Fight the System!

Fight the system. What system? The idea that an individualism that results from a society that is consumeristic is normal. That in some way this is the way of life. To acquire more, to work longer, to slowly drive yourself deeper into isolation. This is not God's plan for humanity and it sure is not God's plan for your life.

Peter, one of Jesus' most interesting disciples, had in many ways bought into the ideas of his time. He was loud, outspoken and rough around the edges. When Peter proclaimed Jesus as Messiah, he was praised...and just a short time later had the major slap to the face as Jesus comapres him to Satan because of his quick-to-pop-off mouth. Jesus was continually working with Peter to understand the thoughts and plans of this world are vastly different than the plans and ways God has for the world.

Peter thought Jesus had come to fight the domination system of their day, the Romans. Jesus would be the King David-style king who would put Israel back on the map. Peter's thinking was like the rest of his people. It was about him, about them; it was about national pride and power. Are we so different today? We want God to bless our lives or our ministies over anothers. Why don't we celebrate more the victories of others; even the victories that look totally different then what we imagine and are accomplished in different ways then we understand...or accept.

We must fight the ever increasing temptation to become individualistic. We must be careful when Jesus speaks to us to not pop off with our own ideas. Could Jesus is saying to us today, "Get behind me Satan?" Maybe we should approach Jesus in a more thoughtful and open-hearted manner. I believe when we do this we leave the arena of individualistic thinking...and move to communal thinking. God is known for doing 180s in our thinking; if we allow him.

Peter had that 180 moment on the day of Pentecost. And it stuck with him for quite a while. Later in his life we read his words to the church in 1 Peter 2:10. "Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." Peter learned that through Christ's death on a cross and his raising from the dead, he was creating a community of like-minded followers. A community of grace, mercy, and love. Peter writes this to the church in his day as a way of saying, "Fight the system!" Once you were not a people, you were lost individuals wondering aimlessly...and now you are a people, a community, that God is purposing to bring about change in this world.

We are still that church, that community, called out of the individualistic mindset into a communal one. A community of God's mercy and grace.

What are you doing today to fight the system?

Has it snuck back into your life and you need to refocus?

What steps can you take to move yourself more in line with God's communal purposes?

Think about it.