God's Mission

by Intern Pastor Meggie Bjertness

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.”

~ Matthew 10:34-36

Many people first became aware of Westboro Baptist Church in the early 1990s, when the church began picketing in protest of what they saw as the ills of an ungodly world.

Megan was 5 years old when it began. Megan’s grandfather was the founder of Westboro Baptist Church. And so, as a little girl, she stood with her parents and other family members holding picket signs saying things like, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" at the funerals of service members or "God Sent the Shooter" at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Interestingly, Megan describes a childhood that—though steeped in religious extremism—was also warm and loving. In between picketing and protests, her family attended public school and did other normal things like play games and go to the pool.

Originally, she believed, "Westboro was the only safe haven from the wrath of God." But, as she matured and graduated from college and law school, she began to wonder whether her family was right.

Finally, in her mid-twenties, under the influence of the Holy Spirit and following her conscience, she left her church and publicly denounced its practices. In the following years, she faced guilt and shame over the time wasted hurting others. But also, she navigated the pain of losing her family. A devoted follower turned renegade, Megan remains estranged from most of her family. Her grief is palpable, however: "Losing them was the price of honesty," she writes. "A shredded heart for a quiet conscience."

This is the story I keep mind when I hear Matthew 10:34-36. So often we hear this passage of division—God will turn son against father and daughter against mother—and we feel concern. We feel worried that we must lose our family in order to be Christian or we fear God is just waiting to take away our loved ones when we follow him.

But this isn’t the kind of division Jesus is talking about. The story of the first century disciples sent by Jesus was much closer to Megan’s story than to ours. They were called to leave home, family, and their entire lives as they preached the Gospel. And, their faithfulness rapidly spread the Gospel throughout their land, but often came at the cost of family, profession, and other things they loved.

Following Jesus comes with real risks, but also with unimaginable rewards.

God’s work in our world is to lovingly create, redeem, reconcile, and restore all things. In part, God does this through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ but then that mission is given to each of us and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we too are meant to seek out the last, least, lost, and lonely assuring them of goodness and hope.

But, these things stand in direct contrast to what the world wants. The world thrives when we live in fear, greed, and selfishness. And there is real danger when Jesus’ disciples, when all of us, like Megan, leave a path of sin and fight for what is right. When we serve God, we are warned that no one will accept us and that we’ll be rejected on behalf of Jesus’ name. And that is what Jesus means when he says, “I have not come to bring peace but a sword.” Sometimes we need to feel the sword so all can experience justice, equality, and true peace. Megan experienced the sword as she gave up her family in pursuit of what was right.

And yet, what is gained is so worthwhile.

Living God’s mission in the world can come with a price. We may not be asked to give up our families as Megan had to, then again maybe we will. But whatever danger may be ahead, we are assured that God goes with us and guides us.

May God grant us the courage to give and not to count the cost. Amen.

Peace,
Intern Pastor Meggie Bjertness