When you think that Christian faith has no place in challenging the tyrants of the world, read the book of Exodus, and be uplifted by its story that tells us that God’s ultimate design for creation will not be thwarted by the likes of men like Pharaoh.
So, let’s remove the stigma, shall we? Doubt is not something to be ashamed of, it’s something to learn from. The largest moments of learning in my life have been during times of my deepest doubt. Without doubt, I believe there can be no true faith. Faith is about living with doubt, not pretending it doesn’t exist.
Yesterday was the 250th mass shooting in our nation so far this year. Have you had enough yet?
And then the scales fell. Flaky scales fall from his eyes and it all falls away. All the prejudice. All the fire-breathing. All the hatred and discrimination and divisive political rhetoric. All that falls away. And he sees.
You see, people like pharaoh don’t like to be told that they aren’t the final word on everything. When political figures like him don’t get their way, they tend to throw temper tantrums. They dig in their heals, they cross their arms across their chest, they get grumpy, and they lash out and everybody and everything. Nothing is ever their fault and everyone else is to blame. If they don’t get their way, they’re willing to burn the whole place to the ground on their way out.
There are Rizpah’s all around us. Her cry still echoes around us to this day.
Now, here I have to say, I’m really disappointed in Jesus. You know why? Because I think Jesus is asking the wrong question. Instead of asking Peter why he didn’t have enough faith, I think he should have asked the same question to a different person; well, to eleven different persons, if you catch my drift.