DOING GOOD EVEN WHEN WE DON’T FEEL LIKE IT
Luke 11:5-13
Rev. Paul Wrightman 2/6/22
WE CONTINUE OUR SERMON SERIES
ON THE MAJOR PARABLES OF JESUS.
THE OPENING QUESTION JESUS PUTS TO THE DISCIPLES –
“DO YOU HAVE SOME FOOD YOU CAN SPARE?” --
ASSUMES THE FOLLOWING:
A FRIEND FROM A DISTANT VILLAGE COMES TO YOUR HOME
JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
THE LAW OF HOSPITALITY DICTATES THAT YOU
PROVIDE HIM WITH A MEAL AND ACCOMMODATION.
BUT YOU DON’T HAVE THE NECESSARY ITEMS TO FEED HIM
AS YOU SHOULD.
SO YOU GO TO ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS TO BORROW SOME BREAD – AND THE NEIGHBOR OFFERS RIDICULOUS EXCUSES
ABOUT A LOCKED DOOR AND SLEEPING CHILDREN.
JESUS IS ASKING HIS DISCIPLES:
“CAN YOU IMAGINE GOING TO A NEIGHBOR,
ASKING FOR HELP TO PROVIDE HOSPITALITY TO A FRIEND,
AND GETTING THIS KIND OF RESPONSE?
THE MIDDLE-EASTERN RESPONSIBILITY FOR A GUEST IS LEGENDARY.
THE MIDDLE-EASTERN LISTENER OR READER
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND HOW ANYONE
MIGHT OFFER EXCUSES ABOUT A CLOSED DOOR
AND SLEEPING CHILDREN WHEN PROVIDING
PROPER HOSPITALITY TO A GUEST IS AT STAKE.
SEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ASSURED AND POSITIVE RESPONSE,
THE MAIN POINT OF THIS PARABLE WOULD RUN ALONG
THE FOLLOWING LINES:
IF WE CAN BE CONFIDENT OF HAVING OUR NEEDS MET
WHEN GOING TO A NEIGHBOR IN THE NIGHT,
HOW MUCH MORE CAN WE REST ASSURED
WHEN WE TAKE OUR REQUESTS TO OUR LOVING FATHER IN HEAVEN.
A SECONDARY MEANING OF THE PARABLE IS APPARENT
IN THE VERY MAKING OF LAME EXCUSES.
THE PERSON AT HOME IN BED WITH THE CHILDREN –
A TYPICAL SITUATION IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES TO THIS DAY –
MAY NOT FEEL LIKE GETTING UP AND PROVIDING HELP –
YET DOES IT ANYWAY.
CONNECTING THIS SECONDARY MEANING
TO JESUS’ CENTRAL THEME OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD,
A THEME PRESENT IN EACH OF HIS PARABLES,
WE COME UP WITH THE FOLLOWING:
GOD’S KINGDOM OFTEN CALLS US AT INCONVENIENT TIMES,
TIMES WHEN WE DO NOT FEEL LIKE RESPONDING.
BUT OUR ACTUAL BEHAVIOR SPEAKS LOUDER
THAN OUR FEELINGS, OR EVEN OUR WORDS.
JESUS IS CHALLENGING HIS DISCIPLES –
AND THEREBY CHALLENGING US,
TO LIVE OUT THE HOSPITALITY OF GOD’S KINGDOM,
AT TIMES IN SPITE OF OUR FEELINGS,
AND REGARDLESS OF HOW INCONVENIENT IT MAY BE.
AS DIETRICH BONHOEFFER ASTUTELY OBSERVED
IN HIS CLASSIC WORK LIFE TOGETHER,
IT IS OFTEN IN WHAT WE CONSIDER
THE INTERRUPTIONS IN OUR LIVES THAT GOD IS TO BE FOUND.
AS WE SAW LAST WEEK IN CONSIDERING THE PARABLE
OF THER GOOD SAMARITAN, AND AS WE HAVE SEEN IN LOOKING
AT SEVERAL OTHER PARABLES, JESUS IS MUCH TOO IMAGINATIVE,
MUCH TOO MISCHIEVOUS, AND MUCH TOO PLAYFUL
TO LIMIT HIMSELF TO JUST ONE MEANING PER PARABLE.
