“An Anointing”
John
13:1-17
This familiar passage is the account of Jesus washing
the feet of His disciples. They are
gathered in the Upper Room and are preparing for the Passover, but Jesus does
this foot washing thing first, this act of complete humility and submission in
order to show that “a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent
greater than he who sent him” (John
13:16). In other words, Jesus says, ‘If I can do this thing, you can do no less’.
In the midst of Holy Week when we should be focusing
on Jesus’ final days on this earth, it is a crying shame that Arkansas
Christians have gotten entirely too caught up in the political and social upheaval
caused by the controversial SB 1228, “The Religious Freedom Restoration Act”
(it is not important what I think about the bill. If you care to know what it actually says,
read it for yourself). It has been
approved by the Arkansas Senate and is currently making its rounds in the
Arkansas House. The governor has expressed
his intent to sign the bill, and there is much “wailing and gnashing of teeth”.
It is written in the Proverbs, “Sometimes there is a way that seems to be
right, but in the end it is the way of death” (16:25). To refuse commercial service to same-gender
couples based upon religious objections to their lifestyle is a sticky wicket. Even though the proprietors of commercial
ventures may be religiously devout persons, they may still face legal
challenges because of the commercial nature of their business. This, however, is not the
challenge we should be so concerned with.
Rather the real challenge is in Jesus’ act in today’s Gospel reading.
To reserve the right to refuse service to anyone based
on one’s own religious ideal is dangerous territory especially in the context of the Gospel reading. Peter thought he had the right idea when he
tried to resist Jesus’ act, but in fact he missed the point entirely. “You call Me Teacher and Lord and you say
well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord
and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s
feet. For I have given you an example,
that you should do I have done to you” (John 13:13-15 NKJV).
Jesus also said, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with
Me” (vs 8b).
This act of humility and submission is not about
condoning or embracing lifestyles we deem objectionable. It is entirely about what lies before us. It is an anointing
of the disciples to “do as I have done to you”. Our
mission is in the hospitality of the Covenant we claim to believe and embrace. “For whatever you do to the least of these,
you do to Me”. It is not about
political or social objections; it is about genuine religious devotion and
appropriate expression. This week
especially, it is about being mindful of what is unfolding in the Passion of
the Messiah, what Jesus believed necessary to leave with and entrust to us.
To be clear, I am opposed to same-gender marriage
within the Church because I believe the Scriptures and the Spirit, not the interpreters
with a social agenda or a false notion of “love”. If this makes me a narrow-minded, knuckle-dragging,
mouth-breathing, sister-marrying back-woods hick in the sight of others, so be
it. This is not to say, however, that I
will refuse to allow anyone to worship or receive the Sacraments of the Church
nor will I refuse to serve anyone a plate at the church potluck because I find
their lifestyle objectionable. To do so
while overlooking my own sin, the other idolaters, adulterers, fornicators, and
gamblers, is to miss the “baptism” which comes from Jesus’ desire to serve “as
an example”.
It is about neither condoning nor condemning. It is about Christ and the “example” He gave
us not by telling us what to do but
by showing us how to do it and
why. If we do not get that, no
legislation will help.
Michael
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