 They liked most of what he said. He talked about freeing people from their oppression and making the poor rich.

 His following grew as he traveled all over the country giving great speeches and performing miracles.

 But when the time finally came to conquer the city, there was no army. He had no sword.

 He told them that if they wanted to throw off the chains that held them back, they had to feed the poor. If they wanted to be free from oppression, they had to free others. If they wanted to be first, they had to be last.

 When he was arrested for blasphemy and sedition, the people agreed. He was not the one. So, they chose another instead.

 Jesus was not the messiah they were looking for.

 After they rejected him, they followed the way of the sword and found another who would lead them into battle. Before that generation had died, their beloved city was destroyed and they were forced to scatter.

 But some did turn back and chose to follow his ways. They built small communities rooted in mercy, justice, and humility. The way of Jesus spread.

 Yet, again and again, the sword called to them.

 It’s never too late to drop your sword and turn back to Jesus.

 This is part 8 of a series inspired by my reading of On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons Learned From the Twentieth Century, by Timothy Snyder as part of my effort to offer Christian insight to those wondering what to do in this moment