"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility." - Ephesians 2:13-14 ESV
Last night, my brother, dad, and I watched Martin Scorsese's film, Gangs of New York , a movie about the early beginnings of New York City and the violent relationship between the Irish immigrants and the "Natives" (those born and raised on American soil).
As I was watching the movie, the passage from Ephesians that I quoted above kept coming to my mind. Christ came to bring reconciliation between enemies, and the Irish-Americans and the native born Americans were definitely enemies. It was unbelievable that so much blood was shed between fellow Americans for the sake of just a little land and power. The inhumanity of it all was astounding; racism was overpowering the culture, and the Natives wanted nothing more than to kill every single Irish immigrant who came off the boat and onto American soil.
If only these men, women, and children of New York knew and applied the above passage to their daily lives and relationships. If only the truth of the Gospel permeated everything these people did. Different cultures would be welcomed instead of abused. Racism would cease. The wall of hostility would indeed be broken down.
Thank you, Jesus, for breaking down that wall of hostility, in order that those who follow you can enjoy reconciliation because of your finished work on the cross.
No comments:
Post a Comment