Scripture
49When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
51But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.
Luke 22:49-52
Observation
The disciples had asked Jesus a question, but didn't bother waiting for an answer. They went directly from napping while they were supposed to be praying to fighting when they were supposed to be waiting. With adrenaline rushing through his body the chronically impulsive Peter took a swing with his sword at the soldiers. Peter knew how to fish, not fight, so he missed his target and cut a servant. This was a move of zeal rather than wisdom. In Peter's desire to defend Jesus he not only betrayed the mission of Jesus but led directly to his own betrayal of Jesus later that night. According to John 18:26 a relative of the man who's ear he had cut off confronted Peter around the fire while they waited on the trial of Jesus. Within a couple of hours the man who tried to defend Jesus betrayed Jesus to save his own skin while the skin of His Savior was being ripped off by a glass tipped whip.
Application
How often is it that what we characterize as "persecution for our faith" is simply the fruit of our misguided zeal in the Name of Jesus? In our effort to defend Jesus we become defensive for Jesus and end up hurting the very ones Jesus died to heal. What if, like Peter, we are slicing and dicing our opportunities to spread the Good News of Jesus because we are tyring to defeat the ones we are called to reach? David Cassidy put it this way, "The final miracle Jesus performed was healing the ear of a man wounded by a sword-wielding disciple trying to defend Jesus. Jesus still heals people wounded by deluded disciples who think that Jesus needs defending & people need to be attacked. "Love one another..." I see many Christians throwing away their witness in this amped up political season. In the name of defending Jesus we are swinging swords at anyone who is on the opposite side of a political issue. We are missing the Peter Principle in the Garden: In our relgious zeal we often miss the mission of Jesus while hitting and hurting the very people He came to heal. Let's remember that regardless of who ends up in the White House in a couple weeks we are still "in the Garden" with those who don't know Jesus. Jesus doesn't need defending. Jesus doesn't need a PR agent. Jesus isn't looking for our vote. He's looking for our heart. Will there be any room for healing with our family, co-workers, friends, and neighbors if the wounds they are bleeding from came from us? "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15) We need to vote our Biblical values, yes, but we need to live them out even more so. What if the eternal plan of God works its way out in a completely opposite way than we were expecting? "The victory of the Church over the power which was embodied in the Roman imperial system was not won by seizing the levers of power: it was won when the victims knelt down in the Colosseum and prayed in the name of Jesus for the Emperor." -Lesslie Newbigin
Prayer
Jesus, I give you the fear of the future that would cause me to lash out at those I see as a threat to my family, city, and country. Where I want to slay with my words, You ask me to serve with my actions. Where I want to punish, You ask me to pray for my enemies. Where I want to fight, You ask me to follow Your example and lay my life down. This is not my way, this is not my political parties way, this is the way of the Upside Down Kingdom. Forgive me for zealous words and actions dressed up in foolish spiritual clothes. Let me not make the same mistake as the disciples in the Garden. Let me ask You for direction, wait for the answer and obey with my actions whether I agree with You or not!
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