Swords Into Plowshares
Friday afternoons on a college campus are unique. Things seem to go slower. Students meander around campus in attire clearly chosen for comfort over fashion. Some are making a valiant attempt at productivity before the weekend arrives in full force. Others are more than content to put everything off until Sunday evening.
As I wrapped up my conversation with Jack, a student newly committed to Intervarsity, two students on the other side of the circle began playing music. The woman swayed and danced while playing a guitar. A man banged out the beat on a collection of tin cans and plastic buckets... the notes of John Lennon's Imagine floated around the circle. The scene almost felt as if it belonged in the 1970's.
I walked over and listened to the rest of their song. Adele and Alexander introduced themselves and their "band". I asked if they could play something they wrote. Adele smiled and sighed, seemingly thankful for the request.
Alexander and Adele played for several minutes. At the end of the song, I asked what message or story their song is telling. Alexander packed up and quickly left for class. Adele locked eyes with me and seemed ready for a longer conversation. "I just sing whatever comes to my mind and write it down, then I figure out what it means later," Adele explained. "Sometimes I don't really know what the song is about. Sometimes I write a song and discover what my subconscious was saying weeks or months later."
"That's a very unique method of lyric and music writing," I said. I asked more questions about her music and what she likes about the method.
"What are you studying?" Adele asked.
"Oh, I'm not a student. I work with an organization called Intervarsity Christian Fellowship." I gave a 30 second explanation of Intervarsity. She locked eyes with me and asked, "Are you with that group of Christians who were here yesterday to tell us we are all going to hell?"
"No," I answered. "But tell me about it... what happened?"
Adele described the group of traveling preachers who spent the afternoon informing RU students and faculty that, for various reasons, they were going to hell.
"I just don't think from what I know about Jesus, that's the way he wants his people to act," Adele finished.
"I think I would agree," I said. "What's your spiritual story?"
Adele shared about growing up in church but studying about many other religions and coming to the conclusion that all religions have some truth and, therefore, it doesn't really matter what you believe as long as you are happy and generally a good person.
"Can I ask you something?" Adele probed. "How can you believe the message of Christianity that tells people they're going to hell for who they love or what they believe? If Jesus was all about love, how can he send people to hell?"
"Those are really great questions, Adele," I answered. "It sounds like you've heard or experienced some pretty negative things from Christians and I'm really sorry."
Adele seemed totally disarmed, unsure how to respond. "Wow," was all she said.
"But what about you? What do you believe? Do you believe God sends people to hell for what they believe or what they do?" Adele pressed.
"I think that's a little unfair," I answered. "When you just meet someone, you don't start with the hard, complicated things in their life that are deeply personal or potentially very sensitive. You start with common ground," I answered. "I don't know you or your story but I do know that you deserve compassion, respect, and love no matter how you identify."
Adele and I chatted for over an hour about a variety of things from hell to sexuality to what it really means to be a "good person". In the course of the conversation I asked if I could share about the Gospel and why I think what Jesus has to offer really is better than what the world offers. Adele agreed and leaned in, seeming very interested.
I shared about how God created all of the universe and all of humanity to bless each other and seek the wellbeing of everything and everyone and live in perfect relationship with God. But this world was damaged by evil when humans (including myself) decided to live on our own terms and use people and creation for personal gain. Adele leaned in further as I pressed her to give me examples of how she has both used people and creation for personal gain and been used for someone else's gain. Her eyes locked with mine earnestly when I explained that God's original design called for people to protect and care for all of creation.
Alexander returned and scooted into the bench with us as I introduced Jesus into the Gospel explanation. Both Adele and Alexander chuckled. "We like Jesus," Alexander said. "But not really Christians," Adele added.
They both listened as I shared about God's intent to restore the world for better and His call to live in relationship with Him, not just so we can go to heaven when we die but so we can experience wholeness here. They both watched intently as I explained Jesus' invitation to begin to allow Him to undo the evil in us and the evil we have done, then go with Jesus as he undoes the evil, injustice, and corruption in the world around us at every level.
