I'm going to challenge us this morning to think - just think, no conversation please, and this is not the time to start writing copious notes - think of everything that's wrong with this church.
*pause* (yes, I’m feeling rather brave today!)
Got a list in your mind? Good.
Now, I'd like you think - again, no conversation please - of everything that you love about this church.
*pause*
Okay? Got that list too? Excellent.
Now: the next step. With your two silent lists, I'm going to invite you to start dividing these into 2 columns: those things that are spiritual, and those that are earthly.
Ah. Now that's a harder exercise, isn't it?
Because now we're looking at both the intention of those things, and the outcome of those things.
The intention, because we are talking about the church: what people mean in their words and actions.
And the outcome of those things, because that’s how we consider and perceive the ministries that happen; the reflection of those things within the broader community.
Hmm. So: Now for the next difficult reflection. We each now, mentally, have four groupings:
The Spiritual things about this church that we think are wrong; and those that we think are lovely and great; and the earthly things about this church that we think are wrong, and those that we think are lovely and great.
Four groupings.
What list is the longest? Which one has the most things in it?
And is that the list that you *want* to be the longest?
(I know, it’s summer, and I’m still bringing on the deep and difficult thinking.)
Now, if your list of spiritual loves is huge, and earthly loves is a little smaller, and the wrongs are negligible: great.
But I'm going to guess that many, if not all, of us have some of those things in the "earthly wrong" list that just don’t go away. They stick with us; they may grow in intensity; they may seem to take on a life of their own. We have determined, in our mind, that that thing is wrong.
Hey, it happens. We’re human.
So here's the most difficult question of the day. What are you going to do about that?
How will you take action in such a way that the 'wrong'ness of that thing can shift over into the love side of things?
What will you do so that someone else can only ever experience that thing as an aspect of spiritual love that's been made manifest here in earthly form.
Well, Here's what you're NOT going to do about those wrong things, though.
Complain. Or blame someone else for the ‘wrong’ness.
Even though that is the easiest way we respond to what we don't like, the fastest reaction, and sometimes the best way we can feel better about ourselves.
All we need to do to see that in action is to look at the comments sections on controversial issues in the media.
My goodness, the number of people the past couple of weeks who immediately went from being experts in COVID epidemiology to being political and military analysts on Afghanistan: all without leaving the chair in front of their computer.
It’s easy to get caught up in the fray of opinions and comments;
It’s easy to do it when we’re anonymously online; and it’s easy for us to do it when we see someone at the Post Office or on the waterfront. It’s the “Did You Hear…” that starts complaints, sometimes without full facts or full understanding.
As Christians, we just are not meant to do that.
Instead, we are called to take action. When we realise that there is something sitting ‘wrong’, sitting in that earthly and spiritual negative column, we are meant to face it. To address it. To try and make it better. Lovingly, without grandstanding, in humble service.
We are called to do all that we can to love one another, to focus on the spiritual rather than the earthly, to focus on the love opportunities rather than what irritates our personal preference.
That's what God wants us to do.
That may mean having a difficult conversation when we see someone doing something hurtful;
or gently ending a conversation when someone is stuck in the ‘complaints’ zone.
It’s checking facts before repeating stories,
it’s taking a sacred *pause* before speaking about something we’re feeling upset about.
It’s recognising that the uninvited “You know what you SHOULD do” doesn’t always precede a helpful suggestion;
it’s offering to pray with someone rather than ‘fix’ them in our mind’s eye.
It's - well, it's many things. We could do another list in our minds, if we wanted.
And actually, that's not a bad idea. Because that's the list that we can use to discern how God is calling us to love.
So let's think about that: how is God inviting you into humble, loving service, in and through the church?
*pause*
Because that is the message of the scriptures today.
To act in love, in humble service to our God. To be faithful agents of the faith, taking responsibility for our actions and for the future of our community.
The Song of Songs speaks of love, both literal and allegorical: between two people, between human and the landscape, between human and divine, between earthly and holy.
Arise, my love, come away from the earthly.
Arise, my love, come be enveloped by my love.
Arise, my love, and let us share the gift of love in a world that can always use more.
The psalmist echoes this love-in-action with the heart being stirred up, as though in a marriage, where righteousness (or right action) and justice are celebrated as coming from God as a gift and as a privilege to share and extend with the world.
James is almost poetic in how he details how we should not judge others but reflect our own ministries: being quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. That our best way to be doers who act is to keep God pure and undefiled in our heart and love-based actions; to care for the vulnerable and to keep ourselves unstained by the world - focused on God.
And Jesus himself is quite clear on this, in the Gospel.
Love God, even when it's inconvenient to your current practice.
The Pharisees think they're above judgement as they are doing everything the way they have always done it – even though they haven’t always done it that way - but they don't realise that in doing so, they are actually putting up barriers for people to know God, to worship God, to serve God.
They actually think that keeping people out of the worshipping community will please God, rather than seeking ways and means to invite people into the shared joy of worship.
And it’s not about the dirt on their hands – the dirt that God made, after all. Yes, clean hands are a good hygienic idea, but they are not indicators of a clean and God-loving heart. Hence why Jesus encourages them to love instead.
It’s why Jesus continues to encourage us – all of us, every day, to love. Love instead of anger, love instead of division, love instead of indifference. Love – as God’s commandment.
So how is God calling you into loving service today?
Let's make that list, without judgement, without competition, without criticism:
and let’s start doing it.
Let us pray. Holy God; help us to know and love you in all we do.
Help us to move past our earthly moments of complaint into moments of service.
Help us to not say "I would have done it better" but "is there a way I can help you?"
Help us to not seek to embarrass or shame someone, but to empower and support them.
Help us to not be focused on the earthly faults, but on the spiritual possibility.
Help us to abandon human-centered expectations and embrace your Holy commandments.
Help us to find ways to see with love, to act with kindness, and to commit our lives to love.
Amen.
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