From the back room, Vince, the
owner of Batavia vacuum shop for over 30 years, looks at the carpet brush and
immediately noticed that it is not attached properly, There are these tiny
nooks that need to be joined precisely to the attachment so that the carpet
brush glides along the floor to pick up the dirt and hopefully kitty hairs. I
had cleaned out the attachment to remove some string and hairs but failed to
put this attachment back together properly. Vince said the brushes never need
replacing but they got to touch the floor to do their job. I felt like a darn
fool, for I never suspected that the brushes were not working because it was
not a good fit.
Some of the parishioners are
wondering if their new faith tradition is a good fit. The prayers and
sacraments are similar to their past worship, the Jesus preached from the
pulpit is the same Lord who invites all to the table and the message about
being the Bread of Life encourages all of us to use our gifts to bring kindness
and a little bit of heaven into our homes, farms and community. But is it a
good fit?
Was
Jesus a good fit for the people of his time? He was born a Jew, brought up as a
Jew, lived his whole life as Jew, and died a Jew. To try to separate
Jesus from his Jewishness is as nonsensical as separating a leopard from
its spots. Jesus was no Christian. All of his followers and all
who followed them were Jews as well; within a generation or two that
changed.
With much squabbling and hostility the Christian movement realized that to be a “good fit” people who weren’t Jews could become Christians. Imagine the furor this caused – churches split; sadly families were divided. There are no reasons to think that the acrimony, bitterness, and sordid confrontations we know in current disputes, were any less disturbing for those involved then. That’s the background in the early church when families were faced if following Jesus was a good fit.
With much squabbling and hostility the Christian movement realized that to be a “good fit” people who weren’t Jews could become Christians. Imagine the furor this caused – churches split; sadly families were divided. There are no reasons to think that the acrimony, bitterness, and sordid confrontations we know in current disputes, were any less disturbing for those involved then. That’s the background in the early church when families were faced if following Jesus was a good fit.
St. James
tells us to "humbly welcome the word which has taken root in you".
The Greek word prautes, translates as "humbly", really has no precise
English equivalent. Basically, it is a one-word summary of the characteristics
of a "teachable spirit". Such a spirit is docile and pliable, humble
enough to learn; it is one that can face the truth, even when that truth is
difficult to accept.
So
here is the test if Christianity in its various facets is a good fit. James
points out that caring for the poor and keeping ourselves open minded with open
hearts is the best worship we can offer to God. To him real worship does not
lie in elaborate vestments, magnificent music or a carefully choreographed
service; it lay in the practical service of one another and in the way we accept
one another as God loves us.
The
prophet Micah's complaint was that all ritual sacrifices were useless, if a
person did not do justice, love kindness and walk humbly before God
(Mic.6:6-8).
God is walking with us this
morning when we pray: “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them
his way.” (Psalm 25:6)
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine
Friends that a “teachable spirit” allows us to surrender our fears and trust
that God leads us with open minds to accept all who walk into our churches with
open hearts.
