The Value in Exile, Dependence and Humility

The value in Exile is the instrument it holistically serves in bearing fruit for God's people both individually and collectively. Over the next coming posts, I will be sharing some of the holistic benefits that exile brings, not in and of itself, but rather on account the work of Christ in and through His people. I will be addressing virtues familiar to Christians, but will address them within the unique context of exile - the context in which they were written and expounded upon within the Scriptures.

I can see no better place to start than looking at the benefit exile serves by teaching the ongoing lesson of dependence and humility. Although it is true dependence and humility are that which Christians are called to at all times, the experience of exile and diaspora unequivocally accelerates the life-long, ongoing lesson. Within privilege or abundance, it is easy to forget who brought forth such gifts. Within privilege or abundance, it is easy to expect it and grow entitled to it. Within privilege or abundance, it is easy to pat yourself on the back for the hard work you put in to achieve it, while easily looking at others who are less privileged and believe it must have been something they did wrong or a poor choice they made that landed them in scarcity and lack of privilege. Dependence is easily missed. Humility is unabashedly elusive.

One of the hallmarks of our culture is self-sufficiency. This is not necessarily bad inasmuch as it is subservient to to a higher calling as Children of God. Dependence is not a positive, daily attribute we as Americans strive for in our language or behavior. Independence and ability are more what motivates and drives not only the historical and collective narrative of America but also our individual narratives as Americans. Amidst the privilege and blessings we have experienced as Christians in America, we collectively and generally have existed comfortably. We would be naïve to believe these aspects to our culture have not influenced churches and Christians in America both in known and subconscious ways.

On the contrary, when we read Jesus' words in Matthew, "“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven," we see a stark contrast from our tendency both as humans in general and the added element of American ideology. Turn and be like children - helpless and completely dependent. This is what God wants. Dependence is desired, not independence. Disability is uplifted, not ability.

Here lies the issue: throughout history and Scripture we see God's people continually being tempted toward comfort and independence. Countless stories within the Old Testament attest to this. The Exile periods themselves are shown to be intentionally used by God to disrupt the collective stubbornness of His people and assist them in their turning to be like children once more (i.e. see Jeremiah 25). But why? Because where we cannot learn this lesson ourselves we most certainly need assistance to accelerate the lesson from outside of ourselves. There is value in exile because exile is one of God's schoolhouses for dependence. In exile, we are strongly influenced to lean not on ourselves but on God, in whom we "live, move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). In exile our desire and cry for salvation and deliverance to come outside of ourselves becomes more real and pressing, and the promise of such salvation and deliverance becomes a palpable and tangible hope (not just a motto or doctrinal statement).

Along with this being true as individuals, we as Christ's church are called to a collective dependence on Christ. After all, we are one Body. Repentance, or turning, is not just a call to the individual but a call toward His collective people. Therefore, the experience of exile is a communal and collective instrument God utilizes to teach collective dependence. Where the Church in America has grown fearful of the loss of its rights and privilege in America, we fear the damage it would do to Christ's Church and we increase our defenses as we see threat.

Perhaps our anxiety is because we have equated our experience of privilege, abundance, and comfort with success for Christ's Church. Perhaps our sense of loss is more tied to church as we have known it and consequently confuse faith as fighting to regain back what once was in our experience. Perhaps we have made Christ's mission and ministry synonymous with out structures and institutions. Perhaps we have placed more stock in what we have built up here in America or in our original claims to the culture and establishment of America in order to posture and position our battle for our rights as Christians. Perhaps our inability to withstand and be patient amidst the changes to church within just 2 months of a Pandemic reveals our dependence is misguided. I believe it to be evidence that we all as Christ's Church, myself included, need a "turning." This pandemic and this sort of exile is a Kairos season.

When Jesus states to Peter, "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," did he He mean it to be true only when the churches experience earthly privilege? By no means! Jesus said these words before He Himself would be crucified and before His disciples and followers would be complete outsiders, persecuted and killed for a few centuries. Jesus is speaking a promise for all time in every time. It's a promise that we as His Church are called to depend upon. Depending on Christ and His promise(s) is an on-going, lifelong lesson. Where we cannot learn this lesson ourselves we most certainly need assistance to accelerate the lesson from outside of ourselves. There is value in exile.

And this is a good lesson to learn continuously, even if it is hard! It is not a lesson to avoid but one to welcome as the Body of Christ, since its the biggest and most important lesson to learn. Plus, we know the outcome of dependence on Christ. The outcome is victory in Christ! It may feel like weakness in the short-term, especially when our nature calls for us to fight when we as the Church feel threatened in our culture or land. However, dependence is strength - not in and of itself, but it is strength because of the one on whom we, as the Church, depends - Christ Jesus, our Lord!

"Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Thessalonians 5:23