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).
* * * * *
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?”
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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