Archive article 20
Is God a tyrant, despot, or dictator like this appalling teacher?
These 3 words came to mind this week as I read a letter which had been published in our local newspaper the “Resto del Carlino”. It was the title that first grabbed my attention: “Severe teachers. For my part it was only humiliation”. From a quick glance at the letter it was easy to see where the word ‘humiliation’ came from:
“The teacher...would take my homework and start to read and demonstrate, to the laughter of my classmates, each error I had made. He’d write 10 on the blackboard and then, with each mistake cancel that and write 9, then 8, until he reached 0 when he would continue with minus numbers. Then it passed to slaps and the stick.” Really, this letter describes “humiliation” and not correction in any way.
In fact it reminded me of the teacher in my daughter’s elementary school who would write in large letters on a card which would be hung around one of her classmate’s neck: “I am an ass”!
This isn’t discipline – it’s humiliation by someone who knows a lot of things but is totally ignorant when it comes to communication. What motivates someone to behave like this? Is it a tyrant spirit which simply wants to crush someone unable to defend themselves? A behaviour like this is totally mean and produces in me profound revulsion. Even the word ‘mean’ is not strong enough – it’s grotesque, dictatorial and not at all appropriate for teachers of such young people.
In this particular period when I am reading widely in the Old Testament I wonder if the 3 words I’ve used as a title aren’t sometimes attributed to God himself? When our eye is caught by some a particular text, I sense that our mind can easily think of God in this way – harsh and severe, a tyrant who without pity crushes those who are defenceless.
That maybe. But if it was, it would be a tragic error of judgment! God would be accused of exactly the contrary of everything He is – the true Master who corrects with such patience as He perseveres wanting to correct wrong and disobedient behaviour. The fact that at least 4 times in the 26th chapter of Leviticus (the 3rd book in the Bible) God speaks of Himself as persevering in the hope of a new life choice is so striking. Most teachers give up after the first attempt!
This is, however, exactly in line with everything God says about Himself in the Bible: “...the Lord disciplines those whom he loves and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (Hebrews 12:7 – New Testament)”. Yes, there it is! God is not a tyrant of a despot, or a rogue. He’s a father who insists in creative discipline because He knows that “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (v11)
At this Easter time, when so many of us are remembering the sufferings of Christ, how can we let wrong words and images distort our image of God? How wrong we would be if we didn’t see how the Creator of all life hadn’t said: “It is good” (Genesis 1 – the first book in the Bible). How blind we would be if we didn’t see how the whole meaning of Easter is wrapped up with immense generosity as we remember that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John’s Gospel, 3:16) This isn’t the behaviour of a dictator, a tyrant or a despot. It’s the exact opposite.
The apostle Paul was bowled over by the love of God. Just look at the words he uses when he says in a letter to those who lived at Rome (Romans 8:32): “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
Dear reader, when we, too, face situations we don’t understand, don’t underestimate God’s love. Please don’t fall into that error! This Easter, let’s taste God’s love in ways we’ve not known before. Let’s kneel before the King of all love, the God of all compassion, the Lord of all mercy with profound thanks for such kindness to humanity!!
Paul Finch, Pastor
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