Out Our Way: One gate - Leviticus 19:15/1Corinthians 3:18-23

Out our way, folks know that while there are miles and miles of fence to the pastures, there is only one gate between them. When one pasture is over-grazed and under-watered, it's time for Charlie and me to move the cattle to the fresh pasture - and that means move them to the gate.

Now, Big Mike's herd is something of a mix. We have cows and calves and heifers and bulls. Some are red Angus, some are Charolais, and some a mix of various breeds. But when the time comes to move them to the gate and to the promise of fresh pasture, none of those things matter. Regardless of breed, gender, or age, we seek to get them all to the gate.

Now, imagine if some cattle didn't want others to get to the gate. Suppose some red Angus said to the Charolais, "You are not welcome here and do not belong." Suppose, further, the lead cow began encouraging other Angus to confront the Charolais and block them from the gate. Or suppose some Charolais said, "Because there are fewer of us in this pasture, the Angus have too much!" And then their lead cow began to bellow, "They owe us and therefore only we should be allowed to go through the gate." What a mess! But fortunately, I have never found cattle that mean-spirited and selfish. Wish I could say the same for us humans.

This has been a hard time for us all - what with the virus, the lockdowns, the financial ruin, and of course the political and cultural acceptance of vileness and hate speech as the new norm. I recently read a quote by Joseph Goebbels - the head of Nazi propaganda - in which he noted that dividing people from each others is the best way to control them, especially by "accusing the other side of what you yourself are doing."

Well, only the very gullible are unable to see that is exactly what is happening these days. We hear "our side" and cheer, especially when "our folks" lay it on thick about the vileness of "them others." Then the "other side" does exactly the same thing and both sides end up spending all their time making accusations and spewing hate toward the others. But what few of us seem to realize is that, with all that bellowing and snorting, no one is getting to the gate. In the Leviticus quote I noted that God saw how easily people can be thus manipulated, and he warned His people to beware. He commanded that justice must be impartial. That it has not been in the past does not mean it cannot become so in the future - and simply reversing discrimination and injustice from one side does nothing to correct the problem, but only serves to block the gate. To get through the gate, we have to reject the idea of "tit for tat" and seek to reject injustice itself. Hence the Lord declares, "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."

In the Corinthians quote we are reminded that "the wisdom of the age" is usually simply what is popular and gains the most votes, not necessarily what is right and good. Those who do not go along with the "herd" mentality are called "fools," "morons," "evil" and worse. Paul acknowledges it and says that if one has to choose between serving God and serving "the Man," he will gladly be called a fool by the mob.

So here's an image. The great herd is at the gate. The lead cows of the red Angus are bellowing and snorting at the Charolais, whose lead cows are doing exactly the same thing to the Angus, and most of the herd is stopped from moving forward. But some cattle begin to move away from all this anger and confusion and begin to head for the gate. And lo - they are both Charolais and Angus in this small group who focus on common needs instead of different breeds.

Oh, I know - very simplistic - and there are indeed great wrongs to be righted and injustices corrected. No one can pretend it is not so. But bellowing and charging at each other only blocks the gate and solves nothing. Let us then be "fools" who are willing to work together and enter a new pasture rather than follow the "wisdom of the age" that only succeeds in blocking the gate.

Be blessed and be a blessing.

Brother John

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The Rev. John Bruington is the retired pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Havre. He now lives in Colorado, but continues to write "Out Our Way." He can be reached for comment or dialogue at [email protected].