Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 116; Deuteronomy 4:15-31; Matthew 16:21-28; Acts 2:29-36; Psalm 115
Over the years, I’ve noticed an insidious process at work in those who would like to be “agents of change” in the world. The “agents of change” will often start at an entry level position in the group in which they are serving. They might have very clear, very direct ideas about what needs to be done in order to improve the group. In order to make it through their probationary period, however, the “agent of change” will keep his or her mouth shut. “If I don’t,” they reason, “I’ll be tossed out of the system and consequently will never be able to effect the change I want to make.” After they make it through their probationary period, the “agent of change” begins to look around and see opportunities for promotion within the group. Of course they still have ideas about what needs to be changed in their minds. They think to themselves, however: “While I’ve cleared probation and am now a part of the system, if I can keep my mouth shut just a little while longer, I’ll get the promotion I deserve and then be in a position to implement the changes I believe in.” Years pass and they get a series of promotions. While they are consistently in positions to effect change in their group, they begin to see opportunities to serve a broader constituency. So once again, they decide to remain quiet in hopes of achieving the highest position possible in order to effect change. Sadly, before they realize what has happened, they wake up on the morning of their retirement celebration and ask themselves: “What happened to the changes I was going to make?” I was reminded of this age old pattern, when I read today’s passage from Matthew. For in that passage, Jesus talks with Peter and is able to reveal a set of assumptions Peter had about how things were supposed to unfold. Peter’s expectation is that things are supposed to unfold neatly and easily. Jesus doesn’t let Peter off easy – doesn’t let US off easy. He confronts both Peter and our assumption that things out to be easy if we embrace the reign of God when he said: “Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?” (Matthew 16:25-26 – The Message). Today, I would invite you to explore the question: “Are there things that you are trading your soul for? Have you constructed a series of mental hoops through which you jump in order to justify the trade-offs you settled for?” If so, may you put those hoops aside and open yourself to new ways of being – God’s way of being – so that we can help birth the coming of God’s reign - in our personal lives and in our world. Til next time…
Over the years, I’ve noticed an insidious process at work in those who would like to be “agents of change” in the world. The “agents of change” will often start at an entry level position in the group in which they are serving. They might have very clear, very direct ideas about what needs to be done in order to improve the group. In order to make it through their probationary period, however, the “agent of change” will keep his or her mouth shut. “If I don’t,” they reason, “I’ll be tossed out of the system and consequently will never be able to effect the change I want to make.” After they make it through their probationary period, the “agent of change” begins to look around and see opportunities for promotion within the group. Of course they still have ideas about what needs to be changed in their minds. They think to themselves, however: “While I’ve cleared probation and am now a part of the system, if I can keep my mouth shut just a little while longer, I’ll get the promotion I deserve and then be in a position to implement the changes I believe in.” Years pass and they get a series of promotions. While they are consistently in positions to effect change in their group, they begin to see opportunities to serve a broader constituency. So once again, they decide to remain quiet in hopes of achieving the highest position possible in order to effect change. Sadly, before they realize what has happened, they wake up on the morning of their retirement celebration and ask themselves: “What happened to the changes I was going to make?” I was reminded of this age old pattern, when I read today’s passage from Matthew. For in that passage, Jesus talks with Peter and is able to reveal a set of assumptions Peter had about how things were supposed to unfold. Peter’s expectation is that things are supposed to unfold neatly and easily. Jesus doesn’t let Peter off easy – doesn’t let US off easy. He confronts both Peter and our assumption that things out to be easy if we embrace the reign of God when he said: “Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?” (Matthew 16:25-26 – The Message). Today, I would invite you to explore the question: “Are there things that you are trading your soul for? Have you constructed a series of mental hoops through which you jump in order to justify the trade-offs you settled for?” If so, may you put those hoops aside and open yourself to new ways of being – God’s way of being – so that we can help birth the coming of God’s reign - in our personal lives and in our world. Til next time…
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