Reflection on Luke 10:38-42

“I just do not find the time,” he explained. 

“I know that the Lord should be my priority in life.  I want the Lord to be my priority in life.  But, I find that there is so much that just needs to get done that I just do not find the time.” 

This young father’s desire for the Lord is pure, but like many of us, he struggles to connect with God as he lives out his life in the real world.

Been there?

To the young man, and to us who struggle with him, Jesus whispers, “You are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.”

These words were spoken to Martha just short of 2000 years ago, but it is as if they were spoken directly to today’s busy world with all of its expectations. 

Two thousand years ago hosts were expected to provide safe lodging and a hearty meal to travelers.  In a world with very few inns, cold nights, and a remarkable lack of supermarkets or even mom and pop grocery stores, the only way to travel (and stay alive) was to trust in the graciousness of people along the way.  Martha, in our gospel story for today, was one of those gracious hosts, and the sudden arrival of a guest has thrown a load of expectation onto her shoulders.

In today’s world of convenient hotels and supermarkets we have very different expectations placed upon us, but we have expectations none-the-less.  Remember when the Smartphone first came out, how it was going to make our lives so much easier?  Instead of driving into work or waiting for the desktop computer to load up in the home office, one could simply open the email app, answer the quick question, and then you would be done and well on your way to a relaxed day and (for intense Christians have more possibilities of contemplating on the Lord).  What we never expected was that this technology would instead demand new time consuming etiquette.

How many of you make certain to answer emails or texts as soon as they pop up on your devises? 

It is no surprise to many of you that I break this etiquette of timely response all the time.  I know for a fact that some people consider me the epitome of rude in this regard.  I tend to respond in a Smartphone world with the timing of yesterday’s mail order delivery.  Remember when you had to wait 6-8 weeks for your amazing, new spatula?  However, in the business world anyway, if an email or text is not at least acknowledged as being received within moments, you are rude and inconsiderate. 

To us who are ensnared by this type of cultural expectation Jesus whispers, “You are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.”

Just to be absolutely clear, there is nothing wrong with getting things done.  Jesus teaches us that the most important thing in life is to love God and love neighbor.  So, Martha’s concern that Jesus is treated well as a guest, that he is well fed, and that he has a comfortable bed prepared clearly falls in the loving neighbor category.  Jesus makes no negative remarks concerning her loving devotion. 

When Jesus’ hackles do get raised is when Martha forgets half of that most important thing in life.  I remind you that Jesus teaches us that the most important thing in life is to love God and love neighbor.  Martha chastises Mary for doing the first half. 

"Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me," Martha complains.

It is the same chastising that we whisper to ourselves continually which leads us to say things like, “I know that the Lord should be my priority in life.  I want the Lord to be my priority in life.  But, I find that there is so much that just needs to get done that I just do not find the time.”

To our accusations of laziness placed upon others, but also, most importantly, placed upon ourselves, Jesus says, “You are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.”

“Distracted.” 

Jesus says that we are distracted.  If we want to take our faith seriously, then maybe we should take this word from the Bible seriously.  Being “distracted,” of course, is placing your attention on something other than the thing you should be concentrating upon. 

“Distracted.”  

How many of you are “distracted” right now?  How many of you have already in just a few minutes allowed your minds to wander to getting the lawn mowed or how you are going to get along with a relative during your vacation? 

Jesus says that we are “distracted.”  We have allowed our minds to wander from what is important. 

So, now that we have put our minds back on track, what exactly is important to Jesus?  If we hear anything in Jesus’ message to us this morning what should it be? 

The answer comes from the story just previous to this one in Luke.  You probably know it quite well.  Some of you were even required to memorize it.  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 

It appears that Jesus is inviting us to love the Lord our God as the first thing in our lives.  It appears that Jesus is inviting Martha (and us) to take some time to sit next to Mary at the feet of Jesus and find all that will give our lives meaning and direction and salvation.  When we allow Jesus to speak to us, the equally important and holy task of loving and serving the neighbor will come.

Martha criticizes Mary for doing the right thing: loving the Lord with all her heart, soul, strength, and mind.  Mary is not failing to love her neighbor in this situation; she is just putting first things first in her life.  She is allowing God to speak to her first.  After God speaks to her, loving the neighbor will certainly follow.

That is all well and good, but we are still distracted.  What are we, the distracted, to do?

