Waiting in Random Places
(Free Version)- Eighth Sunday After Pentecost- Genesis 28:10-19a; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
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Each of our stories speak to the value of empty-handedness, trust, and coming to the end of ourselves. This is the appropriate posture of the Christian. We are often so tempted to do something that we “take matters into our own hands,” rather than trusting the one who loves us and the world beyond our capacity and who is more than capable of dealing with the evil which besets us.
The call of the Christian is not one of aloofness or pretending that evil does not exist. But it certainly means that our lives are characterized by trust rather than fear that we are not doing enough or frantically trying to make things happen.
It is when Jacob is in a random place (Genesis 28:10-19a)—or maybe specifically between places—penniless, alone, resting his head on a rock, and with no agenda, that God reveals the ramp between heaven and earth, shows him that he (and the world) is not alone, speaks to him and reinforces the family promise. By revealing the ladder, God is showing Jacob that it is not up to him. God’s messengers are already connected to the real world in which he lives. He doesn’t need to frantically build his own ladder, to make things happen. There is already movement between heaven and earth and the Lord is over it all.
Paul tells the church (Romans 8:12-25) that, to live by the flesh is to live a life of fear, which is slavery. But Christians have received a new spirit! We have been adopted! We are part of a new family! As we look around, we see a world that is broken, groaning, longing for those who are part of this family to be revealed. Creation itself is longing for liberation. We too groan as we wait for the fulfillment of who we are, and for the inheritance of a world made right. It’s appropriate to acknowledge that we do not see God’s new world in fullness. We wait, patiently trusting and knowing that our hope is sure.
In our gospel reading (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) Jesus acknowledges a world where good wheat grows among weeds. This reminds us that there is judgement in the kingdom of God: a purifying and putting right. And, there is also real truth, goodness, and beauty in the world. Jesus knows that there are some (both in the first century and today) who are quick to judgement—identifying “good guys” and “bad guys,” as if they have the right to do such a thing. But the kingdom of God always leaves room for forgiveness, repentance, and mercy. We do not need to rush to judgement. It is not up to us to separate wheat from weeds.
In South Africa, after apartheid, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established to hear all of the stories, all of the pain, and to begin the process of making things right. And the goal was exactly what it said: Truth and Reconciliation. This points us to something which is fundamental to the human situation. We want to know what is real, and we want to begin to bring people together. After truth is discovered, there has to be a moral judgment, declaring that what happened was wrong. You can’t have reconciliation without truth. And, without the desire for reconciliation, truth is hollow.
We know this on a much smaller level in our families. When your spouse comes home and has had a terrible day, feels like a failure, doesn’t think that life is going anywhere, her boss has shamed her, his co-workers don’t like him, the customer yelled, they pour out their heart to you; what happens when we try to tell them four steps that we heard from a leadership podcast which we know will make it all better? Unless they asked for your help, this does nothing. We must first enter their pain, to hear their truth.
God enters our pain. Over and over again in the Bible, this is what God does. There is a difference between “fixing” and “healing.” The former rushes in, declares judgement, demanding restitution. The latter enters the pain, is willing to do the hard work, not just of declaration, but of restoration and reconciliation.
This patience opens the door for us to be fully present with pain, not explaining it away or trying to fix everything. We can trust in the deeper work while we listen for the voice of the Spirit. As Christians, we are to move towards healing and to resist evil. This is, after all, part of our baptismal vow. Yet, we do so with humility, knowing that God is faithful, and that the harvest is certain.