This weekend was really full. Handbells playing downtown Friday night. And a debut parade performance for Ms. Emma Keaton. She is a twirler, a Majorette at her school and she and the middle school band marched in the annual Christmas parade this past Saturday evening. It was not very cold, but we sat out in the cool for over 2 hours and she was only the 22nd in line. It was a long parade, but she did very well. It is always interesting to watch the people who come to these events and there were a lot there. Some were passing out candy and others were collecting money. But there was one group who were passing out tracts. I got one that was called "God's Last Name is Not Damn." I thanked them for the tract. They were not proselytizing. They did not stay in one place too long. They were just passing out their literature. A woman with the longest hair I have ever see on a real-live person and three or four little boys and girls. I always enjoy getting or finding a "you are going straight to hell" tract. Not too long ago I found one in the men's restroom of a Florida state rest stop. Good times. But it does not take long for this ironic joy to turn to a slight case of the blues. These people make me sadder than anyone else on earth. And it is not just because of their fashion consciousness. I am grieved because this is what most people outside the church think of Christians, maybe what they think of me. I am sad because all of their literature is about escaping hell, and not trying to rid the earth of the hells that we can see. I am sad because if I brought this up to any one of these people, I would be considered a sinner. And maybe I am. But I am more concerned now about the world in which my children live than the world to come, not that heaven in not important. I am just trying to imagine the realities of Jesus' teachings that the kingdom of God is among us. Misty heard a few of these folks yelling the gospel at a street corner several months ago. She rolled her window down and quoted Scripture to them. They did not know what to do. I think they were disappointed that she did not cuss them out. You know, for His Name's sake.
Another thing that made me sad this week was Middle East peace conference and the state of Christians in the Holy Land. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, I think we all desire peace. No matter what our religion is, we want our children to be safe and secure. We hear so much about Israel, but we seldom hear anything positive about the Palestinians. I read this article in the December's National Geographic Magazine about the state of Bethlehem and how the city is troubled. A hundred years ago, most of the population was Christian, but now only about a third of the population are practicing Palestinian Christians. It has been almost three years since my trip to Bethlehem but it was one of the most tense experiences I had while in the Holy Land. Our bus was boarded by members of the Israeli Defense carrying automatic weapons. They looked at our passports and miraculously allowed us to drive into the West Bank, just a few miles from Jerusalem. We were accosted by Palestinian "businessmen" who were desperate to sell anything so they could have a little money. Business is really bad. They told us so, but you knew they were not kidding. And having to deal with that huge separation wall that was beginning to take shape when I was there, is ruining most opportunities for tourism and trade with Israel. I am sad that Israel feels they need to protect themselves like this. I am sad that Christians are leaving Bethlehem by the droves. I am sad that the Palestinians are second class citizens, used as political pawns by everyone in the region.
This Christmas I am praying for peace in my own heart, in my country and in the world. I am ready for us to take Jesus' words to heart, to be about restoring creation and this world, not merely waiting for a world to come when everything will be perfect.
Peace on earth, indeed.
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