We listen to what Jesus says: “You are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Therefore, let us take the time to choose the better part first, before any other thing.   First before work, first before school, and even first before getting out of bed we will try to literally put Jesus before anything else. 

Try this little devotional practice ever morning as you first open your eyes.  How about you try it and practice it with me right now?

1.  Take three deep long breaths in and out.  As you take those breaths in and out, say to yourself that Easter promise, “Christ Lives!”

2.  Now open your hands and stretch your fingers, repeating to yourself this phrase: “You are the potter, I am the clay.”

3.  Take another deep breath in saying to yourself, “Create in me a clean heart , O God…”  And, as you breathe out, say to yourself, “…and renew a right spirit within me.”

4.  Stretch your arms like Jesus on the cross and say to yourself, “God is love.  God forgives.”

5.  Tilt your head to the left, putting your ear low and remind yourself to listen for the lonely and poor.

6.  Tilt your head to the right, putting your ear low and remind yourself to listen for the sick and oppressed.

7.  Stretch your arms high and say to yourself, “To you O Lord I lift up my soul.”

8.  Then, finish this morning stretch with another deep breath saying to yourself, “Give thanks to the Lord, for the Lord is good.”

Of course, this is not some magical formula that needs to be done in order to put Christ first in your life, but it is a nice reminder to “choose the better part” and sit with Mary at the feet of Jesus.

Reflection on Luke 10:25-37

“Who is my neighbor?” 

The real answer that Jesus gives to the lawyer’s question is so much more interesting than the answer that floats around our culture.  It is not that our culture’s interpretation is a bad one.  When told the story of the Good Samaritan and asked who their neighbor is, the answer you get from both people of faith and people on the street alike in our culture is: “Everyone who needs help.” 

That is a fine answer.  That is a fine interpretation of the “Good Samaritan” story.  Everyone who needs help is our neighbor.  It does not matter if it is a black woman, a disabled person, an Asian child, or even a middle aged, straight, white dude who is beaten and bruised on the side of the road; we should help anyone as the Good Samaritan did. 

We should not walk on past like the priest and Levite. 

That is an awesome read of the story.  If only everyone considered everyone else as their neighbor, we would be so much better off as a society.

But, this morning I want to dig deeper than that common answer.  Jesus’ actual answer to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” is so much more interesting, and so much more thought provoking. 

You see, our culture is not able to see this more interesting angle on the story because we almost always assume that we are the people walking in the road.  Our culture assumes that we either stop to help or walk right on past.  Our culture almost never stops to consider that we may be the one who is bloodied and beaten on the side of the road. 

Notice, though, that the way that Jesus starts off the parable indicates that we are not the people walking on the road, rather we are the person beaten up in the ditch.  And, this changes everything when we ask, “Who is our neighbor?”

The lawyer asks Jesus, “And, who is my neighbor?” 

Jesus’ reply starts out immediately with, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho.” 

“A man” was going.  “A man,” the same as the lawyer...”a man.”  Jesus is pretty clear that we are to envision ourselves as “a man.”  And where are we going?  “Down from Jerusalem to Jericho.”  We are traveling this twisting mountain road with multiple rocky curves behind which thieves would hide and ambush those who were traveling alone and unarmed.

And, you O traveler, apparently decided to stupidly travel the treacherous road both alone and unarmed.  You should have known better, but you set out anyway. 

How many times have you known what you should have done, but through laziness, desperation, or mere haphazardness, you did not act carefully? 

I think of the two sisters that showed up in the chaplain’s office at Immanuel Hospital desperately looking for some help to buy gas, food, and, curiously, shoes.  When the two sisters had heard that their mother had gone to the hospital because of a sudden heart attack, they simply got into their car and started driving the 3 hour trip to the hospital.  They left with nothing.  The one woman had not even thought to put on her shoes.

Anyway, back to the story. 

However it happened, as you travel helplessly down that winding Jerusalem to Jericho road, you are surprised by some robbers who strip you of your nice jeans, steal your fashionable shoes, and beat you so much that you cannot even conceive of pursuing them or even getting up to call for help.

This is the part where a priest comes walking along, looks at you, and continues going. 

In the same way, a very religious fellow…you know, the type that always says, “but the Bible says…” that guy.  He walks along, sees you, and takes a wide detour on the other side of the road. 

Notice that in the Bible, both literally see you.  They actually take a look at you and decide to walk away.  They actually open their eyes, evaluate the situation, and decide that they are in no position to get involved or to offer help. 

