We know the idea of "flee" in the Bible. Yeah, yeah ... don't do these things. Flee immorality (1 Cor 6:18). Flee from idolatry (1 Cor 10:14). Flee from youthful lusts (2 Tim 2:2). Flee the love of money (1 Tim 6:10-11). These kinds of things. Because if there's anything we know about Christianity, it's a whole list of things we're supposed to avoid.
I would argue that this isn't a complete concept and, maybe, not even that helpful. If I tell you to "flee that lion" who is charging you, where are you going to look? At the charging lion, of course. But Scripture offers a different perspective. For instance, Paul told Timothy to flee the love of money, but he didn't stop there. He said, "And pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness" (1 Tim 6:11). He told him to "Flee from youthful lusts" followed immediately by "and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" (2 Tim 2:22). You see, the point is not what you're fleeing; it's where you're going. The idea isn't "What's the wrong way to go?" but "What's the better way to go?" Paul told the Philippians, "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things" (Php 4:8). I don't see any of "Think about what you did wrong" in that. I don't see, "Dwell on the bad stuff you shouldn't do." It's ... a different direction. It's not "from" bad things, but "to" good things. So we are commanded to "rejoice in the Lord always (Php 4:4) and "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Eph 4:32). We aren't called to "judge one another" but we are called to "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2).
Sometimes it feels like we're so busy worrying about the things we shouldn't do that we don't look much at the things we should do. If Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35), I'd think we'd want to make it a point to actively love one another instead of worrying about what we (or others) are doing wrong. Perhaps we need to reconsider our direction, not in terms of where we shouldn't be, but in terms of where we should be. Not merely "flee from," but "flee to." A better direction.
2 comments:
This is good food for thought--and action. Many people think of the God of the Bible as a cosmic killjoy--“do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” Yet, as you say, there is a lot more in Scripture besides lists of “Thou Shalt Nots.” We have probably all seen the many “Eat This, Not That” suggestions for healthy swaps in one’s diet. Similarly, as you point out, there are many positive admonitions in the Bible regarding how to live proactively in a manner that demonstrates love to everyone from God to our family, neighbors, and even our enemies--as we put off the old man and put on the new. Indeed, fulfilling the positive aspects of God’s law--and producing a vigorous crop of the fruit of the Spirit--is a full-time endeavor!
We see an image of this when Jesus said that He would have taken Jerusalem under His wing as a hen. The chicks didn't scatter, they fled to mother. We should flee to the only one that can protect us.
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