Epiphany 7 C It is Doable!

 Epiphany 7 C It is Doable!
February 18, 2001
By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell


Jesus said to His disciple, “Are you guys ready for this? What I am going to tell you will be hard,

but it’s God’s eternal truth. It is the very essence of what I have come to teach, and even though

it’s hard, I believe it’s doable, and in the name of life and peace, it must be done. Are you

listening?


Love your enemies.

You know because I used the word “agape” that I’m not talking about the kind of love that you

have for someone of the opposite sex, or the love you have for a good buddy. I’m talking about

the kind of love that is willing to see people as God sees them. God made them. God loves them.

It is the kind of love that is willing to look through the mess people make of things in order to

see their divine potential. the kind of love that when it sees the worst, tries to bring out the best.

The kind of love that is willing to get prayerfully engaged with the creator of life when someone

is giving us a bad time. The kind of love that pays out, rather than pays back.


It's doable, it must be done, so do it!

You know very well why love is the answer; because revenge as a way of dealing with evil is

guaranteed to produce…. more evil. Are you with me?


Let me give you an example of what I mean. When someone tries to take advantage of you,

instead of thinking about revenge, see it as an opportunity to practice the servant life. You know

how you feel when a Roman soldier demands that you carry his pack for the obligatory mile;

well instead of “killing him” in your heart, try loving him in your heart. Get to know the man.

The best way of eliminating your enemies is to make them your friends. What Jesus is teaching

His disciples here could be titled “extra mile agape” or going the extra mile with God in your

heart.


We may ask what is different about this Christian ethic? The difference is that it is positive. The

great Jewish Rabbi Hillel was asked by a man to teach him the whole law while standing on one

foot. Hillel answered, “What is hateful to thee, do not do to another.” The Greeks taught this,

“What things make you angry when you suffer them at the hands of other, do not do to other

people.” When Confucius was asked, “Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice

for all one’s life? He answered, “Is not Reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to

yourself, do not do to others.”


It's kind of like saying, “If you don’t say anything mean and nasty about me, I won’t say

anything mean and nasty about you.”


Every one of these “rules of life” are negative, and there is a kind of “Well, duh” about their

obvious truth. Jesus says, look at it like this…. (from The Message)


“If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If

you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden variety sinners do that. If you

only give for what you hope to get out if it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of

pawnbrokers do that.”


I tell you love your enemies.


Again, I’m not talking about “warm fuzzy” love, or a love too blind to see the harm people do, or

a love afraid to tell the truth. This love I’m talking about, agape love, means to live in

relationship to others (the good, the bad and the ugly) with the same heart that God has for the

good, the bad and the ugly.


The thing that makes loving our enemies so hard is our narrow view. If I make a mistake the

headline will read, “Episcopal priest causes church divisions.” Everyone will believe that Ernie

messed up, and St. Paul’s is hurting. But, if God were writing the headline with His eternal

perspective, the headline might read, Priest and Parish discover the deeper meaning of

repentance and mercy.” If there are any advantages of being an old man, it is the gift of

perspective (my apologies to my elders here this morning). After the upset, you see how things

over time worked out. People who are alcoholics, or who have gone through a divorce, have said

to me, “I would not wish what I have been through on anyone, but I know that I am a better

person for the experience.”


In today’s Old Testament we are given a little peek into Joseph’s story. Sold into slavery by his

jealous brothers. Sent to prison by the lying testimony of Potiphar’s wife. Was in dungeon dirt

for years. We could agree I think, that Joseph had ample reasons to be angry, and to want revenge

on his scheming brother’s whose lies broke his father’s heart.


What would you have done if you were Joseph, who was now face to face with his brother;

begging for their lives?


Would you pay them back, let them suffer…. Or love them as God loved them?


Psalm 37:

Do not fret yourself because of evil doers.

Put your trust in the Lord and do good.

Refrain from anger and leave rage alone.


We have the same thought from the New Testament. “Vengeance is mine says the Lord, I will

repay.”


Joseph’s faith relationship with God had given him a long view of his situation. His tears, I am

convinced, were God’s tears as well. That’s something to think about the next time we see

someone in tears; that God is crying with them. Joseph says to his brother, “What you did to me

was meant for evil; but God meant it for good.” Joseph was a man after God’s own heart.

Paul gives us a little glimpse of what resurrection is all about. It is to be caught up in God’s story

where our hearts are transformed.


“We are not important but in God’s story we are precious. We are weak, (I could never love my

enemies), but in God’s story we have power and our love is powerful. Our love is fickle and

fleeting, but in God’s story our love is steadfast and true.” So, if we are called to love our

enemies, as God would love them, we must work on weaving our imperfections and weaknesses

into God’s story about us.


Jesus, I think, would say, “Instead of living by the safe and expected formula of you-scratch-my-

back and I’ll-scratch-yours” try giving yourself away without expecting a payback.” You will

never regret it. For as you give, it will be given unto you. “Good measure, pressed down, shaken

together, running over. For the measure you give, will be the measure you get back.


Generosity begets generosity.


Loving kindness begets loving kindness.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Annual Meeting Epiphany 3 C Going His Way

 Annual Meeting Epiphany 3 C Going His Way January 26, 1992 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell I’ve been a priest for 40 years and I’ve been to my share of annual meetings. To be perfectly honest, I have not particularly enjoyed the responsibility of standing in front of a widely diversified, and in some cases, highly opinionated group of vote packing parishioner who now have the opportunity to talk back. I used to have this nightmarish fantasy that someone would jump up at the meeting and tear into something, or somebody, or me with breath taking precision. It never happened. In forty years, it never happened. But I submit to you that chairing the annual meeting was for me an annual test of my faith. I can see our Lord smiling at me, a teacher of faith, and saying, “Remember: I am with you always… no matter what… even at annual meetings.” The annual meeting, as I remember, with the smallest attendance, was at St. marks in Evanston, Ill. There the Rector insisted that everyone read their r...
Read more

Epiphany 3 C The Ripple Effect

 Epiphany 3 C The Ripple Effect January 27, 2013 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell You have heard me mention the Men’s Proper’s Breakfast: that for the past 40 years has met weekly at 7:00 a.m. every Wednesday (unless Wednesday falls on Christmas or New Years Day) to discuss the lessons assigned by the lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. We pray that we may hear what God wants each of us to hear, and for the will to let God’s word change the direction of our individual and corporate lives. Any and all questions are welcome. A few weeks ago, the subject of the school shooting at Newtown, Connecticut invited comment. What would 15 old men, who consider God’s word every week of the year, have to say about that heartbreaking tragedy? Our discussion turned to guns, mental health and young white males who turn violent. We wondered what wisdom, we, and others, might possess that, if it were systematically being passed on, could possibly make a difference. How do we help young men know that they ...
Read more

Palm Sunday C Irresistible Theology

Image
 Palm Sunday C Irresistible Theology March 19, 1989 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell The world seems to be caught up in a deadly argument. The greater the commitment to an idea, a cause, or a person; the greater the intensity of energy and power that gets mustered for battle.  A simple appeal for support becomes buglers call to make war. When Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, he was in Rome… in prison. Reports had come to him that two women had quarreled in the church at Philippi. Their argument was endangering the peace. His letter is an appeal to maintain the unity of the church. Not even the healthiest church is immune from the danger of evil’s energy unleashed. If the devil had his way, he would destroy all meaningful and nurturing relationships. In writing to the church at Philippi, Paul identifies three great agents of disunity: There is selfish ambition. Those who instead of trying to advance the work… advance themselves. There is the desire for personal prestige...
Read more