Maybe, they feel inadequate to the task?  Maybe, they feel like this is the type of thing that will make them vulnerable?  Maybe, they have something just as important to which they must attend?  Maybe they are prejudice and do not like the color of your skin. 

Who knows why they did not stop and help.  There are a myriad of reasons why people do not help when they should.  You do not care about their reasons, all you care about is that fact that they knew about your dire situation and decided that they did not need to help you.  Because of them, you are still in the ditch, dying.

Then comes the unlikely hero; a Samaritan guy.  This guy is not your natural friend., rather, he is one of “those people.”  You know, “those people” who normally do not care about you.  The guy is one of “those people” who you would most suspect to be the one to refuse to have anything to do with you.  One of “them” stops to help. 

He bandages you up, using oil to sooth and wine to disinfect your wounds.  He puts you on his animal and pays for your recovery at an inn.

“Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" Jesus asks the lawyer.  “Who helped you as you envisioned yourself on the side of the road?” Jesus asks the guy.

 Of course, the answer is, “The one who showed him mercy.”

This is why Jesus’ answer is so much more interesting than we ever thought, because the answer is not “everyone who needs our help.”  Rather, the answer Jesus leads the lawyer to discover is, “anyone who offers help.”  Anyone who offers help is your neighbor.  Those who offer help are your brothers and sisters in the life that God creates. 

That makes me think of that undocumented guy from Mali a year ago who scaled the stacked balconies of a French apartment building in order to save a toddler who was about to fall from a balcony railing.  The guy climbed several stories like Spider-Man and saved the little kid from a death-assured fall.  He was soon after awarded French citizenship because of his bravery and because he demonstrated that he was a good neighbor.

I think of a young teenage girl held in one of those border detention centers along the US border who saw a 2 year old boy crying because he did not have his parents with him any longer.  She decided to be a neighbor and give as much love and care as her young teen self could provide.  The adults (for whatever reasons good or poor) passed on the opportunity to offer help.  However, that girl was the neighbor who showed love. 

What if you were that two year old child?  What would you want?  What would you need?

What if you were someone who was lost and needed saved?  What if Jesus came along after other people had given up on you?  What if Jesus died on the cross to save you, a wretched person on the side of the road?  What if Jesus was raised from the dead and he grabbed your arm and pulled you up out of the tomb-like ditch with him?  What if he saw you and saved your life?  Would you do the same?

“Go and do likewise,” Jesus says to the lawyer.  You want to live a true life?  You want to live a Godly life of purpose?  You want to live a life that has eternal meaning?  Go and be a good neighbor to someone in need, because, on the cross, Christ was a good neighbor to you.

Reflection on Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

“Lord, I actually made a difference!” the seventy apostles report excitedly back to Jesus.  Actually, they said, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" but I read that to mean, “Lord, I went out there and actually made a difference!”  And that right there, the end result, is where I would like to start. 

After-all, whether it is stopping and praying with someone who appears troubled at work; standing up for someone who is rejected; calling out someone who is tearing other people down rather than building them up; taking precious time out of your day to be with someone is lonely…especially when that person might be slightly annoying; stepping up and helping children or adults who find themselves in abusive and dangerous situations; or doing what the apostles were doing here by sharing God’s peace and good news; each of these things can all be a little too frightening in today’s world. 

The natural tendency when confronted by fear is to just stay home and read a good book.  The natural tendency is to walk on past the bloodied man on the side of the road and binge watch all episodes of Stranger Things, Season 3 on Netflix.  The natural tendency is to not put ourselves out there, because frightening things can happen these days.

But, that was true back then too.  Jesus ended up on a cross for loving the wrong people and including them in his kingdom.  Jesus ended up on a cross for speaking against the powerful.  If the cross is not frightening, then I do not know what is!

That is why I wanted to start with this surprise infused sentiment toward the end of the reading, “Lord, I actually made a difference!” 

After-all, Jesus came to the world to make a difference.  Jesus came to set the prisoners free.  He came to raise up the poor and struggling.  He came to give forgiveness to the sinner…even the bad ones.  He came to bring healing wherever healing was needed.  He came to us…period. 

Jesus did not let fear keep him from shaping the kingdom of God, and he has no intention to let fear keep us from shaping the kingdom of God either.  We are here to make a difference.  We have been created, baptized, and commissioned by God to make a difference, and it is glorious when it happens.

Jesus is no dummy though; he knows what he is doing.  Notice the very first sentence in this reading:  “The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.” 

