It is intriguing how the Christian faith is revolutionary, but the way it is revolutionary is itself revolutionary.
In Matthew’s gospel, chapter 5, Jesus addresses a crowd and imparts instructions, beginning with “Blessed are:”
- The spiritually bankrupt
- Those who lament and mourn
- Those with the gentleness that humility brings
- Those gagging for justice and the right
- The kind and tender-hearted
- The pure-hearted
- The peacemakers
- The slandered-because-of-me
Years later, Paul sets out a similar programme for the young church in Galatia:
- love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Much could be said about this revolutionary behaviour. It’s extremely hard to stamp out. And — why would you want to? It’s humanizing. Perhaps it’s unstoppable.