Struggling With

III.    Vows of Nonviolent Witness

“We pledge to act in allegiance to God alone, and to resist injustice with goodness”

10. I will speak up in defense and protection of anyone, even enemies, who are attacked with violence of word or action, even at the risk of my own life.

(Isaac Beachy, Fellowship of Reconciliation Colombia)

Isaac discovered at least one very important thing from the San Jose de Apartado Peace Community in northwest Colombia: struggle for God’s shalom is not easy! In his February 2011 blog entry, Isaac admits: “When I first wrote the title to this blog [‘With the Struggle’] I had no idea what a struggle meant. Before, a struggle was an exciting story full of graffiti, marches, people power, powerful Spanish protest songs and was victorious. Struggling or being with a struggle seemed like an adventure to me... Now fully understanding the emotional and often physical cost of being in a struggle, I see it’s not something you do for fun.”

For 15 years 1,200 campesinos (farmers) living in the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó have resisted the violent displacement many area communities experienced. They claim their land as a neutral civilian community, refusing to cooperate with armed groups of any kind (including military or police). Despite pressure from violent threats, disappearances, arrests, blockades and massacres by armed groups—including the killing of more than 180 community members—the people remain courageously committed to growing an alternative to the violence surrounding them. 

Isaac, who worked with Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), recently returned to the US to share about living among these Colombians in their struggle to resist the militarization of their lives and lands. “Overall, I think [the struggle] was way easier for me because I always knew it was temporary. I had the powerful psychological tool of option, of being able to leave if I wanted. After being in the community for 10 months and experiencing my own times of depression, exhaustion and grief I can better understand, on an emotional level, that ‘the struggle’ of those that live in the peace community is, well... a struggle. It’s hard, often painful, and necessitates an incredibly high level of commitment and personal attachment to carry it through.”

“A leader of the peace community would often say that those who struggle for a bit are good, and those who struggle for a long time are very good, but what is really necessary are people who struggle for their whole lives (which he has done). I feel like I barely made it through 10 months of being with a struggle, let alone in it. I cannot imagine a whole life of struggle.”

May God grant us the courageous perseverance to accompany others struggling for God’s peace as we take on today’s vow:  “I will speak up in defense and protection of anyone, even enemies, who are attacked with violence of word or action, even at the risk of my own life.”

For Reflection and Action:

• Who in your life or neighborhood is suffering unjustly and needs someone speaking up for them, standing beside them?

Read aloud Numbers 14:1-20 (this is a difficult picture of God, but it shows the power of speaking up on behalf of those who are threatened—even when they aren’t totally innocent themselves)

• Like the fallen Israelites in the story, who do you think seems to deserve the harsh or even violent punishment they receive (death row prisoners, impoverished American families, Trayvon Martin, WikiLeaker PFC Bradley Manning, the Taliban and Afghanis in general)?  
• Like Moses in the story, who are you called to speak up for and stand with who may not be “innocent” and may deserve their “just desserts”?
• Ask for God’s guidance and courage to stand up for those who suffer (even if they are your enemy or you think they deserve it)

Prayer Focus (Inspired by Paul’s letter to the Romans)

God of Justice, actions have consequences

and sometimes we think those who suffer deserve it.

“In passing judgment on another, we condemn ourselves.” Forgive us!

Impartial God, all humans come up short of your glory,

in relation to you, we all deserve equal suffering.

Forgive us for judging ourselves as more innocent than others!

But in Christ you no longer distinguish between the deserving and the innocent.

God of Mercy, remind us that in Christ you remember our sins no more.

We were your enemies, yet you sacrificed to stand up for us, to protect us.

Forgive us for not doing the same for our neighbor!

Jesus, you took on the insults we deserved.

You stood up for us, you intercede when we don’t deserve it.

Lead us to do the same for those suffering insult, injustice and violence around us!

Thank you, Lord full of mercy. Amen.