Continuing To Learn

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 19 March 2008 12:59:11

After yesterday's lesson in patience, today I am learning how not to respond like St Peter.

I'm sure that you all remember the arrest of Jesus and Peter's response. Well that's how I feel today. The problem is that we are no longer allowed to carry swords in order to smite people. Modern society has become too soft and liberal. I mean what is wrong with some old fashioned smiting?

Some would say that it is "health and safety gone mad!" Others would say that mankind has evolved to a more civilised state. Then we could claim that Jesus told Peter off for cutting off the ear of the servant. It wasn't Peter's fault that Jesus already knew the final plan for His earthly existence and the events that would follow.

Ok, so Jesus had been trying to ready the disciples for what would follow. Throughout the previous week He had been dropping hints but, being very human (and manly), they failed to understand what He had been saying to them. Being honest I would say that men tend to listen to about 10% of any conversation in which they are not interested. Talk about sport, women and drink and most men are all ears. Talk about kids, religion, feelings etc and most men switch off.

As I say to FW, there are times when she really needs to speak clearly and in words of 1 syllable, or less, if she wants me to pay attention. I mean there are so many distractions in modern life - sport, TV, newspapers and books - that others have to make it interesting in order to grab our full attention.

That is where I think God could be going wrong.

Whatever happened to burning bushes, thunder storms and other Old Testament forms of communication? Where are the angels that used to come and talk? Why are there no prophets roaming the earth anymore? Then again, seeing some of the fruitcakes that purport to have messages from God these days, would we actually recognise Him?

So why not smite a few people instead? Let's go back to battles with false prophets; the drowning of armies; inflicting people with leprosy, that they'll need to cure by bathing in selected rivers; even taking prophets up to heaven in chariots (better not be one that swing low and are sweet - they aren't reliable). In this modern world we sometimes need things to stand out from everything going on around us.

Having said all that, I think that God is to wise not to do them. They didn't work before, when times were simpler, so why would they work now?