“…if I have repaid my ally with harm or plundered my foe without cause, then let the enemy pursue and overtake me, trample my life to the ground, and lay my soul in the dust.” Psalm 7:4-5

“No matter how just, how holy, how true, how Godly your cause may be, it is still imperative that you conduct it in fear and humility, respecting God’s judgments and confiding alone in His mercy. Judas Maccabaeus was defeated in a holy war, and many others have been overcome in worthy causes. Judges 1:20 describes the defeat of the children of Israel because they depended upon the rightness of their cause instead of the mercy of God. By His own example in times of trouble David teaches us that it belongs to no one arrogantly to demand justice for himself, to justify a tumult by the rightness of his cause, and to plan revenge by power or by law. He should pray for his enemies according to his conscience, since no adversary can have just cause against the man [woman] of good conscience.” (“The Importance of Humility”, Devotions and Prayers of Martin Luther,  Andrew Kosten, translator)

Hearing Martin Luther’s words today: “No matter how just, how holy, how true, how Godly your cause may be, it is still imperative that you conduct it in fear and humility, respecting God’s judgments and confiding alone in His mercy.”, I am not so sure many of the causes today, many of the movements and protests we have witnessed in the last few years have taken this warning to heart. Now, I believe Martin Luther King Jr. did just that in his non-violent crusade to push back against such endemic prejudice in 1950’s America. But watching rallies that go on in the streets of America today, I mainly see anger—hatred—shouting—rock-throwing—and the such; not G-dly fear and humility. Yes, there are times and situations that require “righteous anger”. But at some point the anger must cease, and our actions need to reflect the love, mercy and Grace of Jesus.

Pastor Dave