A friend posted this quote this morning and it got me thinking…
Prophets yell because their hearts are on fire. They scream at the world trying to wake us up. They can’t help it After all, God is in their throats.
Steven James
But as God has used prophets, God has never just given they fiery words to say, God has given them graphic symbols to display – walking around naked to display the shamefulness of God’s people, wearing an ox yoke to symbolize the burden God’s people were placing on others, marrying a prostitute as a way to convey God’s love of Israel the whore, and so on.
Jesus was a prophet too. He came with a fiery (anti-empire) message in his throat and it got him killed. He embodied a message as well, but not primarily one of judgment. Rather, he embodied the message of the Kingdom of God come to earth. He healed the sick, cast out demons, restored people to community and fellowship, sought to free people from the burden of wealth, and practiced radical inclusion and forgiveness. These are not nice or quaint ideals or ways to exist, they are God’s salvation embodied.
Here’s what I know. God uses prophetic voices as a means to correct and edify the body of Christ. I also know that it’s that very church which is most resistant to their message, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how long I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Jesus – MT. 23:37).
Talk about your all time Catch-22’s. So, this is my prayer for myself and those like me – looking to Jesus as our example, may God give us the grace to live out our calling with no regard for our own security and safety. And for the people of God: Father, may you cause us to be open and attentive to your correction and calling. May we, with Jesus, be willing to lay aside our rights and find our life in dying to ourselves.
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JR-thanks for these true and eloquent words. I am one on this journey too. I have tended to be the shouting one and am trying to find the balance.
Beautiful quote. Beautiful commentary.
Thanks Sam. I’m convinced that this is a vital wedding – words and action. Just gonna look different in various times and places, hence the need for cross-cultural wisdom and discernment.
Hi JR,
I don’t have a prophetic gift but do have an exhortation gift. Different focus similar challenge. I try to keep in mind that my job is to speak the truth in love. This means I have to speak. It also means I have to keep the bigger purpose in mind. Love God and love people.
Thanks for sharing this. Keep using your gift!
Hi there Henriet, great to hear from you! I am not totally sure I have really come to understand the difference between those gifts as I have been told by various people that I was gifted in both ways. Are prophets exempted from speaking the truth in love? I doubt it!
Sometimes I think the challenge of being prophetic is speaking against something or for something. Should prophets speak against imperialism, consumerism, etc? Or is confrontation with the powers a natural byproduct of speaking for the kingdom? Maybe that is part of that fine line. For example, Jesus’ message was not explicitly anti-empire, however, the empire will be implicitly threatened by the Good News he preached. Maybe speaking truth in love is claiming the message of the Kingdom with full knowledge of who and what is being confronted and reminding the rest of us to maintain that posture and perspective of tension in how we live in the world. Anyway, don’t ask me. I liked your post dude!
Sounds great to me – nice thoughts Dave.