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"Stirring Up the Pot"
August 21, 2005
Good Morning!
How do you function on the burner of life?
Do you enjoy a long, slow heating of onions, peppers, herbs and spices in a rich but gentle-to-the-pallet marinara sauce as they take their time blending in a fine presentation for the cause of flavor?
Or are you one who loves to crank up the gas jet or electric knob to the highest position, covering the stove top with droplets of sauce jumping out from a high rolling boil which must be constantly stirred to avoid out-and-out burning?
If you don't have time for number one-the slow cook, and you don't like the mess or the flavor of number two-speed cooking, what is left? Of course, moderation! We seem to understand the need for moderation in both cooking and eating, but sometimes in our interpersonal relationships, we keeping falling into one of the extremes.
My mother's side of the family were committed, life-long Republicans. My father's side of the family were committed, life-long Democrats. If everyone was like them, there would be no such thing as cross-over voters or independents.
My father, mother, my sister and I all lived with my maternal grandmother who owned the house, and had recently lost her husband, my grandfather, to heart failure, which was the stated reason for our living there.
For the most part, we lived rather peaceably. But there were those times when the newspapers, radio, and TV were so filled with political matters, that my father just couldn't hold back the muscles in his jaw and would blurt out something about the crazy Republican candidate.
My sister and I would look at each other and roll our eyes because we knew that after a relatively brief period of quiet throughout the house, my grandmother would be unable to leave that comment unchallenged. She would then counter about the equally crazy Democratic candidate, and off they would go until the words became more and more angry and the atmosphere in the home became poisoned and more and more uncomfortable. The tension remained high, and the rest of the day or evening was usually ruined.
There's an old saying, "When in polite company, never discuss politics or religion." It's a sure fire way to have a loud argument or even to make an enemy. Of course that leaves preachers hanging out to dry because we come from a long line of prophets who spoke ONLY of politics and religion which was considered an extreme even in their day, also.
I am grateful that Jesus went beyond the role of the prophet to the role of teacher and helper-teaching and helping us to learn when the occasions are right to open one's mouth and speak, but he also taught the benefits of listening and the in-depth joy and understanding that comes from listening. Jesus also demonstrated when not saying anything at all was the best and most compassionate communication.
Jesus may have based his interpersonal skills on the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, (you know, the one about "a time to keep silence, and a time to speak"), but in all things he acted out of compassion to, and understanding of, those around him. This is the harder position-it is much easier to be without thought, spontaneous and abrupt than to take time to listen and consider.
I must again compliment you on your Christian conduct during our recent Church Conference. I still marvel at the human compassion shown throughout the evening. Each of you allowed persons to express their opinions-often more than once-but you also did not jump to conclusions or become angry about what was being said. You listened, and you raised questions that helped us all to understand what was being said.
Your Christian conduct that evening flies in the face of the example I just used between my father and my grandmother, whom I both considered to be serious followers of Jesus' way. I can clearly remember being angry, frustrated, and totally rejecting their conduct, although never out loud.
Their interpersonal relationship was much like that pot I described earlier, with the over-heated, rolling boil. Their sharp words were jumping forth from their encounter like droplets of hot and hurting marinara sauce onto all within hearing distance. How painful it is to be in the midst of anger especially among those we love and respect.
Many persons in our culture have rejected various churches for some of very same reasons. Like a home, you want to be part of a church because it is comfortable, it accepts you, it supports you, it allows you to speak your mind and to challenge the current morés and understandings, but it also encourages you to be all that God wants you to be. And sometimes that means being much more kind and understanding in our speech.
For generations, opinions, through the power of the tongue, have been responsible for tremendous amounts of hurt and emotional stress among not only family members, but among generations of church members. Does this mean we are not to have opinions? Quite the contrary. But it may mean that at times we might be a little too quick in our expressing of an opinion without all the facts, and without giving serious consideration to the potential consequences of our words.
Pastors are not immune from this. In some of their best efforts they find that the words they have put out among people, come back interpreted very much differently than intended. And the result is usually faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap over the tallest and most important work that the church is in the midst of.
What are Christians to do when they hear something that angers them? There are at least two approaches one can take with this.
(1) The knee-jerk reaction. This is the one where the person listening assumes the worst of the person speaking; to assume that the speaker meant to say a very mean or insensitive thing, and to immediately rise up and condemn it far and wide.
(2) Use the brain before the lips. This is the one where the person listening assumes the best of the person speaking, assuming that the speaker meant to say a kind and helpful thing and therefore the listener calmly asks for more information or further interpretation.
This is true not only in issues of church building and property, but it is also very true in issues of our faith-what and how we believe. In addition to politics, I am sure you have noticed that good Christians are out in the world, "stirring the pot," or "stirring up the faithful"? In order to get your attention, to get you fired up, to get you to their way of thinking, even the best of Christians will use unsubstantiated "facts" to sway you over; and, following their logic and trusting their words, it is easy to get our pots boiling because their presentations and arguments are designed for it.
Accuracy and truth are quite often the victims of religious people trying to change the minds of other religious people-trying to convince them that one church is right and one church is wrong. There never seems to be any moderate position!
But that's where our lesson for today comes in. We must be the perpetuators of a moderate position, force that gas jet down from creating a roiling boil, to a manageable cook. A moderate position is the best for promoting understanding and compassion-two things vitally important to Jesus and should be for us - no matter who speaks against us.
The restrictive verses in the Bible must not be used as fodder for endless and useless arguments. They must not be taken out of context, and need to be reconciled with Jesus' words and actions.
"Thou shalt not kill," "You shall not eat meat cooked rare," "You shall not wear clothing with mixed threads," "You shall not prepare food nor seek medical care on the Sabbath Day," "You shall not lie with mankind as with womankind," "Slaves obey your Masters," "You shall not go to church without covering your head," "You shall not eat shellfish, frogs legs, or anything with hoofs," "Women should keep quiet in the church," "The Bishop must be the husband of one wife." These are only a few of the many restrictive verses which could be argued over, drawing anger and division. But Jesus' very coming to earth was to set us free from the burden of the law and the burden of the debatable, and bring us to rich, forgiven, and abundant life, now and for all time.
Fear not! and do not be frightened by the topics that religious people bring up in order to get your pot boiling. Fear not! and do not be frightened by the threats of what might happen if you don't change your mind. Fear not! and do be frightened that by not contributing to their cause, you will be lost or have failed in some way.
Those speaking about their religious positions or political positions that fall to one of the sides known as extremes, should not have power over you, and should not be able to destroy the joy of your salvation-which is yours already-without jumping into the pot of the rolling boil.
The only time you might possibly belong in the pot of the rolling boil is when you are convinced beyond a shadow of doubt that God has called you to such a mission. But the pot of the rolling boil may also be the cooking of the devil.
The example of Jesus does not to lead us to philosophical or religious extreme, but rather to every day acts of compassion and understanding. That's the test of the pudding! We should seek moderation, and flee from every thing else!
And we, particularly here at Perry, and hopefully throughout the United Methodist Church and the majority of Christendom, are welcoming all who have fallen short of any of the Biblical law (or any other law for that matter), sought forgiveness in Christ and from one another, and continue to seek the daily grace of God in their lives.
Rejoice, and be glad, for yours is the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
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