Mastiff or Shih Tzu?

<“When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. [2] Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. [3] So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. [4] Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” [5] They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. [6] When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. [7] So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” [8] Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” [9] This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” [10] Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) [11] So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?’ ”

(John 18:1-11 ESV, highlighting added)

“Jesus has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. ”

(Thomas A’Kempis, The Imitation of Christ)

In God’s perfect and sovereign wisdom, the joyous, secure, and permanent, socio-political order of the Christ, Jesus, (a.k.a. the kingdom of God) is and yet is not. There is presently war on earth, and there will be no justice or peace until God’s “will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mathew 6:10 ESV). To that end, his followers are called to bear, not a sword, as Judas, in betraying Jesus, nor even as Peter, in forcing the kingdom, but a cross, as Christ himself, in willingly drinking the cup of his passion. Yet Jesus prayed, on the night of his betrayal, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42 ESV, emphasis added)

Christ doesn’t call me to participate in his suffering because there is intrinsic worth in pain. So I don’t seek for affliction or marginalization as something of value, neither do I provoke non-believers and then whine when I am persecuted, nor do I mope about in morbid navel-gazing. But I am called to bear the cross of Christ because there is being waged violent war with eternal consequences, because the kingdom of God is not yet realized, and because the greatest weapon in this conflict is humble obedience to the rightful King. And this joyful “Yes!” to God will always seem foolish to non-believers. How can it not seem so if they are blind to the Resurrection and its implications? But I think there is a link between believers following Christ, even to the cross, and the power of their testimony to a lost, broken, and dismissive world. So then, if the zeitgeist categorizes Jesus’ followers as judgmental hypocrites, or religious neat-niks, or as striving for post-modern relevance chances are good that the Church is playing the enemy’s lapdog. But if it labels Christians foolish, obsolete, or deluded by myths, then the Church is more likely being a Mastiff than a Shih Tzu.