September 21,
2003; 15 Pentecost B
The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith
"Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure." How appropriate a prayer for us who have been in the path of a hurricane!
The readings today direct us to consider the tension between things earthly and things heavenly-between things that are passing away and things that shall endure. Throughout Christian history, there has been a struggle to be "in the world and yet not of the world." We cannot ignore the world, or separate ourselves from the world. When we hear that a hurricane is coming, we make the necessary preparations. There is a Middle Eastern saying that applies here: "Trust in God, but tie your camel." We make the necessary preparations, knowing that God will be with us in the storm. Our anxiety about earthly things is lessened knowing that God cares for us. In this way, we do not discount the concerns of the world, but we understand them through the lens of our faith.
Knowing that we are placed among things that are passing away, still, we affirm that much in our world is good. The incarnation, the fact that God became human and dwelt among us, affirms the importance and goodness of creation. While we make use of earthly resources, the key is to know what is passing away and what will endure. We are called to love what will endure. If you watch TV at all, you know that some want us to love our cars as if they would last forever. There is much cultural pressure on us to love what will not last and to make decisions accordingly.
Some Christians step back from the world more than others in an effort to focus on God. Certain people have a special calling to live very differently than most of us. Monks and nuns have such a call. Some Christian groups, such as the Amish, separate from the world while living in the world. A dramatic symbol of that separateness while being in the world is the use of horse and buggy instead of a car.
When Amish youth are sixteen, they are required to experience regular American life. A recent documentary, entitled The Devil's Playground, chronicles the journey of several teens who are trying to decide if they will commit themselves to the Amish life or not. The teens usually take between one and four years to make the choice. Many of these young people find that the temptations of the world are overpowering and destructive for them. Ninety percent, the highest percentage in recent generations, choose to stay Amish. They choose to never drive a car, never watch TV, never use a phone in order to be in a community that values them without question and will support them. Many of the teens also fear that they will not be in right relationship with God if they are among the temptations of our culture.
Most Christians, however, are called to live right in the middle of the tension. We are called to make the use of the resources of our culture without worshipping them. It is not always easy to get the balance right. It never has been easy for God's people. That is why we find so much in the Old Testament that condemns idol worship.
It did not get any easier for those who were with Jesus day and night. We have much in common with the first followers of Jesus. They struggled to follow Christ in a particular time and place. Today, we hear them grapple with issues of power. They were influenced by their culture to think in terms of rank and prestige.
Jesus had a way of getting to the heart of the matter. Jesus had a way of challenging his followers while loving them. He enabled them to see the world in a new way-to see themselves in a new way-and to see each other through the lens of faith.
So much of Jesus' teaching confused the disciples. How could it not? The disciples were ordinary people like us. They had grown up in a world of limited resources-in a world in which power was measured by one's ability to be in control. Jesus turned their world upside down. When he said that his death would lead to life, they did not understand. When he said that being first had to do with being last, they did not understand.
To make his point, Jesus took a child and placed the child among the disciples. Jesus took a person who had no wealth, no power, no standing in society, and made that person central. By embracing the child, Jesus shows that the child is central to his mission, and that honoring the child was central to being in right relationship with God. Though the disciples were confused, this was good news for them. They could stop arguing with each other about who was the greatest. All are equal in the sight of God.
The idea that we are all equal in the sight of God is basic to the Christian faith, right? It is a basic idea, but we need to be looking through the lens of faith to see it clearly. There are many earthly things that can cloud our vision. We need the lens of faith to put things in perspective. To know what will endure among the things that are passing away, we need Jesus to guide us. Let us pray. Almighty God, help us to know and to love what is of you. Give us the vision to recognize what shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.