My friend Martha preached a great sermon today (read it here) about the so-called peaceable kingdom, the vision from Isaiah of a world beyond war. I wonder how people heard it there. At our place, the senior pastor preached to this largely military congregation some strong words against the war in Iraq. A couple at the service last night walked out.

It should be said that many people, including active military folks, including a woman whose husband is in Iraq, expressed appreciation for what she said about the situation there. Many people wondered along with her whether we haven’t in fact furthered the cause of terrorism in the world through our actions. And it should also be said that my senior pastor is a woman who has baptized these people’s children, married them, visited them in the hospital, and buried their parents, and it grieved her to say these things, and so it should be said that she preached with as much gentleness and vulnerability as she could muster without compromising the message itself. (Never trust a prophet who enjoys the job.) I saw her after the late service today, sitting at her desk, her head in her hands.

All those things should be said, but still, a couple walked out last night.

And she preached the sermon again.
And again a third time.

It is one thing to take a stand on something and later find out that people were offended by it. But she knew, going in, that this one would be tough. And still my pastor stood firm. I don't know if I would.

When the student is ready, the right teacher comes along.