Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12: 17-21 (ESV)
Those who know Pastor Willie Littleton are all saying he is a generous and forgiving man. A former police officer turned Reverend, Littleton faces 10 years in prison for aggravated assault in New Orleans. The story is as follows. Pastor Littleton discovered two men stealing copper tubing from the outside of the air conditioning units of his church. He then went to his SUV to get his semi automatic weapon and returned to the criminals, pointing his weapon at them and ordering them to stop. Instead, Rodney Mitchell and Jordan Cross fled on foot before jumping into a pickup truck. Pastor Littleton fired off at least eight shots, striking Mitchell twice in the head. Littleton found a police officer and told him the situation. He was released but then later turned himself back in when the charges were filed. Cross was unharmed and charged with theft, criminal damage and a parole violation. Mitchell is fighting for his life. When reached for comment, Littleton's son said, "My father is a man of God, and he's prayed up and everything's in God's hands."
Well, everything is in God's hand except for that semi automatic weapon that this man of God owned. Now I understand the arguments in a case like this. These two people were robbing the church. They were possibly lifelong criminals. They did not stop when he told them to and had a gun pointed at them. Pastor Littleton was just standing up for his rights. As a former police officer, he knows situations like this. This is what is wrong with this country. When law abiding, gun owning, citizens are charged for defending what is right. I get all of these arguments but there is only one problem. They are all carnal arguments. As a police officer, all of these arguments may have some merit but as a pastor? As a man of God? As someone who is supposed to represent Christ on earth and for his congregants? I feel compelled to ask here - who would Jesus shoot?
Would Jesus have tried to minister to these two men or would He have went to get His semi automatic weapon? If the men fled from Jesus would He have let them run away or would He have squeezed off at least eight shots, hitting the head of one of the men twice? When presented with a woman who deserved death according to the Mosaic Law did He pronounce the sentence or shame those who wanted to carry it out and tell her to go and sin no more? When near His own death did He look disdainfully down upon the thief on the cross as a "lifelong criminal" or did He grant Him true forgiveness and everlasting life? When it came to the very people who were driving the nails into His hands and feet did He wish them ill or ask God to forgive them for they know not what they do?
There is far too much carnality in the church today and it starts in the pulpits. It starts with a pastor who makes a conscious decision to go get a semi automatic weapon and then use that in what appears to be non defensive vigilantism. Now I know that I was not there but if the facts reported bear out to be true, how in the world can someone of faith defend this? The key verses spell things out for us quite clearly. We are to repay no one evil for evil. What Mitchell and Cross were doing was evil. I will assume of course that they are unsaved and therefore the things of God are foolishness to them. At the end of the day, this was all over copper tubing. Shouldn't we be better than this? Bigger than this? According to the key verses we are supposed to do what is honorable in the sight of all. I am sorry but there is no honor in firing eight rounds off at two men running away from you. As far as it depends upon us we are to live peaceably with all. We have to stop this nonsense about being victimized in this country. It seems every week there is another boo-hoo, whiney, tantrum by one Christian leader or another when the unsaved behave like the unsaved. If only they would do this or if only they would do that then this country could become some form of Christian utopia. I saw a case recently where a fifth grader was not allowed to read their Bible in school and even though the school corrected it, the CHILD was still demanding an apology from his teacher or else there would be a lawsuit. We keep acting as if our personal faith is something we are charged with protecting from the lost instead of sharing it with them.
Do we forget what awaits people like Mitchell and Cross (ironic name, no)? If we do, just continue in the key verses. We are not to avenge ourselves but leave it to the wrath of God! Yes, they may get away with some copper tubing today but one day they will stand before Christ, as we all will. On the contrary to vengeance, we are supposed to feed our hungry enemies. Give our thirsty enemies water. Perhaps even allow our enemies to have their fill of copper tubing and then minister the Gospel to them. I know, some will say that is naïve but I am only advocating for what Jesus Christ exemplified while here on earth. I know there are many carnal Christians who try to turn Jesus into this butch biker who didn't mind cracking a few skulls but it is pure fantasy. He is the Prince of Peace. He was led willingly to be slaughtered for the remission of our sins. He taught us:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. - Matthew 5: 38-42 (ESV)
Unrealistic you say? Yes the faith we have is very unrealistic. It is very unrealistic that an all-powerful God would sacrifice His only Son so that we might be saved from wrath and enjoy eternal life. It is unbelievably unrealistic according to our fleshly, carnal understanding. I have seen everyday Christian mothers forgive the person who killed their only child because they know that is what Jesus would want. We should expect no less from our pulpits. Maybe Pastor Willie Littleton never stopped being a cop. Maybe he felt justified. Maybe he just made a terrible mistake. We should pray for him and for his victim because if he should not survive, the charges could become more serious. We should pray for his congregation. That they understand that what happened here was not the least bit Christian. That Jesus went to the cross for Rodney Mitchell as much as He went for you and I. Pray that we see a change in how view the lost. There is an unspeakable wrath awaiting them beloved just as it once awaited us. Let them win their court cases. Let them take the copper tubing. Heck, give them the entire air conditioning unit. Let them have your tunic as well. Give to the one who begs from you and do not shoot the one who steals from you. I am pretty sure that is what Jesus would say.
Rev. Anthony.