The seventy newly minted apostles…and what I mean by that is they had no idea what they were doing…were sent in pairs.  Being in pairs is a good thing.  The world was reborn and restored through pairs of animals after the flood.  There is safety in pairs, especially when you do not know what you are doing.  Pairs of people have each other to lean on when the going gets tough. 

Most importantly, this thing that we call the faith is not about “me and my God.”  It is about “God and us.”  God does not send “me” out, God sends “us” out.  Faith is a community sort of thing.  So, when we invite others to be with us, we are inviting them into a community that trusts Jesus.  In community, they will learn what it is to serve and trust the Lord. 

So, who is your plus one in the faith?  Who do you walk with in the faith?  If you do not currently have anyone, with whom can you serve?

I really want you to consider with whom you can serve Jesus because there are a lot of people out there that Jesus cares about.  Jesus said to the apostles, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 

I like how positive Jesus is when he looks out at the world.  When Jesus looks out at the world, he does not see a bunch of people going to hell in a hand basket like we hear so often.  Instead, Jesus sees potential.  Just like Jesus saw in you when he called you; despite your faults.  Despite your sin, he saw the potential in you…and I guess still sees potential in you. 

That is the way the Jesus sees the whole world.  He sees in everyone the potential rather than worst elements of their past.  When you consider all the people in your life, to whom has God pointed while whispering in your ear, “That person right there.  They are the ones.  I see the potential in them.”  Maybe, it is time to take your plus one with you and pay that person a visit, or invite them for some lunch.

I know…I know…the very thought of all of this causes the little guy or gal up in your head to press the fear button over and over again.  “Don’t do it!”  “Don’t do it!” the voice of fear screams.  “What do I do?”  What do I say?”  “What if they turn out to be an axe murderer who will encase me in concrete and bury me under the pavement of a newly constructed parking lot?”  You know, completely rational worries. 

Again, Jesus, is no dummy.  He knows exactly what he is doing.  He knows that he is sending you out to the wolves.  But, he tells you to “go” anyway.  “Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.”  If it seems like Jesus is sending you out on a perilous journey, it is probably because Jesus is sending you out on a perilous journey.  But, if we did not ever say, “yes” to these tasks, Martin Luther King Jr. would have never taken on the task of striving toward a better world where people of all races might feast together at the table of brotherhood.  Jesus knows that you are vulnerable, but he sends you anyway.

He is pretty practical about it all though.  His disciples could minimize the possibility of becoming the beaten person on the side of the road if they carried no purse, no bags, had no sandals; and greeted no one on the road.  In other words, his disciples were not to be targets of hate.  They were to carry nothing of value that could make them a target, instead, they would be bringers of peace.

“Bringers of peace.”  I like that.  What if someone said that of you?  

“When I think about her or him, I think about peace?” 

Maybe, we could think about our task of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ less about some sort of magical formula of words that will bring about the conversion of the lost, but rather the task of bringing the peace of Jesus into the lives of people who have no rest and no comfort. 

When we bring God’s peace to people’s homes and people’s lives, we are doing exactly as the Lord commanded.  “Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace to this house!'  And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you.”  You are a bringer of Jesus’ peace.

As you offer Jesus’ peace, while you sit, eat, and drink with people, take the time to find out what hurts in their lives.  I was just reminded the other day by someone that so many people, by all appearances, seem to have their lives perfectly put together.  They have the nice house.  They have the nice car.  They have the smiling children.  They have the mowed lawns. 

But, when you actually take the time to ask what people need prayed for, you find the hurt.  You find all that needs healing.  And, when we are able to share those things with each other, we find suddenly ourselves in the presence of Jesus who will provide the healing we need.  The kingdom of God has suddenly come near.

What if?  What if someone does not accept you?  What if someone does not want your presence?  What if someone does not want the healing of Jesus? 

Then shake the dust off of your shoes and move on.  Their inability to accept love has nothing to do with your ability to provide it.  Shake off the rejection.  It has nothing to do with you.  Shake it all off like dust and continue to serve Jesus and share his love.

As Jesus sends you out, more and more, you will certainly hear these surprised-filled words coming from your own mouth, “Lord, I made a difference!”  It actually is not you who made the difference though, but God.  It is God who is important.  It is God who writes our names in heaven.  It is God who saves our souls.  It is God who gives the love and gets the glory.  We are just travelers, striving to serve Jesus as we wander through the kingdom of God.