Reflection on Matthew 18:15-20

 

One day Peter came up to Jesus and asked him the very question that most of us ask at some point in our lives of faith: “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” (NRSV, Matthew 18:21).

After-all, it is hard to dole out forgiveness multiple times when a person keeps failing in the same way over and over again, burning bridges everywhere they turn.  It is also hard to watch that person hurt themselves in the process, over and over again.  It is painful even. 

Is there some point, Jesus, when we can just say enough is enough?  Is there some point, Jesus, where you say enough is enough?

On the other hand, if there was a point where Jesus ever said, “Enough is enough!” to forgiving us, we would never be able to sing about the one who “saved a wretch like me.” Jesus did save a wretch like me and a wretch like you and a jerk like your nasty neighbor. 

Jesus tells Peter that he must forgive, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times’” (NRSV, Matthew 18:22).

After-all, that seventy-seventh time might be the one time that finally changes a person’s life.

There was a man, true story by the way, who embezzled over $70,000 from a charity that he was helping to set up.  Now, he had no intention of embezzling that money.  It all started when he accidentally pulled out the wrong card to pay for a meal.  He intended to pay it right back the next day, but when nobody noticed the money missing, he just let it kind of slip.  From there, it was a hotel room here, and a gas fill-up there, all of which he fully intended to pay back.  But, as these things go, it got out of hand, and he started to see a total amount that needed to be paid back that far exceeded his ability to do so.

The man was caught and sentenced to two years in prison, plus fines.  His generous victims who gave large amounts of their savings intended for charity were out of luck.  They had lost their $70,000.  Years later, when everyone had written him off, he very publically stated that he was sorry to those he had defrauded.  He asked for their forgiveness, but expected to get none because, in his own words, “I wouldn’t be understanding of me.  I wouldn’t forgive me.”

But, do you know what?  Jesus is serious about this forgiveness thing.  Jesus gives multiple chances to for people to repent and turn around their lives.  Look at the instructions that he gives us, his followers, regarding attempting to provide forgiveness.  If someone sins against you, you should take it up with them one on one, and hopefully they will repent and receive forgiveness. 

This first step is a big one for a lot of people in the Christian community in India.  Rarely, will you ever see a public rebuke of someone.  What you do see are people inviting other people to go have some tea in the next room, and it is there, in private, that repentance and forgiveness happens, one-on-one.  No one else even knows. 

This is so different from what I see and what I am tempted to do myself.  Most of us tend to talk our problems over with people who are not the person we should be talking to.  In the same way, those who are technologically savvy will vent about anonymous idiots on social media, or over the phone…but we all know who is being talked about.  Gossip feels good and it makes me feel better, but it has nothing to do with love or forgiveness. 

So, let us say that you do overcome the temptation to gossip and that you do stick with Jesus’ love of people, and you do go to them “Indian style” and pull them aside for tea.  If they do not repent, Jesus urges you to give them another shot at seeking love and forgiveness.  He says to bring someone along with when you speak to them the next time, so that there are more people to give support to the whole situation.  And, if they still do not repent and accept the gift of forgiveness, then bring the larger faith community in so that the community might be able to help bring them around.

Do you notice how in each of these circumstances Jesus urges more and more contact; more and more support surrounding the person?  This is the opposite of writing off the person.  Alcohol and drug interventions seem to work in this spirit.  Those who love you, surround you when confronting you about your substance abuse.  They are right there to be supportive as you take your first steps in a new direction toward healing. 

Do note that these supportive people do not look anything like family members wielding guns your direction.  I just wanted to be clear about that.  Hey, it has happened…I’m just saying.  For Jesus, this is about love.

And, look at all of the chances that Jesus gives us to repent, receive forgiveness, and start our lives again through this process that he lays out.  But, even if none of this works and we still cannot see that we were in the wrong and we still cannot see a better way to live life, Jesus is not through with us yet. 

I do admit that when looking at the Bible it might seem as though Jesus is through with us.  If confronting sin in this way does not pan out, Jesus says to treat the offending person as “a Gentile and a tax collector.”  This seems to be the “enough is enough” permission that we have been looking for.  But, that would not be biblically accurate or spiritually right. 

