The Radical Re-Humanization Project

Scripture:

"‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets,’ came the reply, ‘neither would they be convinced, even if someone rose from the dead.’"

—Luke 16:31 

Observation:

Even if someone rose from the dead to bear witness to the necessity of being righteous in one’s life, the testimony would fall on deaf ears whose ideological convictions would mandate that the testimony was dismissed, and even discredited. The request, which was not granted this rich man in the parable, has been granted to us through the resurrection Jesus the Christ. Sadly his testimony has fallen on many deaf ears. Even many who espouse to be part of the Church, which is the body of Jesus, dismiss and discredit his testimony because of ideological convictions that demand complete fidelity.

Application:

Ideologies allow us to distant ourselves from the engagement and process. Ideologies allow us to dehumanize our neighbors and turn them into the “other,” an ideological antonym that does not need be encountered but merely chastised. Often in my critique of different ideologies I find myself ensnared by an ideology that allows me to make “them” into the “other.” In doing this I only serve to further disunify the body of Jesus, and also dismiss the testimony of Jesus, which calls us to radical unity in love. The challenge I want to pursue this year is one of engagement, process, love, and re-humanization of the ideological “others” in my life in such a way that enemies become neighbors again.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to encounter the “others” in my life with compassion and love. Help me to see the image of God that is intimately innate within your creation. In the name of Jesus I pray Amen…