God Knows What He Is Doing

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;  yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. – Matthew 11:25-26

The ESV translation does an odd thing in verse 26.  A much more literal reading comes from the KJV:  Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight, or, even more literally, “well-pleasing in Your sight.”  It looks good to God.  Bewildering those who think they know it all and pulling back the veil for those who are relatively simple and child-like makes the Lord happy.  Of course, it is His will, and, while I would be hesitant to presume that there are things which are the will of God that are not also pleasing to Him, some might be more pleasing than others.  God is not a machine.  He loves; He has compassion.  Jesus wept over Jerusalem.  Even more, the Lord of heaven and earth wept by the grave of a friend. 

In any case, Jesus is saying, in this context, that the truth of the revelation of Christ has been concealed from the wise.  Those who sought to understand the Scriptures, the religious leaders were, on the whole, rejecting Jesus.  Conversely, He and His message were being welcomed, accepted and followed by the common people – those regarded as foolish and unworthy by the elite and the learned. 

Jesus might be seen as acknowledging some surprise at the way things are going, but He also acknowledges His own pleasure in it, as well as it being in line with the Father’s will. 

Like Jesus, we often find ourselves in situations that might be, at least on the surface, contrary, at odds with our hopes and expectations.  If the Son of God, Second Person of the Trinity, God Incarnate could say, in effect, “Well, even so.  If You want it that way, that’s the way it will be,” we ought to be able to do the same. 

That does not mean that we are mere spectators.  We are often placed in situations not just to watch what goes on, but, as God’s agents, to bring about a change and make a difference in the lives of other people.  We are all, as believers, ordained to the various ministries of encouragement, healing, serving, and imparting hope, joy and peace. 

Those who want to change the world are just changing the sets on a stage.  The world and all that is in the world is passing away.  Why waste time on something that is time-bound and bound to change anyway?  Souls are forever.  Our calling is to individuals, to our families, our friends, our communion, our neighbors.  

Like the man who asked Jesus for a definition of neighbor, we aren’t always sure how far we ought to stretch.  According to the story of the Good Samaritan, our neighbor is the person we can help.  It depends, sometimes, on our gifts, our resources, even our location.  I can’t help everybody, but I can help somebody.  And the one I can help, I am called to help.   

Shell Games

”But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’

“He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go. Which of these two did his father’s will?”

“The first,” they said.

Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” --Matthew 21:28-31

Those who attend churches and call themselves Christians today seem to be deeply concerned about immorality – especially the specific immorality of others. The adulterer wants to help the drunk out of his pit, and the drunk looks down on the drug user, who, in turn, is repulsed by the homosexual. We can always find someone more disgustingly immoral than ourselves. It’s a fact of human nature. You can have a prison full of rapists, murderers, thieves, and pushers, but you cannot turn a child molester loose in general population. They won’t last fifteen minutes because even the most hardened criminal hates that particular kind of perversion.

Jesus, on the other hand, never freaked out about basic immorality. He certainly did not approve of it, but it was not His focus. After all, we all know that lying, cheating, stealing, murder, etc. are wrong. Jesus did not lay aside His glory, empty Himself of all His rights, and walk a pain-filled path to the Cross in order to point out that we should be “better” people. He made His point with His own life, laying it down, denying Himself.

What did get the Lord stirred up was the idea that we could serve God on our own terms, in our own way – which really amounts to serving our own god. A group of idiots like the Westboro Baptist Church illustrates this point in hundred-foot high pink and green neon, but a lot of Christians -- including me -- are guilty in less egregious ways. I want to hold onto self and figure out some way to get God to go along. Jesus said, “Deny yourself.” That’s the only way to truly serve the Lord.

Christians like to talk about doing God’s will. We have sermons and seminars, classes, conventions, and conferences. I am reminded of the philosopher, Tuco, who said, “When you have to shoot, shoot, don’t talk.”

My friend, Eddie, used to tell his own, updated version of the Good Samaritan. A man had run off the road into a big ditch, was hurt and could not get out. Member of various Christian denominations and movements came by and turned away with condemnation, offered no help, or, at best, shouted a comically inappropriate platitude or two toward the broken man in the hole. The Samaritan in Eddie’s story was a cigarette-smoking redneck with empty beer bottles in the floorboard of a dirty old truck. It was done so well that Eddie was almost never invited back to speak at a church after he told that story.

Kind of like Jesus.

Pointing out the essence of sin is what makes me uncomfortable. As long as I can keep it categorized into good and bad behavior, while avoiding the more notorious categories – prostitution, homosexuality, accounting, and politics, I am good. Jesus won’t let me off that easily. He says it’s not about how big and graphic and perverse my failure is, but it is about my simple refusal to deny myself, take up my cross and follow Him. Nothing more is required, and nothing less will do.