Daily Bread

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons." Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven.

But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? — for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

If I'm honest, I find criticism very difficult, especially when it relates to the church work with which I am engaged. Over the past year I have been called 'unbiblical' and someone told me they were moving churches because they wanted their children, 'to be taught biblical truths' (which is a round-about way of saying I am unbiblical). Both comments were with reference to me being accepting and loving towards members of our rainbow (LGBTQ+) community, and they hurt because I have dedicated my life to studying and teaching from the Bible. Worse, when someone uses the term 'unbiblical', what they really mean is 'ungodly'. Therefore, today's passage in which Jesus is criticised for acting with love resonates with my own experience.

I don't know if Jesus, when faced with criticism, was hurt, but I expect he was. Being in very nature love, and having that love rejected, must hurt deeply, yet he also found time and the words to respond appropriately and rationally. He used, what has become an idiom in the English language — 'a house divided against itself cannot stand' — and when we too are criticised for doing good, we can apply this idiom. In other words, if we welcome, accept, and love others (as Jesus commanded), and we are criticised for being ungodly, the proof of the pudding is in the tasting (another idiom!), for the house of God's love is standing firm. What is the evidence for this?

Members of the rainbow community know and experience the love and acceptance of God. They are known by God, and are filled with the Holy Spirit. Some have maintained their faith in God despite being marginalised and spurned by local churches and being told (what I consider theological heresies) from the pulpit that they are 'going to hell' or will be 'left behind'. They are being transformed into the likeness of Christ, extending God's love to others, and unquestioningly bearing divine fruit in their lives.

As eminent biblical scholar Walter Breuggemann asserts, "The gospel of Jesus Christ is not the Bible." The gospel is clear. God loves us, accepts us, and welcomes us into the kingdom, and nothing can ever take that away.

Holy God
When I receive criticism for extending your welcome,
help me, through the hurt and pain,
to stand firm in the way of Jesus Christ.
May I never stop proclaiming your gospel
and being a witness to your infinite love.
Now and forever.