Week of Thursday, May 27, 2004
•
MESSAGE OF THE WEEK
• BRIEFS
Grow up and learn
to live as you should
By REV. MELANIE CAREY
First United Methodist
Church
You’re familiar with the old written law, "Love you friend,"
and it’s unwritten companion "Hate your enemy." I’m challenging that. I’m
telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not
the worst.
When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the
energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your
God created-selves.
In a word , what I am saying is grow up. You’re kingdom
subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God created identity. Live
generously and graciously towards others the way God lives towards you.
(Matthew 5:44-45 from Eugene Peterson’s The Message)
These words from Matthew’s Gospel certainly challenge the
way most of us and the world lives today. Like in Jesus’ time, in our world
today, an eye for an eye is the prevailing wisdom and theology.
Yet, Jesus calls us to live a differently from the tit for
tat way of being. Jesus calls us to live generously and to live -by the love
the God has for us. Jesus called us to live by -the kind of love which loves
us at all times, even when we are disobedient. Despite what the world says,
Jesus says that we are to love our enemies, and his words echo all around us
today.
When Jesus talked about this kind of love, he was not
referring to having warm fuzzy feelings for those who persecute you. I don’t
think that Jesus meant that we should have feelings of love for those who
slap you in the face, or for those who run airplanes into sky scrappers, and
behead people.
Rather, when Jesus said "love you enemies," the kind of love
he was referring to is a love which acts in a positive way even in the face
of persecution.
Jesus tells us that to negative attitudes and acts we must
make positive responses. We must act and live reflecting not our feelings,
but rather His love. Consider the following story as an example of the kind
of love Jesus was talking about.
Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms
fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming
side-by-side, sharing machinery and trading labor and goods as needed
without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with
a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference and finally, it
exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on the older brother’s door.
He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox.
"I’m looking for a few days’ work," he said. "Perhaps
you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I
help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you.
Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor. In fact, it’s my
younger brother! Last week there was a meadow between us. A few days ago he
took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between
us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll do him one better. See
that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence an
eight-foot fence-so I won’t need to see his place or his face anymore."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation.
Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I’ll be able to do a
job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the
carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.
The carpenter worked hard all that day, measuring, sawing
and nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had
just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There
was no fence there at all. It was a bridge.
A bridge that stretched from one side of the creek to
the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all! His neighbor, the
younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. You are
quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done."
The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then
they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand. They turned to see
the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder.
"No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for
you," said the older brother.
"I’d love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have many
more bridges to build."
In our day and time, God’s living word speaks to us and
calls us not to give an eye for and eye, but instead to build a bridge with
God’s love.
What would happen if instead of living with an eye for eye
as our prevailing theology, we instead took Jesus’ words to heart? What
would happen if instead of building more fences, we built bridges?
Try it today with people in your family, or your neighbors,
or at your work place.
Jesus calls us to trust in God’s amazing love and it’s
power, which can do far more than we can even think or imagine.
"In a word, what I am saying is grow up. You’re kingdom
subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God created identity. Live
generously and graciously towards others the way God lives towards you."
(Matthew 5:44-45 from Eugene Peterson’s The Message)
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
The youth of the First
United Methodist Church, 209 Washtenaw, will lead the service at 9:30
a.m. May 30. The sermon title will be given by the Rev. Melanie Lee Carey.
It is Pentecost and the birthday of the church. Holy Communion will be held.
Sunday school and nursery care are available. For more information, call
482-8374.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
First Baptist Church,
1110 W. Cross, meets at 9:30 a.m. May 30 with Pastor Randy Johnson
preaching. Sunday school for all ages is held at 11 a.m. The women’s Bible
study meets at 3 p.m. June 2. The men’s Bible study meets at 8 a.m. May 29
and June 5. For information, call 482-7380.
OPEN ARMS LUTHERAN CHURCH
Open Arms Lutheran Church and
day care, is hosting a
"Support our Troops Rally" at 1 p.m. May 29 at 7865 Belleville Road,
Belleville. For more information, call 699-5000. |
