What’s Wrong with Natsari Judaism
Part II
Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr
The Western
World has taught us to wear many masks, to put on a game face. To be civil,
cordial and professional only because the situation and circumstances demands
it or because that’s what is expected or it is the cultural protocol or because
we have something to potentially gain from such action even though our heart is
not in it. Living in the Southern US for part of my life as well as having relatives
from the south I have seen the gracious warm smiles and hearty handshakes, but
I have also experienced what happens sometimes after you back is turned. Gossip
and slander peppered with generous portions of, “Well bless his heart did you
see…. Did you hear…” as if that is the formula to excuse and turn juicy gossip
or harsh criticism into a blessing or prayer request.
In verse 8
Kefa (Peter) is telling us not to let love for our brethren in Messiah to grow
cold and become insincere because it is love that allows us to forgive and
overlook faults that would offend and rattle us as an unbeliever. Kefa quotes Proverbs
10:12 and says that it is this love for each other that will allow us to
overlook when people miss the mark of our expectations.
It is so bad
today, if you say “God” and not “Elohim” or if you decide to trim your beard or
say “Yeshua” instead of “YAHshuah” the other fellow will turn on you as if you
were a blasphemous, apostate, pagan leper! This is NOT love, this
hypersensitive, hypercritical, hypocritical, self-righteousness masquerading around
as upholding the standard.
The Jewish
culture of our faith has unintentionally conditioned us to become insincere.
How many times have we greeted each other and throw around “Shalom!” and not
stop and really comprehend what we are saying to each other. Shalom is NOT a
simple, “Hey bro!” It implies, “The Peace and Wholeness of Messiah Yeshua be
upon you.”
Secondly, we
live in a society that does not allow us quite time to think, let alone pray.
Table fellowship is discouraged at restaurants by a blaring TV in every corner.
We have sound generating machines for when we sleep. We pop in our ear buds and
carry around our mp3 players so as not to chat with the guy next to us on the
plane or bus. Many houses always have the TV on in the background for noise
when no one is watching it. This overstimulation of our brain deafens our
spirit and makes it difficult to pray. To compound the issue, may have felt obligated
to feel guilty if they do not pray from the siddur, which puts the brain and
spirit on autopilot and has decreased the amount of time believers spend in spontaneous,
heartfelt prayer. Kefa warns us of this in verse 7, imploring us to always keep
a calm mind in order to be able to pray more effectively.
Thirdly,
because of our lack of love, insincerity, and self-absorption due to the
overstimulation of our mind, we fail to be what made Abraham our father so
great; and that is HOSPITALITY.
Rabbi’s say
the Temple was destroyed and Israel carried away on account of lack of love for
one another and that Sodom and Gomorrah was not only destroyed because of their
sexual sin, but because also their lack of love and hospitality.
Let us love
one another as Messiah loves us (John 13:34) and let us cultivate a deep, rich,
genuine love and compassion for our brothers and sisters. Let us learn the hospitable
ways of our forefather Abraham so we can truly be called his children and be
worthy of the name.