Adele sighed at the end and stared for a moment at the paper I had doodled on. "Can I keep that?" she asked (Alexander was significantly less interested). "Of course!" I said.
"You're different," Adele continued. "I've never really met anyone like you before. You clearly believe deeply but you also aren't telling me I'm wrong or cursed. That's different than I've heard before."
"What are you thinking about what we discussed?" I asked.
Adele looked up, "I think if more Christians were like you, I'd be interested in following Jesus."
I smiled sadly, "Adele, I'm sorry you haven't felt loved. And if you hang around with me long enough I'm sure I'll hurt or offend you... I'm not perfect. But the great news about Jesus is that I am more evil and broken than I ever dare admit to myself or others... and I am more loved by God than I could ever imagine! It's not about being perfect."
We parted ways after a few more minutes of conversation. Adele asked for my contact information but shared that one thing she appreciated was that I didn't ask for anything from her... no conversion, no decision, and no contact info. So I decided to keep it that way.
Following Jesus means venturing into unlikely places. It means hammering swords into plowshares... and in this conversation I watched God gently begin the process of hammering issues that were used by some as weapons against Adele (sexuality, God's holiness, etc.) into plowshares, tools used to soften and prepare soil for the Gospel. I saw Adele begin to believe that there could be love and compassion in Jesus and His followers.
It's safer and feels more practical to hold onto the swords and stand firm along the lines we draw. Sometimes it's hard to believe that if we love "them" and speak compassion and truth in love that God will bring them to places of transformation in His good timing. But before Adele can begin to believe in God's plan for our sexuality, she must first believe and experience that He is good and trustworthy. So, I must learn to lay down my swords and pick up the plowshare... cease to see myself as a warrior advancing a kingdom by putting down another and begin to see myself as a farmer who is preparing fields and tending crops... protecting, nurturing and defending rather than conquering and subduing. Adele is not an enemy soldier that needed to be overpowered. She is a wounded young plant that needs watering, protection, tenderness, and strength before the vines can be trained and made to grow in the best ways.
As I wrapped up my conversation with Jack, a student newly committed to Intervarsity, two students on the other side of the circle began playing music. The woman swayed and danced while playing a guitar. A man banged out the beat on a collection of tin cans and plastic buckets... the notes of John Lennon's Imagine floated around the circle. The scene almost felt as if it belonged in the 1970's.
I walked over and listened to the rest of their song. Adele and Alexander introduced themselves and their "band". I asked if they could play something they wrote. Adele smiled and sighed, seemingly thankful for the request.
Alexander and Adele played for several minutes. At the end of the song, I asked what message or story their song is telling. Alexander packed up and quickly left for class. Adele locked eyes with me and seemed ready for a longer conversation. "I just sing whatever comes to my mind and write it down, then I figure out what it means later," Adele explained. "Sometimes I don't really know what the song is about. Sometimes I write a song and discover what my subconscious was saying weeks or months later."
"That's a very unique method of lyric and music writing," I said. I asked more questions about her music and what she likes about the method.
"What are you studying?" Adele asked.
"Oh, I'm not a student. I work with an organization called Intervarsity Christian Fellowship." I gave a 30 second explanation of Intervarsity. She locked eyes with me and asked, "Are you with that group of Christians who were here yesterday to tell us we are all going to hell?"
"No," I answered. "But tell me about it... what happened?"
Adele described the group of traveling preachers who spent the afternoon informing RU students and faculty that, for various reasons, they were going to hell.
"I just don't think from what I know about Jesus, that's the way he wants his people to act," Adele finished.
"I think I would agree," I said. "What's your spiritual story?"
Adele shared about growing up in church but studying about many other religions and coming to the conclusion that all religions have some truth and, therefore, it doesn't really matter what you believe as long as you are happy and generally a good person.
