I have been in several international cities where the car drivers are excessive with their honking, but none of them compare to the honking in Israel/Palestine.  Here, honking means someone needs to go, honking also means someone needs to stop, someone is allowed to pass, or someone is not allowed to pass.  Although I hear the honking nonstop while riding in a bus or walking in the streets, I have decided that it is impossible to know what a honk means unless you are the one doing the honking, or if you are being honked at.  One literally needs to be in the drivers seat to understand it.  Likewise, unless you come and get close to the conflicts in Israel/Palestine, it is impossible to understand what the conflict is all about from a distance.  In America, I heard the honking of the conflict and wars and rockets, but I did not understand how complex everything was until I spent two weeks here.  Bill Haley, Director of Coracle, has written several articles on Israel/Palestine called, “Nothing is Not Complex.”  In the last two weeks, I have listened to Israelis, Palestinians, Christians, Muslims, Jews, settlers, refugees, NPOs, Pastors, Muftis, Rabbis, and authors.  I have come here as an open book and have decided that I have heard enough stories to decide that things in Israel/Palestine are very complex.

Today, we visited a group called Sabeel, which focus on liberation theology in order to work for peace in the land.  The theology has a lot of good intentions including the realization that Jesus himself lived in a time under occupation, and worked hard to help those struggling under Roman control.  In this way, we are motivated to live in unity and love as people who struggle and who are living under human control.

During our visit with Sabeel, we were engaged in a service of worship and discussion in the office space.  One part of the discussion that drew me into reflection with everything I have been hearing in the last two weeks is the definition of ‘justice’.  We all long for justice, but we may have different ideas of what justice means.  Some view justice as revenge for example, the Israelis will have to pay for taking land, and persecuting Palestinians.  One other side of this revenge justice is that Israel has suffered in history, and the land was promised to them by God, therefore the land belongs to them to take and justice is served.  These are not the only views I have heard on my trip, but they speak to some of the complexities on the ground here.  I believe in a different type of justice should be sought after where God is the judge, and compassion plays into the conversation.  This may be my privileges and point of view speaking, but I believe in a justice where the work being done is building up all the people who are involved.

We also had a presentation from Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) – Palestine, who partners and supports organizations on the ground here, including Sabeel.  MCC is an organization that has been here since 1948, and is one of the longest running organizations of its kind in Israel/Palestine.  Currently, MCC is helping over a dozen groups with their outreach including groups who run summer camps, career training for youth (trade school), sustainable gardening and building, etc.  I have only been here for two weeks and I am already worn out and drained from the complexities of this conflict.  I can’t imagine being here for several years.  Nick asked an appropriate question at dinner with MCC tonight: “What sustains your group and gives you fuel or hope to keep doing the ministry you are doing?”  The answer was one of relief and hope indeed!  The answer to Nicks question was that the work done does not require immediate results to be faithful work, rather there is eschatological hope.  There is joy in knowing that the work being done is the work Jesus would be doing, and that is great ministry!  Amen!

I would go as far in my reflections of the day to say that Justice to me means to follow the lifestyle of Jesus, and being connected with God to carry us through it.  Hope for justice should not only be earthly hope.  Ultimately, we can trust God that our work is not done in vein because this is the work Jesus did in scripture, and continues to do through us.  There are some complex things in this world, but the justice of God is not one of them.