Another rainy day. We’ve had quite a string of them recently. When I look out at the rain, I try to remind myself that we were in drought conditions last summer and into this spring, and we need the rain desperately to replenish our parched earth. I am reminded of my Old Testament class in which Dr. Myers told us that modern-day Israel, Palestine, and the surrounding areas were once the land of milk and honey, but that the inhabitants cut down so many trees that over the years it turned into a virtual desert. It takes trees to create the atmospheric conditions for rain, he reminded us. I think of that every time I hear about clear-cutting forests and the felling of the Amazon forests. How grateful I am for our forested hillsides, valleys, and roadways. We humans are indeed our worst enemies.
I have just spent the past two days working on my sermon for Sunday. I am immensely grateful I don’t have to do that every week anymore, but I really enjoy it when my turn comes. Our pastor preaches 2 Sundays a month, and the rest of us take turns giving her a break, which makes for a nice variety and a feeling of ownership for all of us. Those who don’t feel able to preach take turns as worship leader, help with the music, or perform other jobs that keep our tiny congregation going.
The other day, when my friend and I came back from our walk, we got to talking about our church experiences, and she mentioned that she and her husband had once been active in a charismatic Messianic Jewish congregation, so I shared some of my experiences with my charismatic Catholic brothers and sisters. When we got done, she challenged me to share my experience of being slain in the Spirit with the congregation this Sunday. That gave rise to my reviewing a number of Paul’s writings in which he is cautioning the early church that there are many gifts, but the same spirit, with speaking in tongues and being slain in the Spirit, only one of many. All that brings me back to yesterday’s blog about sharing.
Why is it so easy to judge others? To see ourselves as somehow superior. Our way is the best. Our ideas superior. Our interests more important. Our group is the chosen one. We need to be in control. Rereading Romans 14 was a poignant reminder that the early followers of Jesus were no better and no more inspired than we are today. They struggled just as much as we do to be open, accepting, and non-judgmental. We look back at them through rose colored glasses and assume it was easier for them to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with God. In fact, even when Peter and Paul were leaders of the early church, there was a split over speaking in tongues, with those who could judging those who couldn’t. Paul seemed to have a clearer head when cautioning the early church that there were many gifts, but the same Spirit, and that one gift was not superior to another. And here we are today, still trying to claim a special spot for ourselves in not only this kingdom, but the kingdom of heaven. God help us and forgive us, for we seem helpless to help ourselves.