“2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:2-18 ESV)

The slow and rhythmic thud. The sound of heightened alert. The sense of a thousand watching eyes, a million beloved souls, one gospel proclaimed. Tamped down. Clamped down. Metal impenetrable shield, and why? Because of the shock factor of a populace rebellious, easily spooked, scare factors exploited, sad stories. We hear the thud, and we cry: the sad fact that a vacuum invites plagiaristic Exploitation, veins of power unshielded, national secrets suddenly exposed.

World secrets, as brother and sister meet brother and sister, strange days, a sense that—surprise—the nominal “enemy” is just as mature and rational-minded as to avoiding the perils of war, only that the subterfuge glistens and tempts, people feel a self-righteous License to “go rogue”. They feel that, if thus-and-such is proclaimed from our nation’s and nations’ highest pulpits, that in any case, no one is in control, none are using the authority available, so why not some whipper-snapper of an upstart?

Or not. Rational minds meet a society that in fact—original sin and garden tale aside—sometimes does Work.  Society functions to lift up the one and memorialize the other, the murder of the other on a Hard Tree, in hopes that it won’t be done again. In hopes, that “Jesus is Lord” will preach a gospel of leaving the sword at home for an hour in hopes of plaintive and sincere, risky ministry. Only then, when He so instructs, to carry that sword of faith into the milieu. To be able to pass on the Spiritual heft, the aggression Licensed or Necessary, of a Lordship called Christ, called Meek and on a Donkey. Called always to recollect: we have erred mightily, all the more so when on the verge of a Make, a Tomorrow, a Final and First chance to Meet. Always on the razor’s edge, always easily tempted, attacked with the easy-going fellow travails of others, even as others minister to us a prophetic Word: all in the company, on the battleship Faith, are overnight Prophets and Cabinet Members. Of Christ’s gospel, the reason for the thump-thump overhead and the sad fact that it took this much to get a little respect around here. For all are called to Serve, to brandish Strength wisely, intentionally, purposefully, self-reflectively.