Friday, February 19, 2016

My 2016 Lenten Journey--Day 10


February 19, 2016

My 2016 Lenten Journey: Exploring the Gospels to discover what following Jesus and becoming more like him would look like? ‘And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NRSV).
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Matthew 5:23-24 (NRSV) So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Now Jesus has quit preaching and gone to meddling! I remember when my college suite mates got into a tiff that lasted several days, and almost came to blows on a couple of occasions. When one of them discovered he had been in the wrong, he apologized and extended his hand in reconciliation. The other suite mate looked at the proffered hand for a few seconds, and then retorted, “Hell! I’d rather be mad!”

He was teasing, of course, and then accepted the extended hand; but there is a growing environment in this country that can be expressed by my suite mates tease: “Hell! I’d rather be mad.” It's called "righteous (or self-righteous) indignation;" and it feels soooooooo good!

Jesus jumps right in the middle of that attitude. In 55 years as s a pastor I have encountered relatively few conflicts that were totally one-sided. Usually, both persons in any conflict bear partial responsibility. The saying goes, “It takes two to tango.” Most of the time it also takes two to fight; and yet, I have absolutely no clue how many times I’ve encountered interpersonal conflict in which one or both parties feel it’s the other party’s obligation to apologize. Few people are willing to stand accountable in times of conflict. It’s always the other person’s fault (“It all started when he hit me back!”)

Some people relish their anger and wallow in it. Jesus is having none of it. Notice that he doesn’t say, “When you remember that you have something against your brother or sister.” That’s the way we want it to be; but Jesus reverses it: “When you remember that your brother or sister has something against you.” No matter who is at fault, if I am to follow Jesus, I will initiate reconciliation! Always!

And note: in the midst of a religious culture that valued faithful adherence to a rigid liturgical and offertory system, Jesus gives reconciliation a higher priority than liturgical faithfulness! The prophets, notably Amos (5:21-24, et. al.), Jeremiah (7:1-7, et. al.), Hosea (6:6) and Isaiah (1:11-17, et. al.), had preached that priority 800 years earlier; but the message hadn’t been heard.

Has it been heard yet? Would I just “rather be mad?”

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9 NRSV)
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32 NRSV).

That's the way it looks through the flawed glass that is my world view.
Together in the Walk,
Jim

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