You asked

how can we seek the 'shalom' of our communities even when we disagree with their leadership or direction?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Jeremiah 29:7

“Seek the shalom of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its shalom you will have shalom.”

This verse comes from a letter written by the prophet Jeremiah to the exiles from Judah, who had been forcibly removed from their homeland and settled in Babylon. They were living as captives in a foreign land under a pagan empire, and many hoped for a swift return. Jeremiah's message is surprisingly counter-cultural to their desires, urging them to settle in and contribute to the well-being of their captors' city.

What does it mean to sincerely seek the well-being of a community when you profoundly disagree with some of its fundamental structures or actions?

Then — the setting

Jeremiah delivered this message to the Judean exiles in Babylon around the late 7th to early 6th century BCE, a time of national catastrophe. The first wave of exiles, including many elites, had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BCE. These exiles yearned for a quick return, fueled by false prophets promising imminent restoration. Jeremiah's letter challenged this hope, instructing them to build homes, plant gardens, and participate in the life of Babylon for a long period (70 years), directly contradicting common sentiment and other prophetic voices. The command was radical: to invest in the well-being of the very empire that had conquered them and destroyed their nation, connecting their own welfare to that of their oppressor.

Across the Testaments

This passage is in the Old Testament, set against the backdrop of Israel's covenant relationship with God and the consequences of disobedience, leading to exile. The command to seek the 'shalom' of their captors foreshadows a broader ethical stance found in the New Testament. Jesus's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, particularly 'love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you' (Matthew 5:44), can be seen as an extension and deepening of this principle. While Jeremiah's audience was a captured nation, Jesus's words apply to individuals within various power dynamics, calling for a transformative love that transcends typical retribution. Both texts challenge the natural human inclination to only care for one's own, or to seek vengeance against those perceived as hostile, advocating instead for a pro-social, even redemptive, posture.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Romans 12:18
Encourages living peaceably with all people, if possible, reflecting a similar outward-looking posture.
1 Peter 2:13-17
Advises submission to governing authorities for the Lord's sake, even in difficult circumstances.
Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus' teaching to love enemies and pray for those who persecute, expanding the scope of neighbourly love.

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