Theological Truth: Loving the world changes the world.
Come Holy Spirit, and kindle in us the fire of your Love. Send forth your Spirit, and we
shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.
Wendell Berry’s novel, Jayber Crow, narrates the tale of Jayber, a small-town barber, whose life intersects, enriches and occasionally disturbs the people of Port Royal, Kentucky, the community he serves. Jayber is technically the town’s barber, but he’s
more than that. Prior to coming to Port Royal, Jayber had been in seminary. Even
though that didn’t work out, he spends his life ministering to his customers. His barber shop becomes one part community center, one part church — his hands so familiar with the heads of the men of that community, that he can tell who someone’s father is just by the shape of their skull — and despite what their birth certificate might say.
On one particular day at the barber shop in 1969, the patrons start talking about the
Vietnam war. The first two men are pretty hard on war protesters, but Troy (an arrogant, bully of a young man who also happens to be married to a woman Jayber admires deeply) has the harshest words of all: “They ought to round up every one of them sons of bitches and put them right in front of the damned communists, and then whoever killed who, it would be all to the good.” Everyone gets quiet for a second, and then Jayber narrates what happened next: “It was hard to do, but I quit cutting hair and looked at Troy. I said, ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.’ Troy jerked his head up and widened his eyes at me. ‘Where did you get that crap?’ I said, ‘Jesus Christ.’ And Troy said, ‘Oh.’ It would have been a great moment in the history of Christianity, except that I did not love Troy.” (p. 287).
The shock—even foolishness—of these words hasn’t dimmed in the past 2,000 years. Troy certainly didn’t want to hear them. Jayber could quote them, but admitted he wasn’t practicing them. If we’re honest, neither are we.
G.K. Chesterton rightly observed that, “Christianity has not been tried and found
wanting; rather, it has been found difficult and left untried.” But in those rare instances when Jesus’ teachings have been applied, especially by a group, in a committed, prayerful, and sustained way, his power and wisdom has changed the world. Think of the Civil Rights movement and Martin Luther King, or the end of apartheid and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Love your enemies: do good to those that hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer them your other also. If they steal your coat, see if they’d like your shirt too. Give to whoever asks; don’t take back what they’ve taken. Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Not do to others before they do it to you!)
These teachings from Jesus seem to be about what to do. And in that light, no wonder we dismiss them quickly as a bunch of … well, you know. But in reality, they are more about how we are to be … and who we are to be.
Given the anger and fear of our current political situation and the pain and threat facing people in our communities and across the world, the familiar question — either directly or indirectly — has been: What are we going to do!? It’s a reasonable and appropriate question for both concerned citizens and Christian disciples. Our values, rooted in prayer and informed by the teachings of Jesus, should indeed shape the policies, priorities, and legislation that we support. Our faith should move us to ask, “What should we do?” How should we treat the sojourner in the land? How best to care for our neighbor? How can we care for the sick, the poor, the elderly? Are we being good stewards of the freedom and the resources God has given us?
Jesus himself used the words from Isaiah to set his to-do list: Proclaim good news to the poor; release to the captives; recovery of sight to the blind; to let the oppressed go free; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:17-19)
AND … today he tells us how we are to do that: by being people of self-giving, sacrificial Love … even and including our enemies. We are to be people who love unconditionally, live generously, pray universally, forgive persistently, and refrain from violence, judgmentalism, and condemnation. This is how we are to be in the world. Difficult, yes … but also unmistakable.
FURTHERMORE … its’s about who we are to be in the world. We are to be children of the Most High God. Chips off the old block. Followers of Christ Jesus. Being merciful
as our heavenly Father is merciful. Showing mercy— to all! —just as we have received
mercy. We are to be loving, forgiving, merciful and generous because of who we are:
children of the loving, forgiving, merciful and generous God revealed in Jesus Christ.
SO…yes!
- Resist bullying threats and tyrannical injustice. But do it with love.
- Stand up for the vulnerable who are being targeted with so much hatred and the sojourners in the land whose lives are being wrecked so carelessly. But do it with love.
- Object when laws are broken, corruption spreads, and our system of government is jeopardized. But do it with love.
- Act to protect our borders and our children. But do it with love.
- Be good stewards of government spending, root out waste and fraud and abuse. But do it with love.
- Bring wars to an end, please! But do it for love of God and love of neighbor.
Friends, these are difficult and divisive times. Fear abounds. Hatred thrives. I’m sure
that these teachings from Jesus are the last thing any of us want to hear today, which
makes them the most important thing for us to hear today, because Paul’s warning is every bit as relevant for us today as it was to the church in Rome: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).
No matter who you voted for … what you’re afraid of …. or why you’re angry. Pray for
God to guide you on what to do. (And then do that part and leave the rest for God to
assign to others.) But also pray for guidance on how you are to be, remembering whose you are to be.
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray
for those who abuse you. Be merciful, just as God is merciful.
