In this period of time in our history, as the West wrestles with it's systematic prejudice, it needs to be clear for the followers of Jesus, the citizens of the Kingdom, the only systematic anything in the Kingdom is systematic love. There is no room for a system of thinking and actions where we lift up one group of people above another. Jesus sees all of us in the same relationship as the children of Father.
In the Kingdom culture we are taught by the Spirit to apply love to everyone in the same measure and that measure is extravagant. Jesus taught us with his words to love our enemy and then he demonstrated what that looked like. We recognize this with the Cross and the prayer of forgiveness for his abusers but do we recognize it in his selection of Judas, the Zealot?
Zealots were haters. The object of their hate was Rome and her soldiers. Zealots were violent and plotted to overthrow by force Rome's dominance over Israel. Judas was a Zealot, in direct opposition to the message Jesus was presenting to Israel. Yet Jesus chose him. To my thinking, Jesus chose him understanding Judas had the potential to be the one to betray him.
This is a problem for any of us who subconsciously consider people a commodity. We evaluate, probably without realizing it, who can best contribute to our lives. We surround ourselves by friends who make us feel good about ourselves and soon kick to the curb anyone who becomes a non-believer in us. A little criticism can be absorbed but too much becomes something we want to avoid so we avoid the person.
Judas was not a great addition for Team Jesus. He was a thief and he held on to the belief that the objective was more important than the people. When Jesus failed to live up to his expectations and when he failed to provide maximum profit, Judas cut his losses and tried to cushion his future. Perhaps the disciples thought this was obvious, but Father holds no bias against anyone. He is the God of the "Whoever" and desires everyone to be saved from a disastrous end like Judas.
Now consider Jesus' behaviour toward Judas. He did not exclude him from the others. He too was sent to his home town with the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons, preaching the Kingdom message. He too returned excited that demons had obeyed him. He journey with the Master every day, ate with him, heard the lessons, asked the questions.
Consider this: he was still in the upper room when Jesus washed his disciples feet with the purpose of demonstrating what sacrificial love for each other looks like. Judas had his feet washed by Jesus who he was already plotting against. Jesus knew this and still loved on Judas. He knelt in front of him, in the position of a servant, took his dirty feet into his yet-to-be-pierced hands, and tenderly washed the dirt away. I wonder what that felt like for Judas.
One of the worse things about prejudice is when we deny a person or a group of people the potential of victory in their lives because of some ugly thought in our head. Many people feel justified in their choice to not include everyone. They evaluate the potential based on their own prejudices, thoughts and unproven opinions. Jesus could have looked at Judas and rejected him because he was a Zealot, opposed to his message and brand. But then again he could have rejected Matthew for being a traitor to Israel. He could have rejected Peter for being a Galilean. He could have rejected Mary or Martha or Mary Magdalene because they were women. But he didn't because that is not Father's heart.
The Kingdom of God is a wonderfully radical place to those looking in but it is the norm, the reflection of our King's attributes to those who have been birthed by the Spirit into the Kingdom. This world may measure the worth of a person by their contributions but in the Kingdom the contributions are the fruit of the worth the King places on us. We are a peculiar people, unbiased in love and energy that we invest in all people.
We recognize that the Kingdom is by invitation. Some will accept this invitation and some will reject it but that does not give us an excuse to be selective in the application of Father's love. We are empowered by the free flowing grace that is sourced in our relationship with our King. And it is our King who strengthens us in the grace to represent him in every person we are connected with, friend or potential backstabber.
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