never trust a millionaire quoting the sermon on the mount
Prayer: Lord, may the words of my lips and the meditations of all our hearts laud you, Jesus, as the son of the Most High. Amen.
The debt ceiling debate is over. Thank heavens. The weeks of hand-wringing have come to a conclusion. At the last possible minute a deal, if that is what you would like to call it, was reached.
The whole thing was incredible to me. After all, the debt ceiling had to be raised if the budget that had already been passed were to be enacted. Failure to raise the debt ceiling would make it impossible for the government to follow legislation that had already been passed.
As this whole, seemingly illogical, ordeal unfolded I was struck by the consequences.
As strict ideologies were pontificated ad nausum markets were affected. As a comprise was put on the back burner so an idolatry of political philosophies could practiced, people’s savings were affected.
And more than that; certainly hand-wringing was in order about whether a deal would be able to be reached at all. The type of deal that may have been forged, however, wrought just as much concern.
Whose services would be cut, so we as a nation could continue to fund a large military and tax cuts for millionaires? What vulnerable among us would be ignored and marginalized so a deal could be reached? For those losing services, so tax cuts could be afforded, the debt ceiling deal could hardly be considered fair…
As I watched this whole soap opera progress, I had to admit; I understood.
There have been times when I gladly climbed atop a soap box and espoused ideologies verbatim.
Much worse than that, though, there have been many times when I would gladly sacrifices services for another so I could simply have more.
That realization made this whole drama a little more relatable, and honestly, a lot more maddening.
Here we are, 2011 and still when we talk about budgets, the poor, by and large, are ignored. More and more wealth is being created, yet poverty increases.
What is wrong with us?
What will it take to finally get us to the other side?
And I don’t mean to the other side of the political spectrum either. Indeed, idolatry is subtle, and trying to find God in an elephant or donkey is as futile as finding God in the whirlwind, earthquake or fire.
I mean the other side; the side of something radically different and new.
What will it take to get us to that place when the most vulnerable are cared for, when mutuality, peace and love prevail? What will it take to get us to that other side? Surely there is enough in our world to care for all!
So the question is, what will it finally take? What will it take to make us all into faithful stewards?
Honestly, as terrible as it is to admit, I think we know that we could never choose to go to that other side on our own. We’re too afraid, and beside, the wind and waves would keep us from ever making that journey in the first place.
Watching the whole drama about debt, ceilings, budgets, tax cuts and the like is enough to cause anyone to despair. All this pettiness is a microcosm of the human condition.
Honestly, we would rather argue about ideologies than care for the vulnerable among us. After all, if caring for the weak really were our primary concern, it would have happened long ago. For all our lip service, poverty continues…
Apparently we just don’t have it in us to go to that other side…
Unfortunately, that appears to be part of what the gospel is about. The gospel as a tragedy that for all our lip service we don’t want God, despite our incredible need… despite the world’s incredible need. Despite knowing the other side is filled with life, we won’t go there. The gospel is the story of a humanity who knows better, but won’t trust to make the journey to that other side…
Still, though, there are those other incredible, inspiring examples. Think of Arizona representative, Gabriel Giffords who returned to cast her first vote after being shot in the head to vote for resolution. What of these type of figures? How did they get the courage and faith?
Luckily, God has put the word in our hearts and on our lips to inspire, encourage and preach to one another. We are sent to one another to live and preach hope. Despite our unwillingness to go to the other side, there are stewards who have gotten on boat to journey to the other side and stewards who preach to us and give us courage to join them.
As Ron reminded me this week, despite its complacency, the church is one of the last places where solidarity with the poor is still being advocated for. I would commend Gerson’s Friday editorial in the Washington Post, which we have on the narthex table, to meditate on the role of the church in addressing public needs a little more.
Tragedy isn’t all the gospel is about, of course. God has put the Word in our hearts and on our lips so we may preach to one another in our need. The gospel is also that story of a God who breaks into our world and compels us to make that journey. The God who is with us and transforms the tragedy into a fairy tale.
Sure, me we might buy the excuse that we would rather just wait for the wind and waves to cool down a little first, then we would go. This God with us, though, knows better. There isn’t time for excuses. We must go now; immediately. This compulsion is good news for us and for those whose livelihood is affected as we wrangle over the details.
Sure we might rather not go to the other side, it is a different place, an unknown place full of uncertainties, yet God compels us there. And, on our way,
certainly there are winds and waves to shake our confidence. Yet God compels us there. In spite of any wind or waves we’re compelled. This might not be what we would choose, but there it is. And this is what the Gospel is about, God making us into stewards. Amen.
There is a temptation to focus on the wind and waves calmed, but that isn’t what the Gospel is about. The gospel isn’t about smooth sailing, calm lakes, blue skies and white sandy beaches. The Gospel is about the other side, where all are respected and cared for. The Gospel is about a God who compels us to the other side for the sake of the world and for our own sake.
The Gospel is about the God who will not be separated from God’s creation on the journey to the other side. Sure, the winds and waves may appear to be a god-forsaken place, but the Gospel is a radical story friends. Even in those accursed places God shows up and says, “Take heart, it is I.”
The Gospel is about God with us on our journey to the other side to lives as stewards. That is why we have projected this Rembrandt painting of the disciples tossed on the sea. It captures the chaos we often feel we are faced with as God’s stewards compelled to the other side.
This journey is what we are compelled to make as God’s stewards for the sake of the other. As we struggle to live faithfully, Jesus meets us amidst the storm and says “take heart.”
On our journey to the other side, as we encounter wind and waves, whatever they may be; take heart, God is with us. That is what the Gospel is finally about. Humans need of God, the God who compels us to the other side, and finally the God who even goes so far as to shows up in our great need during our journey to the other side.
The Gospel isn’t about calming the wind and waves. Yes, that may happen, but that isn’t what the Gospel is about. The Gospel is about that God who is with us, compelling us to the other side. The other side, that place of fellowship with God and neighbor.
God compels us to the other side, that life as a steward.
A life as a steward, as someone who cares for creation as God does. A steward, someone who cares for their neighbor first because deep in their bones they trust God will care for them. A steward, someone who has felt God’s hand as the wind and waves threatened to overtake them.
As nice as all that sounds, ultimately a steward is someone who finds themselves, impossibly walking on water and perhaps in great need. Ultimately a steward is someone who does the unthinkable, and as chaos rages around them they make one more ridiculous confession, ‘Lord, save me!”
Lord, save us.
Now, as we think of the damage already done during our inability to reach a debt ceiling deal in a responsible manner, we should not think of those wind and waves as insurmountable. We should not see them as accursed unavoidable outcomes. Instead, while there may be a storm, that is all.
Now we find ourselves compelled to cross to that other side to meet those who long for God’s reign, and wind and waves will not deter us. Although we might be afraid, God will not stop compelling us. Better yet, too, God will not stop being present.
In the midst of anything take heart God is with us making us into the hope we long for and the world needs. Take heart. Take heart.
Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment