CHRISTIAN SUSPICION
Read Time: 5 min 16 sec
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The Church is not the building, it's the people, it's not just the gathering, it's the scattering."
John Wimber
THE GOOD STUFF
CHRISTIAN SUSPICION
by Paul Mitchell | Member at Redeemer
Tucked away in Joshua 22 is a fascinating story. As the chapter opens, Joshua summons the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. These two-and-a-half tribes of Israel are unique in that they requested an inheritance outside the land of Canaan. Moses granted this request on the condition that they still pass over into Canaan and help secure the rest of the inheritance for the other tribes. Now, Joshua is dismissing them back to their own land.
Just before crossing the Jordan, the two-and-a-half tribes build a replica of the altar in the Tabernacle. This news travels through Israel and panic and suspicion ensue. This is an altar apart from the Tabernacle, apart from the Levites, apart from the accepted sacrificial patterns, and Israel has recent memories of the chaos and carnage that results from idolatry. So Israel prepares to wage war on the two-and-a-half tribes. They ready weapons and prepare for battle. They will not let these tribes knowingly continue in idolatry.
As the battle is about to begin, there is a conversation between Israel and the two-and-a-half tribes. We are given the abridged version in scripture, but I like to think the conversation went something like this
. . .
Israel: Well, you screwed up.
Tribes: What do you mean, and why do you all have swords?
Israel: You just haaad to build another altar.
Tribe: Yeah . . . so?
Israel: So?! So?!!! So idolatry! So condemnation! So unlawful sacrifices!!! Ring any bells?
Tribes: Oh, we don’t actually sacrifice anything on the altar. It’s more of a showpiece.
Israel: A, uh . . . a what now?
Tribes: Yeah, a showpiece. You know, a memorial, a monument. We built this so everyone’s descendants are real clear that we worship the same god. We were pretty sure you would try to kick us out of the Yahweh club at some point.
Israel: (slowly hides swords) . . . Why would you think that?
. . .
After the discussion, everyone goes home in peace, but the escalation present in this story is astounding. This is fueled by suspicion on both sides. Israel is suspicious that the tribes have fallen into idolatry. The tribes are suspicious that Israel will try to ostracize them. There is very little benefit of the doubt anywhere.
This has challenged me to examine my own disposition toward other Christians. There is something to humbly observing fruit in Christians’ lives. We are to encourage and challenge one another from a place of love. We are also to acknowledge when the way of Jesus is clearly being disregarded in the life of someone who says they are a follower. I am talking about the time before the fruit is seen before the relationship has been built. When someone tells me they are a Christian, is my internal reaction, “Wonderful, tell me more” or “Well, we will see about that”? I desperately want to be the former, because suspicion is tearing Christian communities apart.