December 2, 2009

Children of God
by Mariano Avila

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.”
~ Matthew 5:9, KJV

Do me a favor: when you put out your nativity set this year, set it up a little differently. Take Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus (and a few of the animals) and put them to one side. Then, find something that’s about four times their height a big book, a cereal box -- and set it next to them. On the other side, place the magi and the shepherds. If you were to visit Bethlehem today, this is the scene you would find: a concrete wall 27 feet tall that stretches for miles and nearly surrounds the ancient city. To get through, you must go through metal detectors, pass armed guards, and answer questions at military checkpoints. Today, the holy family might find themselves on one side of the wall the West Bank while the magi and the shepherds trying to get a look at this Christ child would be stuck on the other side in Israel. In the place of Christ’s birth this holiday season, it is division and strife that characterize the landscape.

And yet, in the midst of conflict Christians behind that wall have worked for peace. It’s them I think of when I read lines like this from our favorite theologian, John Calvin: "By peacemakers [Matthew] means those who not only seek peace and avoid quarrels… but who also labor to settle differences among others, who advise all people to live at peace… who are compelled to endure the indignity of hearing reproaches, complaints, and remonstrances on all sides.” Christians in Palestine are laboring tirelessly for peace, though the forces against them are strong.

Matthew calls these peacemakers “children of God” dearly loved, graciously accepted. But I fear that the church around the world has all but forgotten maybe even abandoned this vital part of our body. I’m not sure if it’s theology, that some Christians believe that God wants only Jews to claim this land. I’m not sure if it’s politics, that some Christians have come alongside Israel and forgotten our Christian brothers and sisters in Palestine. I’m not sure if it’s just myopia, that we’ve forgotten to see the plight of our brothers and sisters around the world because we're so focused on ourselves. But for whatever reason, we’re not living up to our call.

I want to invite you, this advent season, to remember our call to remember our brothers and sisters in Palestine who feel so forgotten. Let’s pay more attention to what’s happening in their region of the world the birthplace of Christianity. Let’s consider how we might lift up both sides of the conflict in prayer, but particularly those fellow believers who are part of our own body. Let’s find ways to be part of the work of taking that wall in Bethlehem down, and finding a path to peace.

Prayer
God, we earnestly pray for your children, the peacemakers, who suffer in Palestine today. Draw near to them. Empower us to be peacemakers, too even when it’s scary, inconvenient, or even problematic to follow that call. Amen.

Pursue Peace
Christian Reformed World Missions is beginning a new project for college students called Hope Equals, inviting them to join with leaders in the Middle East who are working towards reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Hope Equals will officially launch in January -- stay tuned to CRWM or OSJ's newsletters to learn how you can be involved.

Mariano Avila is project manager for Hope Equals, an initiative of Christian Reformed World Missions.