Devotional for September 19th

The Cost of Evangelism

The Vatican released a statement on September 16th to explain the position of the Pope concerning Islam as a result of the controversy stirred up by the Pope's address at the University of Regensburg, Germany on September 12th. It stated that the Church regards with esteem also the Muslims. Understandably, the said statement was aimed at pacifying the recent outrageous reaction of the Muslim world towards the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the wave of Muslim protests around the world especially in the hard-line Muslim areas is still surging.

The center of the controversy appears to be the Pope's quote of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus' statement before an educated Persian, namely, "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". The theme of the Pope's address (see LECTURE OF THE HOLY FATHER) was, according to the Vatican, rather that of “Acting unreasonably contradicts God's Nature”. The Pope quoted again Manuel II's remark, namely, "Not to act reasonably, not to act with logos, is contrary to the nature of God" in the conclusion of his concerned address.

The hostility and protests are certainly unfortunate events. It is also a sad thing regarding the use of violence in connection with religion. As a reflection, these events prompt me to ponder over our relationship with the other religions and the cost of our Lord's Great Commission. In Luke 12:51, Jesus said, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” What an amazing remark it is – especially when we think of Jesus' earlier teaching (Luke 6:27) that we should love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. The apparent conflict between love and division could be resolved through John 15:18-20 when Jesus pointed out that, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.”

It is so true that preaching the gospel requires a proper understanding of our neighbours and the cultures around us. It often attracts some form of confrontation between us as Jesus' embassadors and the world because behind somebody's conversion is spiritual warfare! Beloved, let's remind one another of the Lord's instruction (Matt.10:16) for us to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves when we are sent into the lost world.