TRUE, THERE IS OFTEN A PRIMARY POINT
AND A SECONDARY POINT OR POINTS.
BUT AS WE SAW LAST WEEK WITH THE GOOD SAMARITAN,
JESUS KNOWS THAT HIS AUDIENCE
OF PHARISEES AND PEASANTS SIMPLY WILL NOT BE ABLE
TO IDENTIFY WITH THE PRESUMED MAIN CHARACTER –
THE SAMARITAN – AND WILL, INDEED, IDENTIFY WITH
THE SECONDARY CHARACTER OF THE INJURED JEWISH MAN
LEFT BEATEN AND HALF-DEAD.
SO HERE WE HAVE A STRONG EXAMPLE OF A SECONDARY CHARACTER
BECOMING THE PRIMARY CHARACTER.
TO PUT THIS ANOTHER WAY, HERE WE HAVE A STRONG EXAMPLE
OF A SECONDARY MEANING BECOMING THE MAIN MEANING.
I’M TRYING TO BUILD A BRIDGE HERE.
I’M ATTEMPTING TO BUILD A THEOLOGICAL BRIDGE, OR CASE,
FOR READING MORE INTO THE PARABLES OF JESUS
THAN WE USUALLY READ INTO THEM.
THIS, I STRONGLY BELIEVE, IS WHAT JESUS HIMSELF INTENDED.
I SEE JESUS CONSISTENTLY CASTING A VERY WIDE NET,
A NET WIDE ENOUGH TO CATCH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE,
A NET WIDE ENOUGH TO CATCH EVEN US.
GIVEN THIS TENDENCY IN JESUS HIMSELF,
I WOULD LIKE NOW TO SUGGEST A FURTHER MEANING
FOR THIS PARABLE,
ONE THAT, FOR MANY OF US, MAY GO BEYOND THE INSIGHT
THAT IF WE BROKEN HUMAN BEINGS
WANT TO GIVE GOOD THINGS TO OUR CHILDREN,
HOW MUCH MORE DOES GOD WANT TO GIVE GOOD THINGS TO US –
A FURTHER MEANING THAT MAY CHALLENGE US EVEN MORE THAN
THE ADMONITION TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR OTHERS
EVEN WHEN WE DON’T FEEL LIKE IT.
LET’S TRY PUTTING JESUS IN THE POSITION OF THE ONE IN NEED
STANDING AT THE DOOR.
THIS IS NOT AS FAR-FETCHED AS IT SOUNDS.
THE ONLY OTHER INSTANCE THAT WE HAVE IN THE BIBLE
OF SOMEONE STANDING AT A DOOR WAITING
IS THAT OF JESUS HIMSELF, WHEN HE SAYS:
“LISTEN! I AM STANDIG NAT THE DOOR KNOCKING;
IF YOU HEAR MY VOICE AND OPEN THE DOOR,
I WILL COME IN TO YOU AND EAT WITH YOU, AND YOU WITH ME.”
THIS ENGAGING SAYING OF JESUS IS FOUND OFFICIALLY
ONLY IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION,
BUT MANY SCRIPTURE SCHOLARS CONSIDER IT TO BE A FREE-FLOATING SAYING OF JESUS – SOMETHING STRIKING THAT HE SAID,
THAT WAS HANDED ON BY WORD-OF-MOUTH,
AND THAT COULD HAVE EASILY MADE IT INTO ONE OF THE GOSPELS.
THE POINT THAT I’M TRYING TO MAKE IS THIS:
SINCE JESUS PORTRAYED HIMSELF AS A PERSON
STANDING AT THE DOOR KNOCKING, IT IS NOT AT ALL UNLIKELY
THAT SOME OF HIS HEARERS RECALLED THIS PARTICULAR IMAGE
OF JESUS WHEN THEY HEARD THIS PARTICULAR PARABLE:
JESUS STANDING AT THE DOOR OF OUR HOME,
JESUS STANDING AT THE DOOR OF OUR HEART,
KNOCKING, WANTING, AND WAITING TO BE INVITED INSIDE.
