Conspiracy Theory

Psalm 2:1-6

      Just because someone has a conspiracy theory about something doesn’t mean that they aren’t right. Conspiracy has been part of human history almost from the beginning of time. People plot against each other. We think and dream about how we might get even with someone who has wronged us. In business we plan our next strategy often based on trying to increase our market share while decreasing our competitor’s share.

      People in power conspire all the time. They form coalitions in order to get things done. They trade one thing for another, often behind the scenes and away from prying eyes. Deals are struck in secret about future reciprocal support. On the surface it looks as though everything is above board, but underneath souls have been traded, ethics have been compromised, some have been sold down the river.

      Any time someone has power and another person doesn’t, conspiracy happens. It may include plastic explosives and a timer, or it may just be the constant dripping of complaints. The LORD warned Israel not to ask for a king. He knew that earthly kings let power go to their heads. The support structure of earthly leaders is a drain on any society, even one as affluent as the United States. But Israel wanted to be like the other nations with an earthly king. They got one.

      And when one nation is viewed as having too much power and influence it becomes an easy target for other nations, especially nations that don’t seem to be able to get their leadership going in the right direction. The prosperous nation becomes an easy target of blame. And thus is born a conspiracy. This kind of thinking led to millions of Jews being killed during World War II. All Muslims get blamed for the over three hundred million who believe it is acceptable to kill innocents in the cause of Islam. That leaves over seven hundred million who don’t believe this.

      Our Psalm today is broken into four parts, the first two of which we will look at today. The first three verses outline this conspiracy by the surrounding nations against King David and Israel as a whole. Remember, the LORD chose the Jews to be the vessel through whom He would show His love to the world. They were to be a light for the Gentiles, showing them the sufficiency of the LORD. They were to demonstrate how forgiveness would happen. Through the Jubilee Year, economic stability happened for everyone. Every aspect of life was to be a glimpse of His faithful presence.

      Plotting against the LORD is like shaking your fist at the sun because it is bright and hot. Our shaking doesn’t affect the sun one bit. It will continue to shine. The reason the other nations hated the LORD’s rule in Israel is simple. They were in rebellion against the LORD. They didn’t want His rule in their lives. If they had submitted to His rule, they would not have become a subjugated people. If they had yielded when they had the chance, they would have found a place in this new world order, an order with the LORD at the helm.

      But instead of submitting, they shook their fist and were defeated. And as defeated, non-submissive people, their treatment was meant as a lesson to other nations who might attack.

      And through all this the LORD is not affected. None of His power is diminished. He is still on His throne. He is still in charge of bringing the world to His ends. He put David in charge, and that is that! All their power plays and conspiratorial plots do nothing to remove Him from the throne. He sees the fist shaking and continues to shine forth His love and grace.

      The problem lies in the package. People want control over the package that the LORD delivers His grace. They want it their way, or not at all. But God’s grace comes in one package only, His. We celebrated that package’s arrival two weeks ago at Christmas. Jesus is the package. Jesus is grace delivered. But we must be willing to see our name on the label and open it. We can reject the package and try to work it out ourselves, shaking our defiant fist. Or we can humbly accept that He did for us what we could never do for ourselves. He solved the sin problem. Our sin, His solution.

Plots

Proverbs 16:27-30

      As we watch the news, we witness the result of people plotting evil. Even when we take mental illness into account, plotting took place. What terrible things can happen when plotters get going!

      But sometimes everyday normal people plot. I know I do, and I can bet that you do also. I rarely carry out the plans that rise in the dark corners of my soul, but they sometimes bubble and churn. They often rise out of hurt feelings, or misunderstanding. If I were to begin to believe them, they could take over my life.

      Our proverbs give us a hint at how plots begin to get carried out. The first place we usually notice plots is when they begin to be spoken. We share the details of our pain and the plan to make things right by telling someone. We do this to get more people on our side. We color the facts so that we come out looking like the one in the right, the one justified in what we are plotting.

      We stir up support and a greater number of people involved in the plot. We don’t want to be alone in our thinking. We continue to spread our story of injury and their wrong doing.

      Then we trick the other person into walking down a path that will lead them into our trap. We pretend to be on their side, as we walk them to the point of attack. We play on their weaknesses. We have done our research and we know how to trip them up.

      Then comes the moment of execution of the plan. We signal to our coconspirators that now is the time. We probably don’t wink, but eye signals, even the momentary changes in the face, give us away, if anyone is watching. We write the message on Facebook. We tweet. We give the person a negative review online. We make a public statement aimed at them. We tell their boss. We inform the spouse about what we saw. And so it goes.

      You don’t plot good things. You can plan good things. Surprise parties take planning. Anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions all take planning. But the outcome of this kind of planning is blessing, not hurt.

      Next time someone comes to you with a plot, bring it into the light. Don’t let it stay hidden. Call the person out and stop the plot in its tracks.