The comment from lbd on my last entry sparked a memory and a thought.
Some years ago I had occasion to drive one of our city’s busiest streets heading downtown several times a week. Now and then I’d see a man standing on a street corner. Around his neck he wore a large framed picture of Jesus—you know, the one with the bleeding heart? It was secured by a string of some kind. On the ground next to him was a homemade signboard propped up in some way. Stuck to it were big stickers that said, “Stop Abortion Now.” He would gesture to passing cars, shouting out something which I couldn’t hear with my windows up and air conditioning on. But it wasn’t hard to image what he was saying.
My reaction each time was, “What a nut! This guy has serious mental problems. Somebody needs to help this guy.” I couldn’t have been more dismissive. Once I saw him driving an old car with the stop abortion signs plastered all over it. His driver’s side window was down and he was gesturing out the window—sometimes with both hands. And shouting. I was thankful he was driving on the other side of the street in the opposite direction.
Then one day I had a different reaction—I don’t know why. It struck me that maybe he wasn’t mentally ill. Maybe he was passionate about something that he believed Jesus was passionate about. Maybe he was following Jesus as well as he knew how, spreading the message he believed Jesus would be spreading. It didn’t matter to him if people thought he was nuts. Jesus’ own family thought he was nuts at one point and tried to get him to shut up and come back home where he belonged. And where they could take care of him. And avoid embarrassment. Maybe this man on the street corner had something many of us lack: a passionate determination to proclaim Jesus’ message no matter what the cost and no matter what people thought.
I don’t make that drive very often any more. I haven’t seem the man in some years. I sometimes wonder what happened to him. Did he finally give up, believing it was futile to call people to change their minds for the sake of their souls? Did his family grab him up and put him some place safe? Did he get arrested once too many times for being a public nuisance? Did his heart break? I don’t know.
You know, I kind of miss the guy. Because after I stopped thinking he was a loony, seeing him always provoked me to examine my own dedication. What I’ve been thinking about is this: is our passion for the causes of Jesus so clearly displayed that people think we’re nuts?
Peace, Jerry+
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Disciples
This past Sunday's Gospel included material about Jesus calling his first disciples--the first of the inner circle of those who followed him or stopped and listened to him.
So what?
Here's what? I have a question. What did they see in him, even before his resurrection, that tore them away from their work and their families and sent them trekking after him all over the countryside? While you think of that, it helps to also think of this fact: if we string together everything the Gospels say Jesus said, and we speak it in a normal speaking voice and speed, it amounts to about two hours of material, excluding duplicates! While they were to be with him for a year and hear much more than that, at that point, they had been probably only heard him once or twice, if that. And if they heard him for two hours, they heard as much as we have and not many of us have given up everything. So what was it?
The cynical view is they thought he would overthrow the Romans and that would surely improve their lot. Even better, they would be in on the bottom floor! Remember how at one point two of them are arguing about who will sit at his right hand? [Not that attractive, but entirely human.] While I'm somewhat inclined toward this view after watching how Christians deal with each other for the last 40 years, I really don't think that's it.
What then? I think they saw someone who was genuinely good, someone who genuinely cared for people, and who radiated something holy. It took them a long time to see the whole picture and to grasp why this was true, but it was worth following right away. People like that are hard to find. So if you find one or two in this life, latch on.
And in the meantime, take another listen to Jesus. Don't get distracted by the Church, even by the people in the Church. Go straight to the source. You might find yourself "tearing around the countryside" so to speak. Scary thought.
Peace, Jerry+
So what?
Here's what? I have a question. What did they see in him, even before his resurrection, that tore them away from their work and their families and sent them trekking after him all over the countryside? While you think of that, it helps to also think of this fact: if we string together everything the Gospels say Jesus said, and we speak it in a normal speaking voice and speed, it amounts to about two hours of material, excluding duplicates! While they were to be with him for a year and hear much more than that, at that point, they had been probably only heard him once or twice, if that. And if they heard him for two hours, they heard as much as we have and not many of us have given up everything. So what was it?
The cynical view is they thought he would overthrow the Romans and that would surely improve their lot. Even better, they would be in on the bottom floor! Remember how at one point two of them are arguing about who will sit at his right hand? [Not that attractive, but entirely human.] While I'm somewhat inclined toward this view after watching how Christians deal with each other for the last 40 years, I really don't think that's it.
What then? I think they saw someone who was genuinely good, someone who genuinely cared for people, and who radiated something holy. It took them a long time to see the whole picture and to grasp why this was true, but it was worth following right away. People like that are hard to find. So if you find one or two in this life, latch on.
And in the meantime, take another listen to Jesus. Don't get distracted by the Church, even by the people in the Church. Go straight to the source. You might find yourself "tearing around the countryside" so to speak. Scary thought.
Peace, Jerry+
Thursday, January 24, 2008
New Directions
This space will be used to comment on the intersections of the Christian faith and the real world...at least as I see it. Having decided to retire, I've given up my pulpit and my teaching lectern, but I still have things to say that others may find interesting.
For the next couple of months as I wind down at church, my postings may be infrequent. After that, I plan to post at least twice a week. Some postings may be based on the upcoming Sunday's Scripture lessson, some on musings about faith and real life.
To those who read, please feel free to make comments. I promise to read them all!
Peace, Jerry+
For the next couple of months as I wind down at church, my postings may be infrequent. After that, I plan to post at least twice a week. Some postings may be based on the upcoming Sunday's Scripture lessson, some on musings about faith and real life.
To those who read, please feel free to make comments. I promise to read them all!
Peace, Jerry+
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