"What if soldiers give us trouble?" says the southern Simon.The concepts of going the extra mile and turning the other cheek are so deeply ingrained in our culture it's possible to think of them as common sense rather than radical teachings. But I find myself moved by these ideas again and again when I think about them in their possible context as counterpoints to the accepted order of the world in Jesus' day.
"The laws of their kingdom say an armed soldier can make an unarmed man carry his pack for a mile," says Jesus. "But if one does, go two miles to show him that in God's kingdom, it's the strong who will help carry the burdens of the weak.
"The laws of their kingdom say a soldier can slap us with the back of his hand, like he would strike a slave," says Jesus. "But if one does, turn your face so he has to slap you with an open hand, the way he would challenge an equal!"
What do I find so beautiful about these sayings? In two simple pieces of advice, Jesus gives his disciples concrete actions they can perform which hint at their belief in a whole different way people could relate to one another. Two simple ways of reacting that highlight the contrast between the dominant mindset and the culture of the Kingdom of God.
Reading today, I find myself just a little envious of those early saints and their gestures.
I don't believe in the dominant assumptions of our age about how power and happiness and progress work. And I do believe that there are better ways we can relate to each other, ways more in line with the Godliness in each of us.
But what gesture do I have today which can compare with the power of going the extra mile or turning the other cheek? What simple actions can I take to show and share my belief in a real alternative to the ways of this world?
You had me hooked and ready for the answers. While I think always paying attention to the circumstances around us so that we are in a position to act and serve is the overarching way to behave, I like this idea of symbolic gestures as well. Now you have me thinking.
ReplyDeleteI can give you one. Two years ago my job ended (I was not surprised; as a consultant I had suggested that my job be merged with someone else's and when a new contract year came up, they finally acted on it) and so I was left jobless. I decided that it was the perfect time to develop a nonprofit idea I have had for years, so I wrote the business plan and began looking for partners. It wasn't time, and I couldn't find the people I needed, and I ran out of my savings, so I went back to job hunting. Unfortunately, I've spent a year doing that and our situation has become very ... simple. I do not believe in approaching the government for our food, so our ward helped us for a little bit, and then I felt that that was enough too. So friends have occasionally left bags of groceries at my back door, or envelopes with a bit of money. Am I chagrined? Embarrassed? At first, because that is the training of our culture. But now I see that I needed that experience to understand that that is how I give: consciously, motivated by spirit, seeing needs and feeling a personal responsibility to fill them instead of waiting for an agency or an entity to do it. We are our brother's keeper, Christ tried to teach over and over. Even our brother whom we don't know well. The laws of hospitality have been brutalized by our welfare state until people resent those with needs, when once it was an opportunity to express our humanity. If we want to have a gesture, we must learn to give and receive kindness wherever it is needed, pay our fast offerings with joy instead of measuring, and listen to the promptings of a Father who wants us to succor each other.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like there are two possible sayings here.
DeleteOne is something like: "When you receive, don't react with embarrassment--rejoice for the spirit of giving that comes from our God."
The other issue I see you addressing here is the potential of a welfare state to create resentment of the needy. One solution is to dismantle the welfare state--but couldn't we also go straight at the resentment?
"When you pay taxes, don't itemize your deductions--but thank the Lord for a day when the whole nation unites to help heal the sick, clothe the naked, and rehabilitate the prisoners."
Several years ago, one of my son's friends (18 years old) was overcome by carbon monoxide and drowned while on a trip to Lake Powell with our family. We were devastated and absolutely sick at the thought of his poor parents learning of his death. We called his Bishop, from the lake, to let him know what happened and to ask him to let Chad's parents know. It took four days and several miracles to locate and recover Chad's body. My husband stayed down at the lake during the search and recovery process and I came home with my family and other friends of my son the day after the accident. Soon after I got home I prepared to go to Chad's home to talk with his parents, and since I'd never met them before I had no idea what to expect...how would they react to me in their grief? As far as I was concerned, someone else's child had died on my "watch" and I felt responsible and guilty and deserving of anything they might say or do. I knocked on their door and Chad's mother answered the door. She looked at me with eyes that were deep pools of shock and pain and then she gathered me up in her arms and said "We've been so worried about you and your family and the other boys. Please come in." No angry accusations, no recriminations, no threats of a lawsuit. Just the most beautiful gift that I've ever been given . . .compassion and concern from a broken-hearted mother. Chad's parents, could have chosen to react very differently, but over the years they have steadily treated us with kindness and even love.
ReplyDeleteI believe this illustrates the difference between the dominant mindset (of our litigious society) and the culture of the kingdom of God. Christ's teachings are simple, powerful and so healing and connecting. The balm of forgiveness and compassion that Chad's parents extended to us has inspired me to want to approach my relationships with others with more forgiveness, understanding and love.
That is a really beautiful story.
DeleteRough draft of a saying:
"When a tragedy comes to your door, don't try to find out who's at fault. Look instead for others who may have been harmed: your burden will be lighter as you ease others' suffering."
A simple gesture? That's a tough one--they best ones have all been taken by the scriptures. But I love to give money anonymously, even when I can't give very much. When I hear someone has a broken furnace, or a missionary they can't support, or their crock pot stopped working, I send some cash in a way they can't trace. I like to hoard little stashes of money just for this purpose—gift cards and extra hours at work. The beauty of this is NOT that if I do good in secret, God will reward me openly. It's that if a person receives a gift anonymously, suddenly the whole world appears to be more charitable. It could be anyone that gave you that money, so maybe anybody and everybody is aware of your difficulties and pulling for you. At least, that's the way I feel when I'm the beneficiary of anonymous service. Not sure how to "gesturize" that idea, though.
ReplyDeleteIt makes a pretty great saying, though: "When you give, do it secretly--so that the people whose needs you notice can see how the whole world is preparing to help them."
DeleteI don't know a gesture as small or as visible as going the second mile or turning the other cheek, but I think our generation has thousands of actions that gesture towards alternatives.
ReplyDeleteGrowing a garden and eating the produce is one. Canning the results goes a step further.
Having a strong commitment to chastity before marriage is very much an "alternative" decision. So is vegetarianism or veganism, or the "buy local" movement.
The tiny house movement is another example. I don't think Jesus would ask us all specifically to move into tiny houses (His call was more along the lines of "Sell all that you have") and the movement is not really a religious phenomenon, but it is all about establishing alternatives.
We have many, many alternative actions available to us. Which ones will we choose, and how will we establish a community that says "Say no to Mammon"?
It occurs to me that there's a certain counter-intuitive power to classic financial advice:
Delete"When you see plenty all around you and no chance of shortage in sight, save all the more carefully. Then when times of trouble and lack return, you can share all the more freely."
I think about L. Tom Perry asking for milk at parties where everyone was drinking. He could have gotten any non-alcoholic beverage, but he chose one that was instantly recognizable as not containing alcohol. You could also argue that it symbolizes a certain purity and childlike-ness. Anyway, I do it too.
ReplyDeleteThat's especially cool because people often drink to relax their sense of social restraint so they can feel more confident. But when he asks for milk, he's showing that he obviously is not worried about what other people think and is comfortable and confident in his own lifestyle.
DeleteSort of a nice variation on the "Mormons don't need to drink because they already act crazy" theme.