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From These Stones

"But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
Gospel of Matthew, 3:7-10

I heard this read as part of the gospel lesson reading today in church. The Pharisees and Sadducees were the annointed leaders of the local church, well positioned and politically involved, priviledged and sure of themselves. John the Baptist, this curious new phenom in the wilderness, was making waves as the real deal. Presumably as an act of c.y.a., the Pharisees and Sadducees ran out to check the John the Baptist experience off their list. John called them out.

It reminds me of some political groups and leaders today who claim to speak with Christian authority. They are well positioned and politically involved, priviledged and sure of themselves. In one breath they imply that  America is God's chosen nation, and in the next breath they condemn any Americans who don't agree with their narrow view of what America means.

They see any American war as justified because we are God's chosen nation. They have the nerve to suggest that God has a particular stance on America's tax policy, or on state's rights, or on our society's obligation to help the poor. And their suggestion of God's take on these issues never strikes me as 'doing what Jesus would do'. They are the Pharisees and Sadducees of modern life.

I love the hyperbole of John's statement, "...for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham." We should remember John the Baptist's warning. God is able to rise up a Godly nation from the stones. We are not called on to find pride in our relationship with God; we are chosen to bear good fruit. And "...every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

The good fruit of a nation like America should be to take our tremendous affluence and show compassion to the poor, take our tremendous power and show reluctance to do violence, to take our vast freedom and act with humility. Which leaders represent good fruit like this?

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