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Do Unto Others

All Saints Day Luke 6:20-31

There are lots of blessings and woes in this passage. And all of them make us a little squirmy. A seminary cohort of mine used to start sentences with “deep down in my icky dark core…”. This is one of those deep down in my icky dark core moments in scripture for me.

Deep down in my icky dark core I don’t want those who hate me to be blessed

Deep down in my icky dark core I don’t want to pray for those who abuse me.

Deep down in my icky dark core I don’t want to think about the fact that I might be counted among the “rich” of this world, even in the times I struggle to make ends meet.

Deep down in my icky dark core I crave the approval of people, I need everyone to speak well of me, even when I know my call should cause people to feel a little uncomfortable and to even disagree with me.

Deep down in my icky dark core I don’t do unto others as I would have them do unto me.

But the Good News is it isn’t about me. Its never about me. Its about God, and I’m not God, and praise be for that! I need to remember that my sinful self regularly needs grace and forgiveness, and to be reminded, even with scripture that hits my icky dark core that others need grace and forgiveness too.

So I’ll keep trying. I’ll keep trying to honor the parts of scripture that hit my sinful self hard, to honor others as images of God, and to do unto others as I would have them do unto me.

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Fight On Just a Little Bit Longer

Someone close to me shared the following lyrics from a song sung at the Poor People’s Campaign’s We Must Do M.O.R.E Mass Meeting in Maine.

Fight on, just a little while longer.

I know justice is coming soon

In the Gospel reading for this Sunday (October 20, 2019) we find ourselves in Luke 18 with the parable of the persistent widow. The widow who won’t stop demanding the justice she knows she is owed. The widow who is supposed to represent how we should never stop praying and never lose hope.

Well its been a tough time for hope for me lately. I feel like I’m surrounded by judges like the one in this parable who “neither fear God nor have respect for people”. Not that I’m not also surrounded by good people with good intentions, I just feel like I’m fighting against the current lately on issues relating to justice.

But I know I am not alone. I know there are people who are boldly committed to issues around poverty, immigration, LGBTQ rights, racism, climate justice, and so much more. There are people who will continue to fight with me, or even for me, when I need to take a break for a minute.

Here’s what I’m choosing to remember, its a quote from the Talmud, and I’m pretty sure its a mashup of a couple of quotes, but I’m holding onto it anyway, citations be damned.

Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.

Talmud

So go friends. Do justly now. However you can, in whatever way you can. Love mercy now, even if it means loving yourself above the cause for a minute. And walk humbly now, keep moving, keep going. “Fight on just a little bit longer, I know justice is coming soon”

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