You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I [Jesus] tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:43-48 HCSB
Things have again taken a turn for the worse. The protests were absent for several days, but today they came out with backhoes to build walls of dirt and stone across the roads in our region. Most of the protesters have gone to Lima. Some are reporting that over 10,000 protesters from the southern regions of Peru have entered Lima, the capital.
According to the people, the plan is to attack the Presidential Palace today. The government had been trying to keep protesters out of Lima, but the president of a large university in the city has given sanctuary to all protesters. They are safe if they can make it to the university. Some part of the protesters declare they plan to assassinate the new president today or die trying.
In Cusco, there are fewer protesters, but they are more violent. They are attacking all moving vehicles and slashing tires or worse. They are trying to coerce more people to join the cause against the government. In Puno where our brothers and sisters are, there are fires and robberies and worse in the city. In Huaral in the north, the brethren report essentially no unrest.
We feel fairly safe here on the farm. Caleb tried to come today, but the protesters wouldn’t let him out of his village. China left a day early, buying an extra ticket to take advantage of the open roads. She is happily with her beloved in the States; we’re glad for her.
I feel sorry for my father-in-law. He is feeling more anxious as time goes on, especially thinking about the return flight scheduled for next week. There are a lot of responsibilities weiging on him from home, and he’s been receiving more messages from his team due to some difficulties they are facing at work. So much can happen in a week. Let’s pray that the Lord would allow them safe passage when the time comes.
Percy says all this is possible only because of Facebook, and that does seem to be fairly accurate. Because of social media, the protesters are able to organize the whole country, and they can continually incite the people with speeches or videos showing their efforts against police and so on. It’s somewhat fascinating to see how so many people can be mobilized this effectively simply because the whole country is on Facebook, which is a free service on all phones in the country; you don’t even have to pay for data to use it.
I am reminded even more clearly in these times that we are not of this world. The governments of this world, the people for or against them, they are not of our kingdom of love in Jesus. It is so sad to see them suffering, bumbling about in darkness, refusing to see the Light though on every corner there is a crucifix of Jesus. How tragic.
Jesus said if His kingdom were of this earth, then would His people fight. But it’s not, so He told us not only to avoid fights but also to be active in love for our enemies, praying for them and blessing them. May we keep our loyalties and focus clear despite what the world around us is doing.
Pray for us, brothers. Pray for peace in Peru. Pray that Dane and Martha can have peace and safe passage home. And pray wisdom for us as we face difficult and confusing circumstances.
Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God’s sanctuary have with idols?
For we are the sanctuary of the living God, as God said:
I will dwell among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God, and they will be My people.Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you.
I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 HCSB
Juan David 