Living Nonviolence

But the tenants seized the servants and one of them they beat, another they killed, and third they stoned. Matthew 21:35 How violently the tenants acted Besides beating Stoning and killing his servants They also killed the owner’s son This parable prefigures the brutal death of Jesus But long before being killed by a barbaric crucifixion Jesus felt the effects of human violence and harsh rejection He received a hostile threats Sarcastic barbs and verbal taunts from those who supposed Him He experienced the unnerving outcome of people whose fear turned on Him Chased Him out of town And yet Jesus did not respond with similar violence He walk His talk Not only preaching non violence but living it When Peter sliced off a man’s ear in order to protect him Jesus insisted the disciple put his sword away Jesus then healed the man’s ear I am reminded that too must avoid revenge If follow Jesus I will ease desiring harm to come to those who insist on being an enemy