One of my readings this morning:
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
(Matthew 27:27–31, NIV)
On the one hand, we had a full company of Roman soldiers, powerful, in control. On the other hand, we had Jesus, fragile, helpless. It hit me afresh how often this is how God’s people find themselves in the world, facing horrendous injustice, and often injustice that threatens the church. Outnumbered, we stand before dark forces way more powerful than us.
Today’s reading reminded me that Jesus has walked that path before and, since the student cannot be above the master (Matthew 10:24), we should not be surprised when we face similar situations. This came home to me too at the recent International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) East Asia Graduates Conference (EAGC) held in the Philippines. The movements from the various countries face similar David-Goliath scenarios to varying degrees. Some face acute persecution. Those coming from relatively problem-free countries like Singapore were humbled by what we heard from our fellow participants who face such situations daily. The Antioch of Asia has much to learn from them.
Passages like the one above also invite us to remember how such stories turn out. There was the story of Israel being threatened by Pharaoh and his army. No way Israel was going to win that fight. Of course, there was the famous David and Goliath story. No way the kid was going to win that fight. And then there is the account in the passage above.
Things were actually going to get worse. Jesus would be killed and buried. I guess death represents the ultimate enemy that no human can defeat. But on the third day, the great reversal happened. God issued a cosmic counter-edict. Life defeats death.
To my dear friends in difficult situations, facing seemingly undefeatable enemies, Jesus invites us to remember His story, to hang on in faith, and to wait patiently for His deliverance.
The EAGC also reminded me of another cardinal fact. We are not to face the dark alone. God’s people in different countries, in different situations — we have a responsibility to encourage one another. May we in “brighter” countries help light lamps for those in “darker” countries and may we have the humility to receive the lights from our friends when it is our turn.