After-all, to whom does Jesus say that he is sent to minister to?  Who does Jesus say that he is sent to serve?  It is a tax collector that Jesus invites to follow him.  It is the gentiles to whom the apostles are sent to baptize and teach.  The person who is trapped by sin is not to be disposed of; they are to be the target of our love and the target for teaching the basics of following Jesus.  They obviously need to start again.

Have you ever had to start again from scratch because the first time did not work out?  Did you ever forget the sugar in the cookies, or have you ever mistaken the baking powder for baking soda?  Did you ever grab the wrong wrench set from the shop and need to go back and try again? 

Sometimes, Jesus does that with us.  Sometimes, we did not latch onto the faith the first time around.  Sometimes our faith is like a seed that falls on rocky soil and it seems to shoot up fine, but it soon withers under the sun because the soil is too rocky. 

Sometimes, Jesus just needs to start with us from the very beginning so that what might grow after will flourish under the love and grace that he provides.  Sometimes, trees that bear no fruit need to be cut down and replanted.  Sometimes, we need a reset in life, but a reset…a restart…a replanting does not equal disposing of.  Jesus’ love is too great to just give up and dispose of us.  Forgiveness is too powerful to just give up.

The people who were defrauded of over $70,000 wrote the man who wasted away their money after his apology was publically released.  Touchingly, they asked for his forgiveness for years of disregarding him.  They forgave him of defrauding them, and told him that they wish him a good night’s sleep from now on, free from the guilt.  They followed Jesus and forgave the man the 77^th time, and the man’s life changed dramatically. 

How can life not change when the power of Jesus is with you?  How can life not change when two or three join you in Jesus name, Jesus’ transforming forgiveness becoming very real and very present? 

Jesus did save a wretch like me and a wretch like you and a jerk like your nasty neighbor.  And, this saving, this forgiveness, changes everything.  So, as a follower of Jesus, I urge you to give it a try…really.  Forgive many times over, because Jesus has forgiven you many times over.

Reflection on Romans 12:9-21

 

“What does the Bible mean by ‘love’ anyway?” the teen asked during a Bible study. 

For a few moments, probably a few moments too long, I was at a loss for words.  How could a person not know what love was? 

Then again, this girl grew up in a situation where she saw mostly arguments coming from the mouths of her parents, too wrapped up in their hatred of one another to remember that she even existed.  Maybe it was true; maybe she had no idea what love looked like. 

Come to think of it, did I?  Do not get me wrong, I had grown up surrounded by love.  Certainly I knew what love was about, but could I put it into words any better than she? 

The silent pause in conversation was becoming more than uncomfortable as the students shifted and she continued to stare, waiting for an answer. 

How do you talk about the unfathomable depths of Christ’s love to someone who likely had not even experienced the basic love that most of us get from our parents?  “Maybe, I should start with what she knows,” I thought.  It was a little presumptuous on my part to assume she had not experienced love, but I took a stab in the dark and suggested that we start by talking about what love is not.

So, I am going to do that right now for you also.  It is not that I think you have not experienced love.  I already know that most of you have.  But, at times our discussions of love in American Christianity sounds a lot like “being kind to one another.” 

Do not hear me wrong, I have nothing against kindness!  But, kindness does not even come close to describing the unfathomable love of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

So, I will do with you, what I did with this girl: I will read to you the Apostle Paul’s treatise on love in its opposite, negative way.  In others words, everywhere the Bible connotes “love,” I will try to convince you to “hate.”  By doing so, you will quickly see just how radical and amazing Christ’s love is; the love by which we try to model our own lives.

Here is the opposite of Romans 12:9-21:

Do not worry if your love is fake (hold your enemies close); embrace what weak people consider evil, hold fast to your own concerns…you come first; go ahead, hate one another with mutual distain; outdo one another in showing contempt. 

Do not lag in zeal, be steadfast in your hatred; ignore the Lord.  

Do not feel ashamed if you rejoice when other people despair.  Turn away when people suffer; after-all they are difficult to be around. There is no need to pray; it does nothing.

Forget about the needs of others in the faith community, your needs always come first; refuse to welcome outsiders and foreigners who will only use up your hard earned resources.  

