I have come to set the world on fire

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!  -Luke 12:49  NAB

Fire

Fire is a recurring theme in Ted Cruz's campaign.  Eventually his opponents will key into that fact.  When that happens you can be sure that they will do just enough research so they can interpret that theme, fire, in the least favorable light.  After all, it is their job to advance their guy/gal and smear the opposition.

The way to blunt that attack is to proactively discuss the images and associations that pop into the head of a  "Ted guy" when they hear the word "Fire".

Evangelicals

Senator Cruz is very appealing to the Christian Evangelicals.  This is not to say that Senator Cruz's entire appeal is toward Evangelicals.  It is to say that a significant percentage of Senator Cruz's core support consists of highly engaged Evangelicals.  One could not wish for better campaigners.  Synonyms for "Evangelize" are recruit, convert, redeem.  Evangelicals do not hesitate to "put it out there" even when they face ridicule.

Evangelicals are serious students of the Bible.  The thoughts of Christian Evangelicals are informed and guided by the Bible. Say "Fire" to a serious, Christian student of the Bible and you are most likely to hear "Luke 12:49" in reply.

I am not a Christian Evangelical but I am a semi-serious student of the Bible.  That puts me in a reasonable position to shed some light on the subject to the larger audience while maintaining a degree of objectivity.

Context

Luke, Chapter 12 is one of the longest chapters of the New Testament.  Luke 12:49 follows a long narrative of the faithful servant who is appointed to be the "steward" of the master's business while the master is away.

The steward has a single, fundamental choice to make.  He can run the business for his own personal enrichment and gratification -OR- he can run the business for his master's advantage and purposes.

Having come from the ranks of the servants, the steward will be under endless pressure to cut corners and to drink the wine cellar dry.  There will be pressure from friends asking for favors, pressure from family to hire within the family and pressure from powerful people (like the money lenders in town) to cut deals at the master's expense.

The contrast is stark.  There is no middle ground.  The steward either works for his own benefit or for the master's.

Context continued...

Luke, chapter 12 continues by stating that peace is impossible and that families will be torn apart.

Image  from HERE

Hard words to a society that wants to believe that we learned everything we need to know back in Kindergarten.

However it is a simple statement of fact.  The faithful steward will cause conflict.  It cannot be otherwise.

Do you think he will be applauded by his sister after he refuse to hire her ne'er-do-well son for a position of responsibility?  Do you think his former peers will be cheerful after he calls them to account for tasks not done or resources squandered?  Do you think the drunkards will call him a "fine fellow" after he denied them the key to the wine cellar?

The evidence

Any person can lie.  Even those who profess to be Christians.  Anybody can claim to be a good steward.

One way to test for Truth is to look at the evidence.  Is the steward welcomed by the money lenders as an old friend and profitable associate?  Is there evidence of quid pro quo where "friends" were elevated into positions where they were not qualified.  Is there a trail of "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine?"

Or is there a trail of unhappy "players" denigrating the steward because he is not "malleable" or "won't play ball"?

Summary

We are all going to look at events and reach our own conclusions.

My conclusion is that Ted Cruz will follow his path in spite of the pain along the way.  I think he is honestly trying to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and be a faithful steward acting on behalf of the American People.