MAKING THIS CONNECTION PUTS JESUS IN THE POSITION
OF RUNNING AN ERRAND FOR A FRIEND-IN-NEED –
AND PUTS US IN THE POSITION OF BEING INVITED TO JOIN JESUS
IN HIS ERRAND OF HOSPITALITY FOR SOMEONE IN NEED.
WHICH, BY THE WAY, RATHER NICELY SUMS UP
WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS ALL ABOUT –
JOINING JESUS IN ERRANDS OF HOSPITALITY.
IN OTHER WORDS, JESUS PUTS HIMSELF IN THE HUMBLE POSITION
OF NEEDING PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND LIKE ME TO JOIN HIM
IN MAKING GOD’S LOVE REAL FOR OTHERS
BY LIVING OUT COMPASSION-IN-ACTION.
RACHEL NAOMI REMEN’S BOOK, KITCHEN TABLE WISDOM,
CONTAINS MANY STORIES OF ACTIVE COMPASSION.
I HAVE CHOSEN THE FOLLOWING BECAUSE IT ILLUSTRATES
THE SERVANT NATURE OF COMPASSION-IN-ACTION.
SHE WRITES: “AIRPORTS, EVEN FAMILIAR AIRPORTS,
ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE ALONE WHEN YOU HAVE LOST
A GOOD DEAL OF YOUR EYESIGHT, AS I HAVE.
BOARDING A RECENT FLIGHT OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO,
I SANK INTO MY SEAT WITH RELIEF AND BELTED MYSELF IN.
I WAS SEATED ON THE AISLE.
THE WINDOW SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY AN ELEGANT OLDER MAN.
THERE WAS AN EMPTY SEAT BETWEEN US.
LOOKING TO ESCAPE THE TENSION OF THE PAST HALF HOUR,
I PUT MY PURSE ON IT, TOOK OUT A MURDER MYSTERY,
AND BEGAN TO READ.
WHEN LUNCH WAS SERVED AN HOUR LATER,
I WAS DEEPLY ENGROSSED, THE BOOK INCHES FROM MY NOSE.
WE WERE GIVEN A SALAD, A BAGEL,
AND A PINT CONTAINER OF YOGURT.
CONTINUING TO READ, I TUCKED INTO MY PLATE
UNTIL MY SEATMATE GASPED IN DISMAY.
TURNING MY HEAD SLIGHTLY, I SAW THAT HE HAD UPSET
HIS FULL CONTAINER OF YOGURT ONTO THE FLOOR,
SPILLING IT ON HIS SHOES, THE RUG,
AND PART OF HIS OVERNIGHT BAG.
HE WAS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW.
I WAITED FOR HIM TO TAKE SOME ACTION, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED.
LOOKING DOWN AGAIN, I SAW THAT HE WAS SLOWLY DRAWING BACK HIS RIGHT FOOT, THE SHOE COVERED WITH YOGURT,
UNTIL IT WAS ALMOST HIDDEN UNDER THE SEAT
.
I COULD NOW SEE HIS LEFT FOOT CLEARLY.
HIS ANKLE WAS SWOLLEN AND A METAL BRACE
EMERGED FROM HIS SHOE.
HIS LEFT LEG WAS PARALYZED.
THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WAS STILL ON.
I REACHED UP AND RANG FOR THE FLIGHT CREW.
NO ONE RESPONDED.
SOME TIME LATER WHEN THE DRINK CART ARRIVED,
I INDICATED THE FLOOR AND ASKED THE STEWARDESS
FOR A WET TOWEL.
BEFORE I COULD SAY ANYTHING MORE, SHE WENT BALLISTIC:
‘THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON THIS PLANE,” SHE SNAPPED.
‘I’M DOING THE BEST I CAN. YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT.’
HER DEFENSIVENESS BAFFLED ME.
WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER IN SILENCE.
