Faithful Witnesses

"Survival for the World" by Thornton Dial

We are continuing on in our study of Revelation this weekend. And after John has introduced the four horsemen and four angels, he goes into this extended description of who is gathered around God's throne.

In addition to the whole cast of characters we met last week, plus the great multitude of Israel and the even greater multitude of every people under heaven, there is a group of "faithful witnesses." At least that is how we translate the Greek. The word, however, is "martys." (It should look familiar, because it is where we get the English word martyr.)

These martyrs are faithful witnesses in that they were willing to give the last true measure of devotion for their God. Sometimes simply for daring to believe in something so counter-cultural. Far more often because they gave their lives for love of their fellow humans.

As I hear that old hymn sing in my head, "The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord... yet saints their watch are keeping. Their cry goes up, 'How long?'" I wonder who else lives forever amidst their number. Modern saints and martyrs who stood for Jesus's own teachings that we are to live for the paramount purpose of serving the last, the least, the lost, and the outcast.

Who would you include?

MLK, Medgar Evers, Emmet Till and the victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church? Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maximillian Kolbe? Anne Frank and all those killed by the Third Reich? Oscar Romero and his colleagues in El Salvador? What about Mahsa Amini, Marsha P. Johnson and Matthew Shepard? The blood of the slaves throughout history and on our own soil? Those killed during labor disputes to ensure even the poorest workers have rights? Aitzaz Hassan, Kiera Larson, and Scott Beigel? First responders on 9/11? Passengers on Flight 93 and Neerja Bhanot? Migrants who die in the Darién Gap and traveling to safety around the globe?

Jesus said, "There is no greater love than this - to lay down one's life for one's friends."

But the truth is that if neighbor truly is a moral term (not a geographical one), and every other person on this planet fits the bill, than we are called to be willing to put everything on the line for any and all.

While we hope to never be put in that position, there are countless ways we can faithfully witness to who Jesus is in this world. Methods of standing with the oppressed. Strategies to break the bonds of systemic injustice. Roads to walk with our neighbors in their plights.

The question is, will we be brave enough to do it?

Blessings,

Rev. Janie