What does the voice cry in the wilderness?
The voice calls people out of the city to cleanse themselves. As population grows too dense, this would be wise to keep oneself from the diseases of the city…
Our world is plagued now with every pestilence. Diabetes, heart disease, rotten teeth, crowded teeth, weak bones, autism, obesity, ADHD, depression, suicide, gender confusion, gender war, loneliness, anxiety, boredom, drug addiction, resentment, so many plagues that I can’t list all of them.
But how does one cleanse of these diseases? How does one repent?
Churches say be baptized and be reborn.
Some say it is our minds… we need therapy.
Others say it is discipline we need, “if you work hard enough, you’ll be healthy in this sick society. You can be a master instead of a slave.”
The refrain of the spiritual is, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Or “change yourself.” “The only way to defeat evil in the world is to defeat evil in yourself.”
Every one is right, but I think none of these are properly acted on.
We do need to be baptized and renewed… but we first must step out of the filth into the wilderness to the clean river.
We do need therapy, but therapy will not heal the wounds that continue to be given. We must leave the relationships and beliefs that harm us. We must choose to stop those things that make us insane.
We must be disciplined, and we must work hard, but not disciplined toward more success in the system that enslaves us… Is it success to be a better slave?
We really must be the change we wish to see in the world. We do not war against the building of Babel’s tower by tearing it down… We war against it by walking away from the project. War against it by refusing to take part. Perhaps the biggest blow we can strike against the system is to refuse to take part. Refuse to work toward any dream that you do not believe in.
Do you share the values of your employer? No? Then quit! Don’t work a single day toward a world you do not want.
We are forced in this world to take part in some damage, some harm… We are all enslaved to money, looking for ways to free ourselves, but we must refuse as much as we can what repulses us.
It is expected of us to trudge on. Do the drudgery to earn pennies. Trudge on until you hate it… trudge until you want to die, then keep trudging. “No one is respectable who stops.” Trudge on and on… toward what? What are we aiming toward? I can tell you it is not Heaven. It is not a beautiful future if it is devoid of happiness, trees, fresh air. Just stop. Don’t take another step. Don’t walk down the slippery slope.
What are you willing to face to be free? Can you withstand the ridicule of the “Pharisees?” The keepers of the laws? Can you stand to hear your family berate you and speak in whispers about you?
We need to turn around… the ship is headed for a waterfall.
We need to pick up our tools and leave this Tower of Babel before it collapses upon the workmen.
Who will leave Egypt when Moses calls? Who will return to Israel with Zerubabel to build the temple? Who will go to Jordan to live with John?
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