Sometimes Jesus can be a real burr in
our saddles. Kathleen Norris, in her
book Dakota, tells the story that supposedly originated in a Russian
Orthodox monastery, of an older monk telling a younger one: “I have finally
learned to accept people as they are. Whatever they are in the world, a
prostitute, a prime minister, it is all the same to me. But sometimes I see a
stranger coming up the road and I say, ‘Oh, Jesus Christ, is it you again?’”
Jesus tends to create such a reaction in
our lives. Considering the news and
events taking place in the past week, it is difficult not to acknowledge that
Jesus is strolling down the street . . . heading right for us . . . asking us
(once again) to consider our faith in the light of what is happening in our
nation and world.
This past week I read an article from a
news source about four Black women in Colorado considered to be scholars and
activists. In each of the interviews
they were asked to give their views on the recent events happening across the
nation and world dealing with racism. One of those interviewed, Janiece Mackey, a
co-found and director of a youth engagement organization, had this to say: “There’s
been a lot of romanticizing of race and racism and folks feel like they’ve done
their work by simply naming that. And it’s like, that’s the easy part . . .”
When pressed to answer whether anything
had changed in relation to what was happening, she responded: “Is this moment
different? My heart and my soul, unfortunately, tells me ‘No.’ As a Black woman
who’s married to a Black man, who has Black kiddos, I think that the ways in
which we’re being exposed to the root -- which is white supremacy and
institutionalized violence manifesting through that -- it’s unfortunately not
different. The ways in which others may be digesting is different.”
There it is . . . Jesus knocking on the
door!
For the past couple of weeks, we have
been listening to Jesus tell his disciples that they were now gifted with the
same message and abilities as he has.
They have been told that now they were his representatives and that they
were to go out into the world to do as he had done. And, he has also been warning them that they
are to do this at great risk to themselves.
He wants them to know that it will not be easy walking in his footsteps
sharing his words and performing his ministries. It is going to be hard and dangerous work
changing the world to God’s Kingdom.
Then this morning, he tells them that they are to do this for the “little
ones”.
Who are these “little ones”?
Apparently the “little ones”
are those who are the least powerful within the community . . . those who are
not at the table . . . those who are ignored or disdained by those in control .
. . those who are the least among them . . . those who are standing in the
shadows of the outer circle. Those in
the shadowlands.
Few of us venture into the
shadowlands. The shadowlands represent
those places of mystery of things we do not understand or that we fear. It is a place where we shove that stuff and
people that we do not want to deal with.
The shadowlands are a place of being lost, suffering, and death. The shadowlands are a place we are more than
happy to keep far on the outskirts of the light as we can in our lives. We know that they are there, but for the most
part we try hard to ignore them. There
in the shadows we find the “little ones”.
So, who would we equate these “little
ones” as being? Well,
who is not at the table? Who does not
have full standing within the family of God?
Apparently, our nation’s battle over racism points to the fact that
those who are of color fit into that group.
I would throw into that mix others . . . the issue of those of different
sexes and genders . . . those who have disabilities would say they have no
place at the table . . . those who are poor . . . those of cultures that are
different than the prevalent culture . . . those who struggle with mental
health issues . . . the elderly and the young.
These are those who lurk in the shadows . . . those we attempt to hide
behind the curtains . . . to exclude and leave out.
To these Jesus tells his disciples and
us to go forth and share the “good news” of God . . . to establish God’s
Kingdom.
The idea of racism or any “ism” for that
matter has become an issue that is difficult to ignore considering everything
that we are witnessing on the evening news or reading in our newspapers. The idea of those “little ones”
hanging out in the shadows of the world we live in is being revealed whether we
like it or not. We cannot deny that the
“out of sight, out of mind” is not working.
And, surprisingly, more and more are coming to accept the fact that this
is a real issue in our nation and world.
The shadowlands and its inhabitants have been acknowledged . . . but
acknowledgement is not enough. Remember
what Ms. Mackey said earlier: “There’s been a lot of romanticizing of race and
racism and folks feel like they’ve done their work by simply naming that. And
it’s like, that’s the easy part . . .”
Jesus warned his disciples and us that
it would not be easy and that there would be danger in pursuing his call in the
world which we live. Which makes us
uncomfortable as the followers of Jesus . . . uncomfortable as we watch the
protests springing up to change this discrepancy between those at the table and
those longing to be included. Yet, this
is where Jesus calls for his followers to come and dance . . . to dance in the
shadows . . . to spread the light . . . to fill the table and explode God’s
Kingdom to include all of God’s children no matter who they are.
How do we respond to this
uncomfortableness of ministering for and with those who are the “little
people”? Do we rise in
protest? Do we “riot”? Do we write
letters to the editor . . . put up snippy statements on social media? Or do we just admit that there is a problem
and hope that someone else comes along and solves it. I imagine we are scatter across the spectrum
in to how we respond. But I ask you to
consider something simpler and quite do-able.
I ask you to consider love . . . to love
as God has loved us . . . to love as Jesus demonstrated . . . to love as we
would want to be loved. Acts of
love. It is interesting that in our
reading this morning the only example of ministry that Jesus gives is the act
of giving another a “cup of cold water”.
To offer to quench another’s thirst and then to do it. A simple act of love, hospitality, and
welcoming.
Acknowledgement is a good first step,
but we cannot stop there. Where we see
someone who is thirsty, we offer a cold drink.
Where we see someone naked, we clothe them. Where we see violence, we offer a better way
. . . we love. Where we see someone
outside and excluded, we invite them in.
Where we see injustice, we speak up.
We begin to care in order to make a change . . . and, we begin where we
are.
Jesus chose to love . . . to love the
“little ones” . . . to love us.
Jesus chose to open the table and to
include everyone.
Here comes Jesus . . . coming up the
road . . . do we follow? The choice is
ours to make. What will we do? Amen.
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