Do The Right Thing

Romans 12:1-21
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:14-18). I wonder what would happen if we took Paul’s exhortations as seriously as we do some other biblical texts. I wonder what would happen if we challenged ourselves to no longer repay evil for evil with as much vigor as some people of faith use in speaking out against what they consider to be among the more egregious sins. Or if we took Paul’s directions to “live in harmony with one another” to be as essential to a godly life as we hear certain other activities to be contrary to God’s will.

I’ve noticed a tendency on my part to do some picking and choosing when it comes to standards of conduct as a Christian. I’ve also noticed that I’m not the only one. It is terribly easy to make up our own catalogue of dos and don’ts and to add what we feel is appropriate to the list while leaving off some items we aren’t as fond of. The fact is that over and over again in the words of Paul—just as in the words of Jesus before him––the focal point remains love for God and love for one another. With this love comes a willingness to suffer with and to care for those around us. Jesus said that “God so loved the world” (John 3:16), a sentiment echoed by 1 John which says, “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God” (1 John 4:16); Paul himself says clearly that “faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). It all comes down to love and the harmony, and the shared burdens, and the peaceable living, and the willingness to associate with folks from all classes that comes with it. It all comes down to opening our hearts to God in such a way that we also love our neighbors as ourselves.

As we ponder the word of God and God’s will for all people, we must embrace the entire scope of scripture. Yes, God does offer judgment, does seek to correct our sinfulness, does lead us to a more profound sense of righteousness. But first and foremost God calls us to build a community in love and forbearance where no one is haughty and everyone seeks to live in peace with everyone else. I just wonder what that would look like.

Prayer: Almighty God, may our lives be filled with love for you and for each other, and may we be guided in all we do to build a world full of your grace and peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Ouch!

John 8:33-47

The words of Jesus that we find in our gospel reading today make for what we could call a stinging rebuke of Jesus’ listeners. “Why do you not understand what I say?” Jesus asks. “It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me” (John 8:43-45). This is from the same man of whom it was said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (3:16). How do we deal with such harsh words and the apparent contradiction?

The key to understanding these passages is faith. In what do we believe? To whom do we listen? By what message are we guided in our living? Jesus leaves no room for ambiguity. In a manner of speaking it is all or nothing. Either we seek God and what God is doing in our midst, or we fall into the snare of evil to be overcome by lies and deceit. Jesus is the focal point of God’s work and in Jesus all come to know God and God’s love. Anything else is suspect.

There is an important point to add, however. The words of condemnation in this passage are spoken by Jesus alone and it is to Jesus that such judgment belongs. Too often the church has taken upon itself the role of condemning others for any number of reasons while not allowing God’s will to unfold. And this is where we must return to the words of John 3:16. God loves the world. God calls to the world. God undertakes suffering for the world in the person of Jesus. We who would live according to God’s will must do the same. We must offer witness to what we believe and trust in God to work through us, often in ways that we do not expect or cannot understand. The judgment of God is balanced by the love and grace of God. As people of faith we must be aware of our own shortcomings while seeking to share the grace we have received.

Prayer: God, make us messengers of your love to the world even as we seek to focus our lives on your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.