It’s tough to write about war. My husband continually reminds me that I live in a free country with all its privileges because people were willing to give their lives in war for the sake of democracy. I am grateful. Truly I am. My father is a veteran; my grandfather was a veteran. I love my country, but as a follower of Christ I truly struggle with the whole idea of war. I think about Jesus’s words

“I say to you…Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Wow. How can I reconcile that with war? How can I DO Jesus’s words and FIGHT a war? It doesn’t match up for me. Then there’s the even harsher passage out of Luke 6:

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.” Really Jesus? Is that what you REALLY meant to say? Because those are horrifically difficult words to follow. But Jesus either said those words or he didn’t. He either meant those words or he didn’t. There are no known conditions on those words–those incredibly hard sayings of Jesus.

One of the things that bugs me so much about Jesus’s words in these passages is that Israel was occupied by a foreign army at the time Jesus was preaching this message of love your enemies. The Jews hated the Romans. Rome’s occupation of Israel over-taxed the people, took away their basic right to self-govern. In fact, the very words Jesus spoke about “if anyone forces you to go one mile…” is actually referring to the Roman army when soldiers would grab civilians off the street and force them to carry military equipment a mile or two. It is in that context that Jesus is telling his disciples, “Hey, when the Roman army forces you to carry their crap a mile, offer to carry it two miles for them.” His words are so contrary to everything normal in human nature. His words are so conflicting with every fiber of my being. His words contradict all my natural instincts. And yet, they are his words–words spoken to his followers during the time of occupation by a horrible, dominant, oppressive, dictatorial, invading army. Rome was determined to enforce its worldview on all in the empire–its language, its culture, its entire belief system. And yet Jesus said to do good to them so that we may be children of our Father.

Tough stuff. I know. I grapple with it daily. I try to bring the subject up with friends and most of them are sick and tired of discussing it with me. One guy told me “Hey, you’ve exhausted the subject.” He probably meant I had exhausted him. I even have folks get angry at me for just asking the questions. Is war okay? Is there such thing as a just war? Is it ever okay for a follower of Christ to take a human life? Even in self-defense? What does turn the other cheek really mean? Can that phrase have multiple meanings?

How can I be anti-abortion and pro-war? Aren’t they both contributing to a culture of death? Tomorrow I want to address how England overcame slavery without firing a single shot. I also want to discuss how nations threw off the tyranny of the British Empire without fighting a war. In the meantime, let me hear your thoughts on this. Let me know what you think about it. It is important as disciples of Christ that we grapple and wrestle ideas to the ground so that we know what we believe and why we believe it. Blessings for the journey.