Politics and the resurrection

William Willmon considers how much time Jesus spent--before and after his resurrection--not in the city of Jerusalem but in the outback of Galilee:

One might have thought that Jesus would do something effective. If you want to have maximum results, don't waste your time talking to the first person whom you meet on the street, figure out a way to get to the movers and the shakers, the influential and the newsmakers, those who have some power and prestige. If you really want to promote change, go to the top.

I recall an official of the National Council of Churches who, when asked why the Council had fallen on hard times and appeared to have so little influence, replied, "The Bush Administration has refused to welcome us to the White House." How on earth can we get anything done if the most powerful person on earth won't receive us at the White House?

But Jesus? He didn't go up to the palace, the White House, the Kremlin, or Downing Street. (Jesus never got on well with politicians.) Jesus went outback, back to Galilee.

Why Galilee? Nobody special lived in Galilee, nobody except the followers of Jesus. Us.

Amen. Even considering how much I've excerpted here, I recommend Dr. Willimon's whole article.