Every Wednesday in Reykjavik the conservative evangelical pastors (of varied denominations) meet together to pray for their country. In Dakar, all of the conservative evangelical pastors (of varied denominations) get along with each other.
Are the pastors in Iceland and Africa more spiritual than those of U.S.?
Maybe. Hopefully. But perhaps the reason for their camaraderie is that they are surrounded. The Land of Fire & Ice is 85% pagan. Dakar is 97% Muslim. Maybe they have to love their brethren to survive.
Many American pastors, even serving under the same banner, tend to exemplify what is described by the apostle Paul to the churches of Galatia: “…you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”
In Christian America we often use our freedom as an opportunity for fleshly appetites; chewing up fellow believers in the virtual public square.
Why? My guess, based on seeing this for years, is that we are not living under enough threat. We certainly haven’t matured in Christ far enough to realize that pugilism is not listed in the fruit of the Spirit.
At any rate, this needs to stop. Hopefully taking our cues from Jesus and instead of finding ourselves, in the near future, huddled together under siege.
…it’s written in the starlight
And every line in your palm
We’re fools to make war
On our brothers in arms