THEN I REALIZED THAT IT HAD SIMPLY NOT OCCURRED TO HER
THAT I WAS A PARTICIPANT.
‘IF YOU BRING ME A WET TOWEL, I WILL BE ABLE TO GET THAT UP,’
I SAID QUIETLY.
SHE HESITATED AND I WONDERED IF SHE HAD HEARD.
THEN SHE RAISED HER EYEBROWS, TURNED ON HER HEEL,
AND: BROUGHT A TOWEL.
AFTER THE CART HAD PASSED US, I LOOKED AGAIN AT MY SEATMATE.
HE CONTINUED TO LOOK FIXEDLY OUT THE WINDOW,
HIS LEFT FOOT MOTIONLESS,
HIS RIGHT HAND HIDDEN UNDER THE SEAT.
‘I USED TO LOVE TO FLY BUT I FIND IT DIFFICULT NOW,’ I SAID,
AND I TOLD HIM THAT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS
I HAVE HAD TROUBLE SEEING.
STILL LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW,
HE TOLD ME THAT EIGHT MONTHS AGO HE HAD SUFFERED A STROKE
AND NOW HAD NO FEELING IN EITHER OF HIS ARMS
FROM HIS FINGERTIPS TO HIS ELBOWS.
YET HE HAD FLOWN HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY
TO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE HOME OF HIS SON.
HE WAS SPEAKING ALMOST IN A WHISPER
AND I LEANED TOWARD HIM TO HEAR.
‘SINCE MY STROKE I AM INCONTINENT,’ HE SAID.
‘I HAVE TO WEAR A DIAPER.’
I NODDED, MARVELING AT THE CHOREOGRAPHY
OF THIS CHANCE SEATING ARRANGEMENT.
‘I HAVE AN ILEOSTOMY,’ I SAID.
HE TURNED TO ME AND ASKED WHAT THAT WAS,
AND I EXPLAINED THAT MY LARGE INTESTINE HAD BEEN
SURGICALLY REMOVED AND I WEAR A PLASTIC APPLIANCE
ATTACHED TO THE SIDE OF MY ABDOMEN
TO COLLECT MY PARTIALLY DIGESTED FOOD.
I ADDED, ‘EVEN AFTER THIRTY YEARS, I AM CONCERNED
THAT IT MAY LEAK. ESPECIALLY ON A PLANE.’
AFTER A MOMENT, WE SMILED AT EACH OTHER.
THEN HE LOOKED AT THE TOWEL I WAS HOLDING
AND I LOOKED DOWN AT HIS FEET.
‘MAY I?’ I ASKED, MOTIONING WITH THE TOWEL.
BENDING OVER, I BEGAN TO WIPE HIS SHOES.
AS I WAS DOING THIS, HE LEANED FORWARD AND TOLD ME,
‘I USED TO PLAY THE VIOLIN. . .’”
IN THE PRINTED VERSION OF THIS STORY, THERE FOLLOW THREE DOTS,
INDICATING THAT THIS WAS THE BEGINNING
OF A CLOSE AND PERSONAL CONVERSATION.
DR. REMEN CONTINUES:
“WHEN I RETURNED THE TOWEL TO THE GALLEY,
TWO FLIGHT ATTENDANTS THANKED ME PROFUSELY.
LATER ANOTHER, WHO WAS SERVING ME A COKE,
THANKED ME AGAIN.
NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID, BUT WHEN I LEFT THE PLANE,
THE PILOT WAS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY.
I SMILED AND NODDED AS ALWAYS, BUT HE STOPPED ME.
‘THANKS,’ HE SAID, AND PRESSED SOMETHING INTO MY HAND.
HALFWAY UP THE JETWAY I LOOKED AT IT.
IT WAS THE LITTLE GIFT THAT THE AIRLINES OFTEN GIVE TO CHILDREN
AFTER A FLIGHT, A PIN IN THE SHAPE OF A PAIR OF WINGS.”
DR. REMEN CONCLUDES HER STORY
WITH THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATION:
“A FLIGHT CREW DEALS WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF AMERICANS EVERY YEAR.
