I recently read a book called Reimagine: What the World Would Look Like If God Got His Way by Brent Crowe. It’s about using our imagination to fix the problems we see in the world. It’s a really great book and I highly recommend it. Before he gets to the how of doing this, he gives some historical examples of people who did their best to pave the way for God to get His way. A few of his examples took place during the height of the Roman Empire, and they had to do with the mistreatment of human life.
While abortion is a huge issue in today’s world, it was also a huge issue in the Roman world, which honestly surprised me. Kids back then didn’t get the value that they should’ve, so they were discarded with little to no conviction on the parent’s part. By the 3rd century, the church couldn’t help but get involved. So the Pope, Callistus, started a program where abandoned children would get placed in Christian homes. It’s very similar, in my opinion, to a foster system. He surely saved thousands of children from untimely and unjust deaths.
The Roman Colosseum was the place to go for entertainment in Rome. If you wanted to see some graphic violence and blood and gore, the Colosseum was the place for you. Whether it was prisoners, slaves, or other men in unenviable positions, they would fight to the death to the cheers of massive crowds. The Colosseum was no small structure. It could hold more than 50,000 people. But all it took to end it was one brave monk, Telemachus. On July 1st, 404 AD, he was studying in his office, which wasn’t far from the Colosseum. He heard the cheers of the people, and he couldn’t help but go try to end the senseless fighting. So he hurried to the Colosseum, ran down all the stairs, and jumped into the arena, all the while screaming, “In the name of Jesus, stop!” Telemachus couldn’t stand the meaningless slaughter. So he did something about it, and it ended up costing him his life. The gladiators were told to kill him on sight, and so they did. But Telemachus had accomplished what he set out to do. That was the last day that fights took place in the Colosseum.
Callistus and Telemachus weren’t trying to make history. They weren’t trying to become famous or popular in any way. They were simply doing their best to let God have His way in the world. And the cool part is that we have that same opportunity every day. And I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t take advantage of those opportunities as much as I should. But as we turn the calendar to 2023, we can make a New Year's Resolution of sorts, to allow God to get his way more not only in our own lives, but in the world He created.
But let’s not confuse that with simply praying for things to change. I believe in the power of prayer, don’t get me wrong. But Callistus and Telemachus didn’t solve the problems of their day simply through praying. I’m sure it played a big part of it, but it wasn’t the ending event to solve the issues of abortion, abandonment, and gladiatorial fighting. They had to do something about it. We have to allow God to use us in real physical ways. I want this world to change. I want God to be glorified more in this world. That’s going to take some work, though. And it’s not going to happen overnight.
Paul describes this fight as spiritual warfare. He writes in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We aren’t fighting against organizations or political figures. We are instead fighting against Satan and his forces. This isn’t an easy fight. But it’s one we can win through Jesus, and leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus commanded us not to repay evil with evil, but to repay evil with good. We are to love our enemies. We are to be, as Jesus called us, the light of the world. And you don’t hide a light. You don’t put your lamp in a closet. You set it out so that you can see everything around it.
So what’s that area of your life or of this culture that you see a need for God to get His way? We all have our own ideas and perspectives on how the world can look more like what God wants it. But what can we do to make it more like that? Personally, there are a lot of ways in which I hope to continue to pour into students this year and continue to grow the youth ministry as well as the children’s ministry. I am so excited for this year and what God has in store! I hope you are too. I want God to have his way more in my life, at RCC, and in this community, and that can only happen through Christians who are ready to say, like John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.” Let’s look for ways in which God can become greater in this world this year.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
