The Risky Road of Love

Brad Sullivan

St. Mark’s, Bay City

August 7, 2016 - Proper 14

Luke 12:32-40

The Risky Road of Love

I had a great week as a session director last week at Camp Allen.  Having grown up going to summer camp there, it was a joy to be on the other side of things as one of our directors for 8 & 9 year olds.  There were fun and games, time spent in prayer, and a program each day talking with the kids about parts of the Gospel.  On one of the days, we talked about Resurrection, and we talked not only about resurrection after physical death, but also resurrection of many deaths throughout our lives.  One example we discussed was the death of a friendship.  The kids totally got that when we talked about kids being mean to each other, and the friendship dies.  Then, we talked about kids reconciling, and that being resurrection of the friendship, a new life.

At one point the next day, a couple of boys got in a little scuffle.  One of the boys kicked another in the shin, “for no reason”, said the boy who had been kicked.  We talked to them separately, and the one who did the kicking said that the other boy had been pushing him down all week, and he was basically so fed up that he snapped.  He was obviously very upset, feeling bullied.

We had the two apologize, and later, I then heard the one who had gotten kicked say he hated the other kid.  I happened to be right behind him when he said this, so I asked him about it.  He first said he hadn’t said it, and then I said, “but I thought I just heard you say you hated [the other boy].”  “Maybe,” he said.  I chuckled on the inside, and then we sat down and talked for a minute.

I asked why he hated him, and he said the other kid was always getting upset over nothing.  They had used to be friends, and now they weren’t anymore, after he’d gotten kicked, he said.  I then described that as the death of their friendship, and he agreed.  So, I next asked about resurrection of their friendship.  I told him that the other kid said that the one I was talking to had been pushing him down all the time.  “I never did that,” he said.  “I believe you,” I said, “but the other kid thinks you’ve been pushing him down.  He’s truly hurt by something you’ve been doing around him.  Now it’s time to get curious and ask him about it.  Tell him that you’ve not been meaning to push him down or be mean to him.  Ask him what you have been doing that’s been hurting him, and see if y’all can work that out.  I know you haven’t been trying to hurt him.  Make sure he knows that too.  Then, perhaps y’all’s friendship can have new life.” 

He seemed to get what I was saying and agreed to it.  What this took was for the two boys to see things from the other’s perspective.  They got to see the world not only through their own eyes, but also through the eyes of Jesus.  There was kingdom living and a casting aside of fear in being generous with how we view the other’s motivations and actions.  What if I’m wrong?  What if he really is a jerk?  What if he hurts me again?  We cast that aside and trust in God’s kingdom way.

Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  It is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  God’s kingdom is a gift which we receive. 

We don’t take it, we receive it, and Jesus tells us how to receive God’s kingdom:  Sell your possessions and give alms.  Be generous towards others, and do not be afraid of not having enough.  There is a great saying which I’ve heard recently, author unknown, and the saying is, “People were created to be loved.  Things were created to be used.  The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used.” - author unknown  

Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Do not love your things.  Love people.  Use your things, and greater still, use your things to help you love people.  

That is how Jesus tells us to live in his kingdom which sounds a little scary, but basically kinda good.  Then Jesus gets to the kinda scary part, right?  “Be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”  If you knew when the thief was coming, you would not let your house be broken into.  Ok, let’s be honest, that’s a little scary, but remember, it’s an analogy.  Jesus isn’t coming to steal your stuff.  He really doesn’t care at all about your stuff.  Jesus is coming, and we have no idea when he’ll show up, so be ready for his coming at all times.  Live always ready to receive God’s kingdom by how you chose to live, and remember Jesus started this whole section of teaching with, “Do not be afraid.”  I think some fire and brimstone preachers should remember that.  Do not be afraid, and remember and strive to live at all times in such a way as to receive God’s kingdom.  Live generously and lovingly towards others.    

