Check the quality of your enemies.

Posted on By pukeko

I am very worried when all those around me call me good, and wise, and say that they are proud of me. When I am praised. This normally happens when I compromise, when I get along with others, when I let my flesh be weak, and the spirit becomes less willing.

I am far more happy when I am being called a fool, a gorilla, a retrograde specimen that would embarrass the Tories. When I am told that my thoughts are not speakable, or thinkable.

That I am doubleplusungood.

Particularly when those I oppose are reliably wrong, and reliably destructive.


The Sermon on the Mount

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

T And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

(Matthew 5:1-12 ESV)

I took the text from the lectionary and deliberately placed in paragraphs and not verse to make a point. Jesus is using repeated statements as a rhetorical device. But everyone subverts this world: everyone of them is against this world.

  • The poor and humble are blessed, not those rich, or value self-esteem
  • The grieving are blessed, not those without loss
  • Those who seek the will of God and not theirs will inherit, not those who sacrifice all for their goals.
  • Seeking righteousness leads to satisfaction, not seeking pleasure.
  • Those who live by the law will have the law: and it is colder than mercy.
  • The pure are of god, not those who celebrate evil and perversity.
  • And the peacemakers will also be called of God.

But those who are persecuted are of the kingdom of God. By implication, those who oppress the people of God are not of God. It does not matter if one is within the church or the secular institutions. We are expected to show a the qualities of Christ.

As he was opposed, so shall we be. If those who promote the institutions of destruction hate you, then you are probably doing well. For in all things, the judgement that will be made is by the consequences of what we do, not the words we say.