Hate those who would do you harm; hate and curse them, you have no need of them. 

Ignore the joy of others, laugh in the face of those who dare to weep. Worry about yourself first; think of yourself first, and associate with those who are like you and think like you; do not let anyone win an argument against you.  

You have to repay evil for evil, and do not be afraid to stoop down to their level, no matter what others may think. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, defend yourself against everyone.  Avenge yourselves and do not let others walk over you.  Be like God, for God is a God of wrath; as it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

"If your enemies are hungry, let them starve; if they are thirsty, don’t waste time getting them something drink; for by doing this you will show them that you are serious and you have not forgotten your principles."  

Do not be a pansy or a snowflake, for evil can only be overcome with an equal amount of power.

“So, that’s the opposite of what the Bible says?” the girl asked. 

“Yes, that is the opposite of what the Bible says.  The very thing that God cares about the most, love, is the opposite of all of that.”

“But, I believe some of those things,” she said looking down. 

“I know.  So do I.  Isn’t it good that Jesus’ love for us is better than all that?  That is why he is our savior.  That is why we follow him.”

Now, I would never tell anyone to “be steadfast in your hatred and ignore the Lord.”  I certainly do not believe that, and neither do you.  But, I do admit that my beliefs and my actions are not always on the same page.   

I can be quite steadfast in my hatred and resentment of others even though I preach otherwise almost weekly.  I can easily delete from my life people who have hurt me and I certainly would not grill them some supper and offer them a beer on the back deck. 

If I am honest with myself, I often do think about my needs first.  I do ignore the needs of others if loving them would be far too inconvenient.  You know that person you should have called a long time ago?  Well, I have a list of people too. 

So, guilt is what I feel when I look at these words from the Bible too closely.  But, the Apostle Paul’s intention was not to leave you with a feeling of guilt.  Indeed, the book of Romans moves quite quickly from talking about our shortcomings to the message of good news. 

We are saved, not because our lives are filled with examples of perfect love, but because our lives are not.  Each one of us, Paul insists, is in the same, sinking boat.  But, faith fills those of us who see Jesus saving the sinking boat, despite our shortcomings, despite if we deserve to sink.  And, if we look closely at how Jesus keeps the boat from sinking, there is no doubt that we will try to do the same.

So, let us return to what Christ’s love actually looks like.  Let us return to these words from the Apostle Paul that describe what Christ’s deep love for the unlovable is all about.  After-all, it is a love that saved the world. 

And, it is a love that taught a teenage girl that the world could be so much different.  The girl printed out Paul’s words describing love and taped them to her wall so that she would see them every morning.  These are the words of love that shaped the start of each day.  And, they are the worlds that help bring the word “love” from meaning “a nice, kind feeling,” to very real actions that can save the world.

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. 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. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

(NRSV, Romans 12:9-21)

 

Reflection on Romans 12:1-8

 

 

Some people live their lives of faith as if they were watching a football game on television.  Who in your life do you know that screams at the television, berating the referees for a stupid call, or chastising players for bungling the play?  Is it you? 

 

Perhaps, you are a political being, muttering “idiot” under your breath when you hear your political opponent opening their blabber flaps.  Admittedly, “Blabber flap” might not be a real word, but you get the point.  Some people, maybe the majority of us, walk through our daily lives in constant critique of others and their stupidity. 

 

And, when we open the Bible, we can easily use it to perpetuate this mindset. 

 

You hear that God looks down on fornicators?  Well, you have a good idea of a couple of people that God is probably talking about. 

 

You hear Jesus speaking against the self-righteous?  Well, you know of a stuck up jerk who should probably open their Bible and read a little more carefully. 

 

The Bible can be used like the poor, screamed at television.  It can be used as a document that puts evil on display for you to scream at and belittle. 

 

But, the Apostle Paul wants you to set aside this hostile television-like experience of reading his words and instead read them as if you were looking in a mirror. 

 

When I look in the mirror, I do not think about the pimples on my cousin’s nose and chastise him for his looks.  No, when I look in the mirror I think about the outbreak upon my own nose.

