Sunday, November 03, 2019

A Reputation Ruined, a Blessing Bestowed


3 November 2019

Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18; Psalm 149; Ephesians 1:11-23; Luke 6:20-31

What makes a bad reputation a good thing?  It depends on whom we are trying to impress.  "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets” (Luke 6:22-23).

Approval-seeking behavior – behavior which more likely betrays our truest self - is intended to gain approval from others, but what happens most often is that we risk compromising our integrity, the core of who we are and what we believe.  Some may approve; but if our efforts betray what they thought they knew about us, they will not respect us.  What people generally respect is integrity.  They make not like the person or the beliefs, but they will respect them.  

When people know we are Christians and active members of the Church – regardless of denomination – they have certain expectations based on what they know of us outwardly.  When we fail to live up to those expectations, what they generally believe about Christians, they may like us and may even approve; but when we betray our core beliefs and sacrifice our own integrity for the sake of people-pleasing, of seeking popularity, of fitting in, they lose all respect for us and our beliefs.  Why should they respect our beliefs when we don’t?

Even though St. James warns us against getting too chummy with ‘the world’ (James 4:4), it is not always easy to discern between being responsible citizens and neighbors - and being disloyal disciples betraying our Shepherd; because our behavior is never about our Father’s love for us.  Rather, our behavior is a reflection of our love for our Father.  It’s always easy to say The Lord love us, and it is easier still to say we love The Lord.  Those are only words, however, and people do not always believe what they hear – but they will always believe what they see.

Maybe one of the most difficult challenges for disciples is trying to discern “the world” from which we are to keep a safe distance.  Paul and Peter both encourage us to be good, respectful citizens; and the fundamental Commandment to “love our neighbor as ourselves” can never be brushed aside.

It occurs to me, though, that even though Jesus frames that Commandment as applying to any who are in distress, the distress may not always be a physical one – as in being beaten and left on the side of the road (Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37).    

For those who clamber for positive attention from, well, anyone for any reason, there is a profound spiritual distress which cannot be ignored.  Those who try to play on both sides of the fence to hedge their social bets don’t know who they really are.  And they don’t know who they are because they, as creatures themselves, have disconnected themselves from their Creator.  It isn’t only a matter of knowing whether they are condemned or saved; it is entirely about living the life they are ordained to live, being whom they were created to be.

In the Beatitudes, it must first be understood Jesus is speaking primarily to Jews.  It may be safe to say there were certainly some Gentiles in the crowd, but they would not be able to really connect with or relate to the idea of their “ancestors” who glorified “false prophets” (Luke 6:26).  In an appropriate context, this would have been self-proclaimed prophets who told the people what they wanted to hear rather than what they needed to hear.

It must also be noted Jesus is speaking to an exclusive crowd; that is, “I say to you who listen …” (vs 27).  While the primary audience remains unchanged, this is where we Gentiles need to really step up and take to heart what The Good Shepherd is conveying – because we live in a world in which any who disagree – whether politically or socially – with “us” is demonized.  By definition, then, they become “enemies” because they won’t go along. 

That is the reality of the world we have helped to create either by not taking a stand or standing in the wrong place.  Yet our Shepherd turns our own self-created narrative on its head: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (vss 27-28). 

Then He goes on to tell us we must take their abuse!  This is where He loses many of us.  While we may not literally walk away from Him at this point, we do still disengage in favor of “self defense”.  And that “do unto others” bit?  Our version is “before they do unto you”. 

That is what our world expects from us.  That is what our culture requires of us.  And this is where it gets really hard for parents – teaching our children to “turn the other cheek”.  What do we teach our children?  Quite the opposite.  Yet it is written in the so-called “Satanic Bible” that if someone strikes you on the cheek, crush his cheek. 

Yet there is a story about President Lincoln who had referred to the people of the South as fellow human beings who are in error.  A lady chastised him for suggesting such a thing, preferring to refer to Southerners as enemies to be destroyed.  The president responded, “Madam, do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

Being and doing all Jesus teaches us to do is very hard, sometimes seemingly impossible under certain circumstances.  What is harder still is being labeled a coward by our culture, according to our culture’s standards, by refusing to stand up for and defend ourselves.  But what is most ironic is that we encourage our children to take their school lessons to heart for the sake of becoming successful, we teach them quite the opposite when it comes to religion and faithfulness. 

In spite of it all, however, our Lord teaches this above all else: when we strive for faithfulness, we will see reward.  Poor in spirit, hungry for righteousness, weeping for loneliness when the culture we are most comfortable with turns its back on us because we no longer fit the narrative and are no longer useful to those who use us only for their own gain.

Our Shepherd knows better than anyone what that feels like, so He is not speaking from a void.  He, better than anyone, is painfully aware of human nature; but He also continues to challenge and to strengthen us to rise above it all … “for surely your reward is great in heaven”.  We can reach “higher” – or we can settle for the here-and-now.  That is our choice.

Our reputations may be ruined in the eyes of man, but the Blessing of Heaven is ours.  Now … and forever.  Amen.

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