September 07, 2010
Tattletale
I’m not so sure, but it seems to me that the only difference between a tattletale and a whistle blower is the age of the one making the accusation. As a child you’re mocked and ridiculed when you tattle on someone, but as an adult when you blow the whistle you’re applauded for your courage. The Lord never intended for believers to simply look the other way, but there are spiritually correct ways expose sinful behavior. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault…But if he will not listen, take one or two others along…If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church…”(Matt 18:15-17 NIV)
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2 comments:
Gail;
-----”The Lord never intended believers to simply look the other way.” That is so true. But the fine line between “tattletale” and “whistle-blow” is frightening. It is difficult to know when misbehavior rises to a level of significance such that it should be quashed. Moreover, some matters begin very insignificantly and grow into great significance while being out of sight. MEChA comes to mind: Movimiento Estudentiel Chacano de Aztlan. Some whistle-blowers contend that the rhetoric and import of MEChA’s communications and activities revolve around an early slogan of the movement used in the 1960’s, “Por La Raza todo, Fuera de La Raza nada,“ which translates to, “For the Race everything, outside the Race nothing.“ This creates a very nerve racking recollection of 1930’s Germany where a similar sentiment took hold. But of course, the leaders and members of MEChA deny such sentiments even whilst a common feature of MEChA chapter logos is an eagle holding a lit stick of dynamite and a macuahuitl (a wooden sword lined with obsidian blades.) This is all very comforting to keep quiet.
-----And the line is further complicated by different perceptions arising from different agendas. In the 1930’s, the Germans were only seeking to re-establish connections with their pagan roots around which to form a national identity. And MEChA is only trying to unite Hispanics around their Aztec roots for a national identity, of course, in regards to the SouthWestern United States being their homeland unrightfully invaded by gringos. Oops! Am I tattling?
-----Well, there could be a lot more said about this, but MEChA is not the point. The point is that what is insignificant under the covers may grow into what the covers can no longer hide. By then the fuze may have burned to the blasting cap while the macuahuitl has come to hang in every closet. Although that can be called significant, the time for peacefully defending against it will have lost significance.
-----So, what does this have to with Jesus? If it is not obvious: those who know Jesus and whom Jesus knows seem to have an agenda revolving around a more peaceful behavior of the human race in general. They have the ability to see the trouble in uniting one race against another and the benefit of uniting all races against hatred, deceit, and self-interest. Certainly the capstone of their knowledge regards eternal salvation, but the pyramid of human life which it caps involves also some simple decencies of one person, saved or not, towards another within a life which must be lived before the eternal one can be enjoyed. And although baptizing another into the Lord is a reaping, discrete whistle-blowing is very much a sowing.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
P.S.
-----For “self-interest” above, please read “self-centrism”. Self-interest is important. For without it, a person would never fork the meat and potatoes from his own plate into his own mouth. It is proper. But self-centrism seeks also to fork from the serving platters into one’s own mouth. That is not proper.
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