Stability in the Storm
There are two figures in the New Testament that loom large. The first is Jesus (of course) and the second is the Apostle Paul. Everyone loves Jesus. Everyone has a bone to pick with Paul. I have my issues with Paul too, and yet some of my favorite biblical lines come from him. For the next four weeks I am going to explore, section by section, a portion of chapter 12 from the Letter to the Romans in which Paul pours out a litany of directives on how we should live. The inspiration for this series comes from watching two massive storms hit the Southeastern U.S. As the violent winds blow and the destruction is unleashed, people seek safety and stability. This section from Romans (12:9-21) provides the spiritual equivalent of the stable ground we need when a different kind of instability hits. I believe that if we hold to what Paul is describing here, we will find the moral center that holds against the storms of this world. Let’s begin with 9-13.
“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”
The Christian faith is a commitment. It is the decision that what is good is stronger than what is evil. And what is good? Humility and love. The culture that we live in encourages a “me first” perspective and a defensive posture (as do many cultures throughout the world and across time). We are saturated with the messages that to be strong means to be over and above others and success means to hold tight to our material resources, which are our strength and our protection. Humility and love take the opposite position: We are to show honor to the other by lifting them up. We are to encourage an environment of mutual sharing and affection. This honor and mutual love are not just for those whom we know and like, but it is extended to the stranger as well.
Humility is neither feeble nor lethargic. It is ardent, passionate, and full of zeal. When a person lays down the smallness of their ego for the largess of humility, they are freed from the heavy burdens of isolation and are opened to the movement and energy of the Spirit. The Spirit gives a vision of hope, strength to endure hardship, and the perseverance needed for transformation. We have all witnessed the lasting impact that humility lent to the work of people like Mr. Rogers, Mother Teresa, Henri Nouwen, and that middle school teacher whose persistence pried opened the imagination and curiosity of their students.
The moral center of our faith lies in humility and love. If we hold to that center we will gain access to a resource that will carry us through difficulties and challenges, no matter how intense or overwhelming. Rather than burying our heads in the sand, hoping the pain and hardships of life would evaporate, rather than steeling ourselves to fight for scraps of sanity or righteousness, faith causes us to reside in the shelter of genuine love where the hardships of this world rises toward the visions of the next.
Blessings,
Pastor Jen
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