Jesus gives this analogy to create some urgency in us, because he knows we tend to slack off over time.  If we knew Jesus was coming in three weeks, we’d clean up our acts pretty quickly and be generous and loving toward each other.  His coming creates some urgency in us.  I can see at least three reasons for this.  Wanting his acceptance, the short timeline, and the joy of his love could all drive the urgency in us to be generous and loving towards others if we knew Jesus was coming in three weeks. 

With the first reason, we want Jesus’ acceptance, so we clean up our acts and look our best at his coming.  The problem is, that is basically a self-centered reason, and Jesus talked about being generous and loving toward others for their sake, not our own.  Also, we don’t need to hustle for God’s acceptance; we have already been given God’s acceptance through Jesus.  Now we simply get to love other for their sake, not to try to hustle for God’s acceptance.

The second reason we would find urgency in knowing Jesus was coming in three weeks is that with such a short timeline, we find it easy to do without.  We can do without stuff and be generous and loving towards people for three weeks.  No big.  Of course, Jesus is asking us to be generous and loving all of the time.  Act all of the time as though Jesus was coming in three weeks. 

Finally, the joy of Jesus’ love is why we could be generous and loving towards others if we knew he was coming in three weeks.  That’s why it’s easier to be kind to people around Christmastime.  The joy of Jesus’ love is in the air, it’s palpable.  We find it somehow easier to receive that joy and love and so we give it out to people all around us. 

So, with Jesus’ teaching to be ready, Jesus is saying to behave every day with the joy and love we experience around Christmastime.  Treat every day like Christmas is just around the corner.  Treat every day like Jesus is right about to show up.  Now, remember that you are already accepted and loved by him, so do not be afraid.  Share the joy of that palpable love which he has for you and for all.  Be loving and generous towards others because others are so beloved and valued.  Give of your things, because in God’s kingdom, we love people, not our things.  Other people, then love us, not their things.   

I heard a great example of this Kingdom generosity and loving people not things while listening to This American Life on the radio yesterday.  This was a story of refugee camps in Greece, and one camp housed Yazidi refugees from Iraq.  The Yazidis are a often persecuted people whom America helped when ISIS was trying to annihilate them completely, and now they are largely living in camps fleeing genocide.  In the particular camp I heard about yesterday, there is a man who made a shop selling necessities for life, food and other things.  He charges very little, making almost no profit, and sometimes, people we come by and simply drop off money without taking anything.  That’s because they took what the needed sometime previously.  He runs the store on credit, asking people to pay what they can, if they can.  At the current rate, he won’t be able to stay in business for more than a year or two longer, but he refuses to charge more or to stop giving to people on credit which they may or may not be able to pay.  He said he’d rather go out of business than stop giving credit to people.  He’s not running this shop to get rich.  He’s doing it for his people.  He’s not their leader; he’s just one of his people. 

This man is not a Christian, but a darn good example of Jesus’ teaching.  “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  This man is truly living God’s kingdom in how he treats others…loving people more than things, and truly being not afraid. 

Living out God’s kingdom, receiving God’s kingdom requires us to see the world differently than we may otherwise.  The refugee with the shop didn’t see people taking his stuff.  He saw people in need and he saw his stuff as being able to fill that need.  From there, is there anything these people won’t do for this generous man when he is in need?  They are choosing not to be afraid and choosing to love people rather than loving stuff.

The boys at Camp Allen initially saw a mean kid who kicked them.  Then they began to see through the lens of God’s kingdom, a hurt kid who felt like he was being bullied.  From there, they could learn to love each other rather than holding on to hurt.  Our hurt, our fear, feelings of being right:  those can be things too, things that we hold onto in order to protect ourselves.  Those boys at Camp Allen were learning to let go of those things.  They are learning not to be afraid of each other, but to treat each other with generosity of spirit, seeking love over fear.

Fear says keep what you have; take care of yourself.  Love says, “do not afraid; give generously for the sake of others.”  Whether our things are physical things or mental/emotional things that we hold onto for self-protection, Jesus teaches us to receive God’s kingdom by giving up those things and taking the risky road of love instead.  Remember, “People were created to be loved.  Things were created to be used.  The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used.” - author unknown  

So, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Receive God’s kingdom and take the risky road of love.  Amen.