Monday, September 2, 2008

Today’s text

Matthew 18:15-17

'If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: whatever the misdemeanor, the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain the charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a gentile or a tax collector.

Prayer

This sounds harsh. But listening to Jesus’ words again I see that he offers a way more gentle and righteous than our normal ways. Far more.

His concern is entirely different than that which defines most of our conflicts. He moves our feet in a direction opposite that of our normal paths. Most often, we are amazed, disgusted or indignant when others treat us unfairly.

‘How could they do this?’

‘How could they say that about me?’

We flee to a safe corner where we know people will listen to our complaint as we pour out tales of personal slights, unfair treatment and woe. We seek sympathy and nodding heads that affirm that we are right to be offended.

That’s what we really want: affirmation that we are right and another is wrong or stupid. It feeds our self-righteousness and sense of superiority. We can look down on our offender surrounded by our personal ‘amen’ corner.
We know this pattern. It is as old as the human race and repeated millions of times daily in every language of earth.

But Jesus directs back to the one who troubles, insults or offends us. Jesus is not one wit concerned with satisfying self-righteousness or our sense of superiority. These only fracture relationships and erode real community. They miss the mark of truly human living as much or more than many of the slights and injustices we suffer.

Jesus sends us to our offender to make peace. And he promises always to be there, present in the heart of our effort to live in harmony. He sends us back to the place where our souls might find healing, not merely affirmation.

Jesus, you seek peace for our wounded souls. Your will is that we experience a seamless garment of communal wholeness, where we live in harmony with each other. Teach our hearts your way that our crusty souls may soften.

Pr. David L. Miller