That’s Swell

“If you are neutral in a situation of injustice,
you have chosen to side with the oppressor.”

I read this quote recently and I can’t help but think of Christians. How many times are we, as Christians, simply ‘neutral’ in a situation and don’t react? I know many generations of Christians like to shy away from confrontation and ’sin’ and in return they become ‘neutral.’ Generations of families will go to church every week, read the Bible daily, protect their children from dangerous secular ideas, and go to bed satisfied each night being neutral – just waiting for the Savior to come and scoop them up.

But are we supposed to be neutral? Aren’t we supposed to take a stand? Christ certainly wasn’t neutral. He had a presence. He spoke against the Roman Empire and stirred everything up – Christ wasn’t ‘neutral’ or ‘protected’ from the secular world – He was deep in the world. He got down and dirty and got his feet all muddy in the sins and sorrows of others. He didn’t turn away and stay ‘neutral’ to save Himself and hide away from the world – He was in the world.

Our small group has been reading through Mark. Last night we discussed Mark 11 & 12. The chapters spoke volumes to me. In Mark 11 we hear the story of Jesus ‘clearing the temple courts.’ But an interesting point that I seemed to miss before is in verse 11.

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. (TNIV)

In The Voice of Mark (the Gospel of Mark retold by Greg Garrett) the same verse states:

Jesus rode through the gates of Jerusalem and up to the temple. He looked around, taking note; but because evening was coming, He and the twelve went back to Bethany to spend the night.

I have read the story of Christ entering the temple and throwing over the tables, but starting in Verse 15. I envisioned that Christ entered the temple and upon seeing the tables became outraged and starting overturning tables and “driving out those who were buying and selling there” (verse 15). While I do believe he was mad, I realized that his anger was pre-meditated. As we see in Verse 11, Jesus “looked around” and “taking note” decided to come back in the morning – I imagine He wanted to raise havoc when more people were around and really get things stirred up.

Christ got angry. He wasn’t neutral. And He planned his anger. He planned to turn tables and drive out robbers, it was no accident or instant reaction. How many times do I get angry about stupid things…someone cutting me off on the interstate, Target not excepting my return items because of the new return policy, David bringing home the ‘wrong’ items on the grocery list…and I could go on and on. But why don’t I use my anger for something good? Just as Christ did.

It takes a lot of emotion to be angry. The adrenaline rushing and steam pumping – you can feel your whole body tense up and it takes minutes, even hours, to relax again. Why do I let little things anger me – that really have no importance in the world – why am I not getting mad about the important things? The injustices that are occurring and happening – the ones that I stand neutral about instead of taking a stand and getting angry – just as Christ did.

I know that politics can be overwhelming. I know that as you dig deeper into the injustices of the world the faster you get swallowed up. I know that learning of where your clothes are made, and the conditions items are brought to the store can be overwhelming to the point that you decide not to notice and remain neutral. But is this what Christ would do? Would Christ continue to purchase items and spend money in ways that are hurting people and the environment? Would Christ stay neutral? Are you remaining neutral?