Thomas sat in the dark sand by the fire looking around at the tired faces and then back their sleeping leaders back.
"This isn't going to work" he said quietly to the rest. "You know this isn't going to work."
"What are you talking about?" Luke said without looking over, picking stones out of his sandles, his deep voice seeming to come from everywhere at once.
"We changed the rules. You've read the scriptures. We all have. Everyone is expecting us to lead an army. The Romans gained this country by their military, before that we took it through our military, then the Babylonians, and so on and so on. It's the way things happen, its the way things are done. The Romans now are the most powerful military the world has ever seen. Their smart. Their ruthless. It will take an equally powerful military to take back Isreal." Thomas was leaning closer to the fire now speaking in a harsh whisper.
"So your saying you don't believe in what we're doing?" Matthew chimed in, next to Thomas, matching his whisper.
"I'm just saying this isn't how things have ever worked, not according to the scriptures, not according to how we see everything around us in the real world. Every time an enemy of Isreal came God eventually led Isreal by fighting them away from our land. It's what people here want. They aren't looking for a "love your enemy as yourself", they are looking for a powerful military leader.
"Perhaps it's time for a change then, look at where war has gotten us" John said pushing aside some coals, looking down into the darkness.
"Do you call this peace?" Thomas hissed back. "This is just a quiet surrender. The Romans walk into a village, crucify anyone whose causing trouble and know they won't have to return to that village for years."
Silent stares from eyes red from both the dust and the smoke shone back at him in the darkness.
"Look, I agree with everything he says. Every single thing. But how is this going to change anything for anyone? How do we reclaim our land?" Thomas said now looking down at his feet, almost as if he were talking to himself".
"We won't reclaim our land. This isn't about Isreal being independent power, it's about the people of Isreal being at peace with themselves, and forgiveness, and love." John chimed in, his blue rob was in tatters and he was trying to use a small goat skin as a pillow.
"That's my point" Thomas whispered back, grabbing a log and pushing it deeper into the fire. "It's not what our leaders want to hear. They will see it as a lulling voice to help the Romans by pacifying the Isrealites."
"Give this time" Luke said, his deep voice resonating like a singer. "And let us get some sleep, we've got a long walk tomorrow."
