All is not well in the Neighborhood of Make Believe. Something is just not right. Something scandalous has occurred, someone has changed things around. Suddenly the Eiffel Tower is on the wrong side of the castle, the tree has gone from one side to the other, the clock, the fountain, just everything in the wrong place! Lady Elaine is up to her old tricks again…
King Friday is furious! He immediately sets up border guards, begins drafting people as soldiers demanding people’s name, rank and serial number, and becomes increasingly suspicious and paranoid of everyone and everything around him. He exchanges his crown for a helmet, complete with thirteen stars. When his niece asks, “Where is your crown? Why is it that Edgar only has one star?”
King Friday replies, “Edgar is only a one-star man. I am a 13 star king. 13 star kings have no joking around them. This is serious time niece, no joking around.”
The Neighborhood of Make Believe is all in a tizzy as people fear a coming war with all the changes and extra security measures enacted by the king. Fear spreads.
Recently my children have been introduced to Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. On Sunday evenings they would sit down to watch an episode, starting from the very beginning. It was in Episode 2 that the big changes occurred. A little over a month later my children were playing in a pretend castle when I heard my daughter (who was positioned in the castle) ask my son, “what is your name, rank and serial number?!” My children had picked up on this language.
We do too.
How do you react to change? Especially when you aren’t the one initiating the change? Do you feel a sense of panic? A need to regain control?
When change shifts the world around us, people tend to act defensively and sometimes violently. This reaction isn’t unique to our culture or even our time. The fear of change that grips us seems to be hardwired into our DNA. How we react to that fear is telling.
When Jesus first arrived on the scene humanity was comfortable in their ways. The empires enjoyed their places of strength and power, the religious and political leaders enjoyed their places of privilege. But then God entered the picture; because despite people’s desire for comfort, change was needed.
When Jesus disrupted the status quo some people’s sense of security was shaken. And when people get scared, they get dangerous. Those in leadership scramble to grasp onto the reins of power, demonizing and threatening anyone who poses a threat. The religious leaders of the day scurried into political manipulation mode and murderous plotting.
Just like poor, frightened King Friday, when change proved too challenging those in power were quick to:
- Undermine an “opponent’s” authority while conflating one’s own superiority
- Draw clear lines between “us” vs. “them”
- Create a suspicious and fear soaked environment
- Make up more rules.
- Justify their own position— no matter what.
- Leave little room for conversation, listening, or other perspectives. Keep things serious at all times.
But Jesus offers a different approach.
When disruptions, interruptions, and inconveniences came Jesus’ way, he didn’t respond out of fear or impulsively. Rather, Jesus would address the situation from a place of wisdom, grace, and faith.
When smooth sailing turned choppy and his boat was threatened by waves, Jesus calmed the storm (Matt 8:23-27)
When a political ruler beheaded his cousin and Jesus sought solitude but was followed by the multitude, he fed those who were hungry (Matt 14:1-21)
When Jesus’ supper was interrupted by a scandalous scene of a woman anointing him, he commended her and praised her acts (Matt 26:6-13)
When betrayed and arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus didn’t react violently, but placed a healing hand on the victim of a violent act committed by one of his followers (Matt 26:47-56)
When faced with death upon the cross Jesus gave his life courageously and sacrificially (Matt 27:32-56)
He calmed, he fed, he taught, he loved, he healed, he sacrificed— he arose victorious.
Jesus stayed focus on his Father’s mission. He was not swayed by threat or unsettled by change. He lived his life as an example to all to stay the course, to be true to the values of God’s Kingdom above all others, to humbly serve God every day no matter what.
Jesus transformed the neighborhood from a place of fear, brokenness and pain to one of hope, healing, redemption, and salvation. In God’s neighborhood one can fearlessly love because God, in Christ, first loved us.
“ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
– 1 John 4:18-21