Epiphany
February 11, 2017
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:21-37
‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. –Matthew 5:21-22
My Sunday school class recently discussed whether all sins were equal or are some sins worse than others? Where does the accumulation of sins fit? What is sin anyway? We fell back on the definition of sin as missing the mark or not being aligned with God’s will. How do we know when we have missed the mark and what is our response? How do all the Biblical laws fit within these definitions and how do we interpret them as they apply in our world today?
Living is easier when everything is black and white. We can check off how good we are when we follow the rules as we understand them, regardless of their impact on us or others. I remember the scene from Schindler’s List (at least I think that was the movie) where Jews were hiding in sewer system tunnels to avoid being imprisoned by the Nazi’s. They had a tiny newborn with them who started to cry as the Nazi soldiers marched closer and closer to the hiding place. One of the parents placed a handkerchief over the baby’s mouth and nose till there was no noise escaping. The soldiers passed without notice, many lives were saved from the concentration camps, the baby died. There was nothing black or white about the situation.
It is never enough to protect ourselves from God’s judgment while the world is falling apart around us. God’s way as Jesus modeled it was to take care of problems before they escalated. To love our neighbors until there is no room left for discord and hate that leads to destruction, to prevent catastrophes before they happen, and to make justice for all a reality.
Of course, we do not get a clean slate on which to design our quest for justice. We must begin in whatever quagmire we find ourselves. Justice involves fixing the broken as well as preventing brokenness. God is powerful enough to support restoration and prevention at the same time. With God’s help we can restore and prevent at the same time also.
Prayer: Lord, empower our love to be the catalyst as we work to prevent injustice as well as restore justice. Forgive us when we miss the mark; guide us to finding your way to justice. Amen.