Scripture: Jeremiah 9:8 – “Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceit through the mouth. They all speak friendly words to their neighbors but inwardly are planning to lay an ambush.” (NRSVUE)
Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18 which says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Many of us want to limit who our neighbor is, like the lawyer who questioned Jesus before he told the parable of the Good Samaritan. We do not want to consider someone who lives in a rival region or a land far away as equaling the love that we give ourselves or our nearest kin. But loving others is easy when there is peace and plenty. It is much more difficult in times of strife. At such times even our nearest neighbors appear to be a threat.
The prophet Jeremiah did not live in peaceful times. He saw his nation of Judah and the kings and priests make selfish mistake after selfish mistake and prophesied day and night about how God would punish them with destruction. Jeremiah also saw strife occurring among regular people. As resources became scarce and the Babylonian army seemed poised to strike at any moment, neighbors began to turn on each other. Even worse, people lied to their neighbors to grant a false sense of security. In such times, Jeremiah indicated that you could not trust your neighbors. “Beware of your neighbors,and put no trust in any of your kin, for all your kin are supplanters, and every neighbor goes around like a slanderer.” Jeremiah sees harsh words rather than actions at the heart of this distrust, saying “The tongue is a deadly arrow,” perhaps more deadly than the bows of the enemy army. And indeed, nasty words to each other lead to greater and greater distrust, more strife, and more certain destruction.
I marvel at what Jeremiah might do or what might be done to him in the age of social media. There are a lot of nasty words and bad faith arguments out there. People are jumping at shadows, believing that the most modest victory for the “other side” means they will come for their children and take away their freedoms. It seems like we cannot trust our neighbors, for they may strike at any minute. Even as foreign powers invade nearby nations and cripple our economy, the greatest enemy seems right across the street. The lead-up to the election to be held in a few weeks has only made things worse, with both sides saying that America as we know it is dead should the other one win.
If Jeremiah tells us what is, Jesus reminds us of what might be. Jesus wants to turn down the heat of our simmering hatred. Jesus reminds us that difficulties are overcome when we come together and not when we use our words to push us apart. For as Jesus also said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” So, speak peaceably to your neighbors. Offer the hand of fellowship in good faith. Love them. Period. And let them see your love and look for love in them. Only by loving each other can we get through difficult times.
Prayer: Jesus, help me love my neighbor by trusting them first, for it is through faith in each other that love is shown. Amen.
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