Reflection on Matthew 5:21-37

As the plane was descending into Mumbai, India I was struck by the enormity of the slum which resides next to the airport.  Even from the air, small shacks that were thrown together using scraps of building materials, stretched far beyond what you could see.  The size of the slum was beyond comprehension.  The size of the need of all of those people was more than I could even wrap my head around.

Apparently, neither could the local government comprehend its size or even its existence because as we drove away from the airport, the enormity of the slum was muted greatly by miles of wall that lined the side of the road.  Only hints of what lay beyond were seen through momentary gaps as we traveled away.

The wall was a thin, flimsy barrier constructed to hide the need beyond.  And, sometimes I wonder if we construct the same sort of barriers in our lives that hide the need around us. 

Jesus is clear concerning who he cares deeply about.  Blessed are the poor is spirit.  Blessed are the meek.  Blessed are those who mourn.  Blessed are those who are persecuted.  Blessed are those who seek the right thing.  Each of these people garners God’s full attention and thus, should also garner the full attention of the Christian community.

In fact, we are each given spiritual gifts from God that are intended to be used for the sake of all these people for whom God cares deeply.  God has given the right gifts for the sake of the right people. 

Then why do those slums still exist? 

My guess is that it has something to do with the construction of that wall.  That wall hides the reality of those who suffer.  Hiding the reality of the people on the other side of the wall probably makes privileged people driving along the road feel better about life, but the wall does not actually fix anything in reality.  People are still suffering behind that wall. 

Not only does the wall hide people, but the wall also unintentionally hides the very gifts that we have been given to care for one another.  Unused gifts are hidden gifts.  Jesus does not desire that either the suffering people or the gifts of those who could potentially help remain hidden.

Now, it is easy to point out actual walls and their consequences, but there are other not-so-easy to see walls that we construct. 

How many of you have murdered anyone in the past few weeks?  None?  Great!  That is wonderful.  Congratulations.  I know it can be difficult sometimes…especially if you have been involved with any endeavor that requires you to organize and direct a large number of people toward accomplishing a task; extra props to you for not murdering a single one of those people.  And, now that you have not murdered anyone, you can relax behind the wall of that accomplishment.  Now, you do not need to worry about your morality.

Unfortunately, that wall of morality is a flimsy wall.  Jesus points out that calling someone a “fool” can be just as destructive as murder.  As we see on the news, such name-calling can even lead to suicide.  Jesus knew this reality all the way back, 2,000 years ago. 

Continual anger at someone is in itself a wall.  Such anger keeps you at arm’s length from another person; keeping you away from the greatest gift God has given the world: forgiveness.  You cannot construct a wall of self-righteousness with the bricks of non-murder, especially when that wall blocks those who are poor in spirit; people for whom God cares deeply.

The same is true for those who look upon others with lust; putting up a wall of objectification rather than seeing the person for who they are.  Such walls allow human trafficking or even just simple intimidation of women who feel like statues that are stared upon, rather than existing as actual people who matter.  Those who thirst for righteousness are thirsting to be seen and do not desire to be hidden behind walls.

In ancient times there were women who were thrown to the streets to fend for themselves with a simple piece of paper declaring divorce.  Those women also needed to be seen.  But those walls are not just a thing of the past, women who are abandoned to fend for themselves and their families after a breakup or divorce is still an issue today!  Did you know that the single most determining factor of poverty for women and children today is still a breakup or divorce?  Too often a former husband just remarries and moves on while his family struggles. 

Jesus says that when you say, “yes” to your commitments, you should mean “yes.”  Anything less is a wall that hides people about whom God cares deeply.

Walls hide so much!  They hide those who Jesus cares about.  They also render the gifts we have been given to care for the blessed unused.  Walls hide our gifts. 

The good news is that walls are flimsy.  They can be easily toppled by strong winds or the will of God.  And, when they fall, we again get the opportunity to see our neighbors.  “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Jesus declares.  Once the walls are down, the suffering neighbor and the gifts that we have been given to care for one another are both finally revealed.

Speaking of gifts, you have them.  And in this community of faith, we allow God to tear down the walls that hide our neighbor and our gifts. 

You have been given gifts by God for the benefit of yourself and your neighbor.  Take a moment right now to imagine living in a world without walls, where the blessed of God can be seen and touched with a gifted, caring hand.