DO NOT!!!

 

DO NOT!!!

 

A Reflection on the Sunday, May 18^th , lectionary reading from John 14.

 

“Do NOT let your hearts be troubled!”

 

Strange words.  In this world of disappointments and fears, of circumstances beyond our control, how is it that we have power over the trouble that would crash over our hearts, wave-like, sometimes tsunami, sometimes persistent overwhelming pounding?  How can we NOT let our hearts be troubled?

But, these words come from one in the midst of ocean-deep disappointments and capillary bursting anxiety.  This one is under attack.  This one leans over the edge of a final, the deepest trouble.

Or, does he?

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Or, do we?

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Might it be that our spiritual proximity to the one who says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” provides the vision, the way of thinking, the faith, THE WAY to a deeper ocean where waves crash on the surface but calm typifies the deep?

Does he?

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Saints and mystics and grandmothers and hymn writers and cross carriers sing with him, “Yes, it is well, it is well with my soul.”

In the storms many whisper with him, “Our Father…”

Could it be that we resist just LETTING trouble have its way with our hearts when we join him in this deep place?

 

Be Gentle with Thomas

"Do not doubt but believe." John 20:27

How gentle Jesus was with Thomas.  Thomas should have been with the other disciples to see the resurrected Jesus.  He, at least, should have been with those witnesses to hear what they had seen, to see the sincerity and awe in their faces.  But, he wasn’t there.  And, Thomas doubted.  Thomas had to touch, see, handle before he would think about believing.

Now, I’ve heard a-many sermon on doubt.  I’ve preached a few (Lord, have mercy).  I seen a preacher pace the platform and beat on the doubters with amplified words.  I’ve seen preachers with fingers pointed, as if to call out the doubters in his very midst, dividing the sheep from the goats.  I’ve heard the preacher hold the souls of the doubters over the flames of hell, trying to singe them into belief.

But, Jesus was so gentle with Thomas.  “Here, Thomas, touch.  Look, Thomas, see.  Don’t doubt.  Believe.  And, blessed are those who believe without seeing these things.”

Not shouting.  Not amplifying the shame.  Not employing threats of hell.

I am reminded of the words of Jude, “Be merciful to those who doubt” (Jude 1:22).

What would it look like for me to be merciful to those who doubt?  What would it look like when a doubter encountered gentleness and mercy?  I suspect it would like Jesus had walked through the walls, claimed the room, and spoke to a doubting friend.

The Double Grumble

I am guilty.  James put his finger right upon the guilt in my soul.  He pointed it out and I saw it.  I wanted to look away.  But, I am guilty of a double grumble.

James said, “Don’t grumble about each other or you will be judged, and the judge is right outside the door” (James 5:9 CEV).  And then, with the Holy Spirit holding the flash light, James pointed at a shadowy place in my soul where the double grumble was hiding.  It growled.  It barked.  It snarled its teeth, not wanting to come into the light.

I said, “Lord, there it is.  I’m guilty.  I’ve been grumbling about grumblers.  I’ve been complaining about those who complain.  I’ve enjoyed pointing out their sin and immaturity.  And, in doing so, I’ve been guilty of the same.”

As if spanked on the hind-quarters, my sin heard my confession, and yelped fully into the light where I keep it chained, because I need to keep an eye on it.

Maybe you’ve noticed; that which gets us angry, that which gets our righteous condemnation, that which we whisper about to others, the sin we point out in others, is often present in us.

We respond to grumbling by grumbling.

We claim we are not cared for when we have not taken the pains to be active in the church community where, if we were full participants, we would have to care for others.

We gripe about those in power, in part, because we want to be those in power.  We’re jealous.

We gossip about the gossips.

We insinuate that so-and-so is stupid because we desperately want to be seen as smart.

When Jesus said, “Before you take the speck out of another’s eye, take the log out of your own eye”, he was on to something.  When I am guilty of that which I happily identify in another I enlarge the sin.  I double the grumble.

As Ash Wednesday and Lent approach I intend to keep my double grumble in the light where I can see him.  Examination of one’s life and soul in the holy light of God’s Spirit and the scriptures are emphases in Lent.  In fact, I’ll take special effort to notice what gets me angry, what stirs up my righteous indignation.  Chances are there is a double-something lurking in the shadows, chewing on my soul, needing to be brought into the light.