THEIR SYRPRISED REACTION TO A SIMPLE ACT OF KINDNESS
IS CHILLING.
PERHAPS WE ARE NO LONGER A KIND PEOPLE.
MORE AND MORE, WE SEEM TO HAVE BECOME NUMB
TO THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS
AND ASHAMED OF OUR OWN SUFFERING.
YET SUFFERING IS ONE OF THE UNIVERSAL CONDITIONS
OF BEING ALIVE.
WE ALL SUFFER.
WE HAVE BECOME TERRIBLY VULNERABLE, NOT BECAUSE WE SUFFER,
BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE SEPARATED OURSELVES FROM EACH OTHER.”
DR. REMEN’S STORY TAKES ME BACK TO THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER
OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, WHERE WE ARE TOLD THAT JESUS,
“KNOWING THAT THE FATHER HAD GIVEN ALL THINGS
INTO HIS HANDS, AND THAT HE HAD COME FROM GOD
AND WAS GOING TO GOD, GOT UP FROM THE TABLE,
TOOK OFF HIS OUTER ROBE, AND TIED A TOWEL AROUND HIMSELF.
THEN HE POURED WATER INTO A BASIN
AND BEGAN TO WASH THE DISCIPLES’ FEET
AND TO WIPE THEM WITH THE TOWEL THAT WAS TIED AROUND HIM.”
AT THE END OF THIS FOOTWASHING SCENE,
JESUS TURNS IT INTO A SPECIFIC TEACHING EVENT BY STATING:
“SO IF I, YOUR LORD AND TEACHER, HAVE WASHED YOUR FEET,
YOU ALSO OUGHT TO WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET.
FOR I HAVE SET YOU AN EXAMPLE, THAT YOU ALSO SHOULD DO
AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU.”
ALTHOUGH SOME CHURCHES AND DENOMINATIONS
HAVE UNDERSTOOD THIS ACT OF JESUS OVER-LITERALLY,
AND TURNED THE WASHING OF FEET INTO A RITUAL,
IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR FROM THE OVERALL TRAJECTORY
OF HIS MINISTRY THAT JESUS WASHED FEET AS A METAPHOR
FOR COMPASSION-IN-ACTION.
AS WE HAVE SEEN FROM DR. REMEN’S STORY, SOMETIMES
THIS METAPHOR DOES INVOLVE PHYSICAL ACTS OF KINDNESS.
JUST AS OFTEN, HOWEVER, IT INVOLVES THE ACTIVE COMPASSION
OF LISTENING, OF PROTESTING, OF BEING GENEROUS –
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE FEEL THAT OUR OWN RESOURCES
ARE BEING STRETCHED – OF PRACTICING HOSPITALITY,
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DON’T FEEL LIKE EXTENDING OURSELVES.
SO I INVITE YOU TO PICTURE JESUS AS THE ONE
KNOCKING AT OUR DOOR AT MIDNIGHT ASKING OF US HELP
FOR ONE OF HIS FRIENDS, HELP FOR ONE OF THESE LEAST
BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF HIS.
JUST AS JESUS CHOSE TO SERVE US, HE DESIRES THAT WE WORK
WITH HIM, THAT WE CONNECT WITH HIM, IN SERVING OTHERS.
THIS ASPECT OF JESUS’ MINISTRY IS CAPTURED
IN TWO OF THE CORE VALUES OF COMMUNITY CHURCH:
“WE ARE THE HEART AND HANDS OF CHRIST SERVING OTHERS.”
AND “WE JOYFULLY SUPPORT OUR MISSION
WITH TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE.”
JESUS TELLS US POINT-BLANK “I AM AMONG YOU
AS ONE WHO SERVES.”
AND HE ASKS US TO BE,
AND MORE AND MORE TO BECOME HIS SERVANT PEOPLE,
TRANSFORMING THIS WORLD AS HE TRANSFORMED IT,
THROUGH BECOMING INSTRUMENTS OF COMPASSION-IN-ACTION.
AMEN.