"Can I ask you something?" Adele probed. "How can you believe the message of Christianity that tells people they're going to hell for who they love or what they believe? If Jesus was all about love, how can he send people to hell?"
"Those are really great questions, Adele," I answered. "It sounds like you've heard or experienced some pretty negative things from Christians and I'm really sorry."
Adele seemed totally disarmed, unsure how to respond. "Wow," was all she said.
"But what about you? What do you believe? Do you believe God sends people to hell for what they believe or what they do?" Adele pressed.
"I think that's a little unfair," I answered. "When you just meet someone, you don't start with the hard, complicated things in their life that are deeply personal or potentially very sensitive. You start with common ground," I answered. "I don't know you or your story but I do know that you deserve compassion, respect, and love no matter how you identify."
Adele and I chatted for over an hour about a variety of things from hell to sexuality to what it really means to be a "good person". In the course of the conversation I asked if I could share about the Gospel and why I think what Jesus has to offer really is better than what the world offers. Adele agreed and leaned in, seeming very interested.
I shared about how God created all of the universe and all of humanity to bless each other and seek the wellbeing of everything and everyone and live in perfect relationship with God. But this world was damaged by evil when humans (including myself) decided to live on our own terms and use people and creation for personal gain. Adele leaned in further as I pressed her to give me examples of how she has both used people and creation for personal gain and been used for someone else's gain. Her eyes locked with mine earnestly when I explained that God's original design called for people to protect and care for all of creation.
Alexander returned and scooted into the bench with us as I introduced Jesus into the Gospel explanation. Both Adele and Alexander chuckled. "We like Jesus," Alexander said. "But not really Christians," Adele added.
They both listened as I shared about God's intent to restore the world for better and His call to live in relationship with Him, not just so we can go to heaven when we die but so we can experience wholeness here. They both watched intently as I explained Jesus' invitation to begin to allow Him to undo the evil in us and the evil we have done, then go with Jesus as he undoes the evil, injustice, and corruption in the world around us at every level.
Adele sighed at the end and stared for a moment at the paper I had doodled on. "Can I keep that?" she asked (Alexander was significantly less interested). "Of course!" I said.
"You're different," Adele continued. "I've never really met anyone like you before. You clearly believe deeply but you also aren't telling me I'm wrong or cursed. That's different than I've heard before."
"What are you thinking about what we discussed?" I asked.
Adele looked up, "I think if more Christians were like you, I'd be interested in following Jesus."
I smiled sadly, "Adele, I'm sorry you haven't felt loved. And if you hang around with me long enough I'm sure I'll hurt or offend you... I'm not perfect. But the great news about Jesus is that I am more evil and broken than I ever dare admit to myself or others... and I am more loved by God than I could ever imagine! It's not about being perfect."
We parted ways after a few more minutes of conversation. Adele asked for my contact information but shared that one thing she appreciated was that I didn't ask for anything from her... no conversion, no decision, and no contact info. So I decided to keep it that way.
Following Jesus means venturing into unlikely places. It means hammering swords into plowshares... and in this conversation I watched God gently begin the process of hammering issues that were used by some as weapons against Adele (sexuality, God's holiness, etc.) into plowshares, tools used to soften and prepare soil for the Gospel. I saw Adele begin to believe that there could be love and compassion in Jesus and His followers.
It's safer and feels more practical to hold onto the swords and stand firm along the lines we draw. Sometimes it's hard to believe that if we love "them" and speak compassion and truth in love that God will bring them to places of transformation in His good timing. But before Adele can begin to believe in God's plan for our sexuality, she must first believe and experience that He is good and trustworthy. So, I must learn to lay down my swords and pick up the plowshare... cease to see myself as a warrior advancing a kingdom by putting down another and begin to see myself as a farmer who is preparing fields and tending crops... protecting, nurturing and defending rather than conquering and subduing. Adele is not an enemy soldier that needed to be overpowered. She is a wounded young plant that needs watering, protection, tenderness, and strength before the vines can be trained and made to grow in the best ways.
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