 

“Do not be conformed to this world,” Paul tells us.  Rather, “be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” 

 

This is about looking in the mirror.  This is about looking closely at ourselves and realizing in what ways we are conformed to this world.

 

In what ways is your life trapped by the ways of this world?  Do people’s political alignments dictate your idea of them?  Do you make assumptions about them because of their political associations?  If so, you might be conformed to this world. 

 

When you describe the problems of this world do you talk about “them” and what “they” do to ruin the world?  Do you have a habit of lumping people into a generic category and so that you can easily dismiss them?  If so, you might be conformed to this world. 

 

Do you think primarily of your own rights and your own needs?  Are you easily taken aback when help is provided to someone else but not to you?  Do you fail to think about the rights and needs of others?  If so, you might be conformed to this world. 

 

Do you primarily pursue your own lusts and desires without much thought concerning how it will affect other people?  Is your day spent focusing on your own worries rather giving attention to the worries of someone else?  If so, you might be conformed to this world. 

 

You might be conformed to this world.  No, I said that wrong.  It is not true that you “might” be conformed to this world.  Paul is convinced that we, his readers, are already conformed to this world. 

 

The plain fact is that if you were born into this world, you are conformed to this world in some way; if not in one of the ways that I already listed, then another.  To be a human in this world is to be conformed to its ways.  If we were free from the influence of the world, we would have no need of a savior; we would have no need of Jesus Christ and his redeeming cross.

 

But, through the power of God’s grace in our lives, Paul is convinced that your mind can be transformed again and again, every day, to focus on the will of God.  And, what is the will of God for our lives?  What would we hope to see when we look in the mirror? 

 

Paul proposes that we would stare in the mirror at the end of the day and see that we had used our bodies as a living sacrifice.  We would see bodies that spent the day working hard at loving others first, the same way that Jesus loved us first and put us first when he went to the cross. 

 

We would see muscles building up that have been strengthened by flexing love rather than being strengthened by our desires. 

 

We would see a person looking back from the mirror who does not think too highly of him or herself, but also does not think too low of him or herself either. 

 

Just because you are not perfect does not mean you are trash.  Paul wants us to look at ourselves in the mirror with “sober judgment.”  This “sober judgment” that Paul talks about is a special ability to look in the mirror and see yourself truthfully.  You are not God’s gift to the world, but at the same time, you kind of are. 

 

When I look in the mirror, I see that I have been gifted with the ability to write songs and play the guitar for the benefit of building other’s faith.  Am I the greatest church musician?  Not even close.  To think too highly of myself would be a lie.  But, to think too low of myself would also be a lie.  To think too low of myself would mean that I probably would not share my gift.  I would bury my gift and it would be wasted.  That is not good either. 

 

Instead, we look at ourselves soberly…truthfully…and act in ways that are consistent with the level of faith and abilities that we have been given. 

 

You too have been given gifts by God.  Whether it is diagnosing and revealing the truth like news reporters on a large scale or therapists on a personal scale; ministering to the needs of people like health care workers, childcare providers, or elder care specialists; teaching other people skills like school teachers, or teaching others the faith like pastors and faith educators; exhorting and encouraging others to follow Jesus; giving food or time or money; leading people in right ways; showing compassion on the lowly and sinful; and the list goes on and on; God has given each of us gifts that are to be used to share God’s grace, to share God’s forgiving love, and to create God’s world of blessing. 

 

Look in the mirror and see someone who needs a little work. 

 

Look in the mirror and see someone who is loved anyway. 

 

Look in the mirror and see someone who has an appropriate amount of faith to do the amazing work that God desires you to share. 

 

Look in the mirror and see someone who is an integral part of Christ’s body in the world, along with all of God’s other gifted people.  No one part of the body is greater than another, but neither are any parts disposable.  All parts of the body are needed; and though someone in your past may have led you to think otherwise, you too are a needed part of Christ’s body.

 

After-all, you have been redeemed by God through the blood of Jesus’ cross for a reason.  And, that reason has nothing to do with perpetuating the division and hatred that the world embraces.  Rather, yours are the hands and feet that deliver the good news of God’s grace to the people of the world in your own, unique way.