Now that Daylight Savings time has "fallen back", the initial excitement about the extra hour has dissipated and our days now simply get darker quicker. For some of us, this hardly makes a difference. It makes no difference to us whether our drive home from work at 6pm is in darkness or in the light of a lingering sun. For others, it is harder. There is the need to lean a little closer into the foundations that give us hope.
Scripture teaches that part of this lingering sadness is a feeling of guilt. As Christians, we know from our doctrine that we are sinners. We know from the old saying that the church is the only institution that requires of its members that they admit they aren't worthy of joining. But to live this way day to day is hard. We don't want to feel bad about ourselves. So we burrow any feelings of guilt down deep and tell ourselves we really are good people, or at least as good as anybody else.
One way we do this is by comforting ourselves with good intentions. Not good deeds, but good intentions. The comedian Louis C.K. is in his first class airplane seat and sees an American soldier come aboard the plane. He considers the thought of giving up his seat. He doesn't. He then mocks himself for being so impressed with himself for having thought such a good thought, and how little it seems to matter to him that the thought didn't lead to action. I am thankful for this comedian for noticing this wrong assumption, which is that good people think good thoughts, even when they are too lazy or indifferent or embarrassed to act on those thoughts.
Ezekiel 31-34 depicts a God who has zero tolerance for religious thoughts that don't lead to action. If it were mathematically possible, we could say he had 'negative 5' tolerance for such a thing. In chapters 31 and 32, God tells Ezekiel to speak humbling words to the proud land of Egypt. In chapter 33, he tells Ezekiel that he is accountable to tell the people of God whatever he hears from God. Whatever happens will happen, but Ezekiel's own salvation is bound to actually doing what God asks. The saying that sticks out to me the most from the whole reading comes a few verses later: "And you, mortal, say to your people...the righteous shall not be able to live by their righteousness when they sin." Righteous thoughts or even past righteous actions aren't like money in the bank. Money I steal today can't be added to my righteousness savings. Sin always empties the whole account. It's gone. Chapter 34 goes on to talk about bad priests who are more concerned to feed themselves than to save their people.
As Christians, what do we do with this? I have been thinking about what we mean when we talk about wanting a 'transformed life.' I pray. I talk to God. I ask him for a transformed life. I think what I often picture a transformed life looking like is this: me sitting in a chair thinking about how different I am than I used to be. "Wow, I've come so far." I used to do this. And this. I used to spend my time doing this. Now I've changed." But this wouldn't be real transformation. Real transformation means I think of Jesus more as family. I realize more deeply that he is with me constantly. That he is united to me. That I participate in his death and resurrection. And real transformation also means that I rely upon him constantly to love everyone in my life as though they were family. Such a trust in such a mighty God could not bear to remain a mere spark of faith. It would catch fire.
And, on this election day, I am reminded that very intelligent people also confirm that nothing less will transform our society than this. Alexis de Tocqueville was a 19th century Frenchman who spent several years touring the United States of America. The French having made their own experiment with democracy with the French revolution, de Tocqueville was aware of the joys and perils of representative government. His book, Democracy in America has become a trove of insight into who we are. I read this quote today: "I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."
Oh God, make us deeply unsettled and dissatisfied with simply thinking good thoughts. Help us to press on to good action.
No comments:
Post a Comment