Easy to point fingers?
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Luke 11: 37-52 (Forward, p. 93) CEV p. 1076
People can easily make one of two mistakes when reading and meditating upon Scripture. On the one hand, they can dismiss what is said as applying only to another place and time. After all, we don’t worship idols, etc. etc. Or, on the other hand, they can imagine that everything that is said or done also applies to them. Such is the dilemma that a serious reader of Scripture can run into.
Today’s passage, which features Jesus’ denunciation of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses, poses exactly this kind of dilemma. There are six things that Jesus criticizes them about, so let’s look at them and see whether they only apply back then, or whether they also apply to us:
-scrupulously cleaning the outside of cups and dishes
-maintaining outward appearances when the inside is rotten.
-tithing garden herbs (seemingly obvious works of charity)
-forgetting to be kind to others and pay them what they’re due.
-wanting the best seats in the synagogue & recognition in public
(a desire for honour and approval).
-imposing heavy rules and obligations in terms of one’s worship life
-doing nothing to help people bear these burdens.
-constructing imposing monuments to past martyrs when they would
have treated them in similar fashion.
-having knowledge, the keys of the door of knowledge about God, but
not acting upon it themselves or sharing it with others either.
So, can we be content simply to cast the blame, point the finger, at these folks from another time and place, or should we look to see whether some of these condemnations also apply to us today:
-focusing on outward appearances only? Haven’t we seen some very
obvious examples of this with media savvy Christian personalities?
And, can we not also be guilty of this ourselves?
-being scrupulous about giving to the church when we are careless
about fair trade investment policies & worker compensation, looking
instead for the ‘best deal’ or for the best return with our savings or
investments.
-desiring public recognition, honour, and approval. Yes, I think that
this can certainly apply to most of us at some point.
-imposing heavy rules and obligations in terms of one’s worship life
and doing nothing to help people bear these burdens. So, what are
our expectations of people: are any of them equally difficult or
onerous? I wonder.
-constructing imposing monuments to past martyrs when they would
have treated them in similar fashion. So, what can we say about
this? What we do know about the prophets of old is that they tried to
tell the truth about God, bring people back to Him, and correct their
ways. So, do we heed such people in our lives? A good question.
-having knowledge about God and His kingdom, but not acting upon
it themselves or sharing it with others either. How many Christians
know the ‘essentials’, know the ‘basics’, but have never given their
lives over to God? And how often we don’t ‘bother’ to share this with
those around us?
While I don’t think that we necessarily see exact correlations with all these warnings, I certainly don’t think that we can write them off as applying to someone else? Instead, I think that we should ponder them and ask God whether He also has something to say to us. (I have given some suggestions, but there could well be lots else. Thanks be to God.)
Forward notes: “The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner” (verse 38).
“Too often, we let rules get in the way of faithful living. I think this is because religion, at its worst, is wielded as a powerful tool to control people. And it is easier to control people than it is to love them. It is easy to hide behind rules and religion. It makes things nice and easy, and you know where you stand, and more importantly, you know where they stand.
“I’m a firm believer that grace trumps theology. Grace is messy and unpredictable, scandalous even. While rules may seek to control people, grace seeks to love and accept people. Love is harder than enforcing rules. But love is the way that leads to true transformation.”
Moving Forward: “What rules do you break in service to God and neighbour?”