Re-equipped for a Purpose: Deut 34: 5-12; II Tim 1: 1-9
The philosopher Thomas Hobbes once said, “Outside of society, life is nasty, brutish, and short.” That idea has developed into quotes from authors like David Gerrold, which say, “Life is hard, and then you die.” Now, my young idealistic self sitting so pretentiously in my political theory class with Dr. Stroup nearly had a meltdown at this dark and difficult idea. Just over a decade later, when that alarm goes off at 5:30 am, “approaching-middle-age” me much more thoroughly and deeply understands this idea of things being nasty, short, and difficult.
In many ways, we see a lot of suffering in life. As I drove through Albany the past couple of days for work, I realized that many people live every day in a type of suffering we don’t know or understand, and that we certainly don’t comprehend as being in our own country. That is why a community of faith is important both for us as individuals and as a group. We need only look at the scriptures for today to realize that importance. The Israelites travelled as a group together. Here we read of the transition from the leadership of Moses to that of Joshua. It was very simple. Moses laid his hands on Joshua, Joshua was filled with wisdom, and now he was in charge. We read how Paul wrote letters to others for comfort, encouragement, and to keep the communities of faith together.
Why? Why is this idea of community so important? Paul gives hints: he will be filled with joy when they are together and God has given us s spirit of power, love and self-discipline, not fear and timidity. These things come from our togetherness, from our encouragement of one another, from our excitement and encouragement as God’s people working together in hope and in grace. And, because in order to do our purpose, we need the talents, skills, and calling of everyone in God’s community, working together.
In talking about how we are all ministers and called to serve, Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “To be a [minister] is to know that things are not as they should be and yet to care for them the way they are.” That means surrendering our cynicism, attitudes, and pride to take up the cross, to take up Christ’s call and follow. Rachel Held Evans expands on this idea by saying, “Whenever we show others the goodness of God, whenever we follow our Teacher by imitating his posture of humble and ready service, our actions are sacred and [pastoral]. To be called…as all of us are, is to be called to a life of presence, of kindness.”
The problem is we are human and we get, as my Granny would say, where something “aggravates the stew out of us.” I have yet to figure out the full meaning of that, but it’s bad, I suppose. Paul, who is in prison, writes, “never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord…and don’t be ashamed of me, either” even though Paul is currently in prison for his preaching. And yet we all get aggravated and irritated. I have repeatedly this week as things came up, life got busy, and I travelled from the coast to Albany, to Americus, to Macon, tomorrow to Columbus, to Marietta as well. I’m tired, grouchy, and oh so human. Things seem a bit short, nasty, and brutish, and most likely that’s an apt description of my personality in those moments.
But I was reminded of a call by Rachel’s book, “Through touch, God gave us the power to injure or to heal, to wage war or wash feet. Let us not forget the gravity of that. Let us not forget that call.” This week I listened as a man told his story of living in an abuse personal care home, not licensed or controlled by the State of Georgia, but just hidden away from society by a true criminal. Now let me prepare this with, the level of horror I deal with on a weekly basis is beyond what many of you may see in a lifetime.
He told how the lady put him in a home with no water, a/c or heat in Albany, and left him there. She took him off his anti-psychotic meds which, of course, caused him to act out wildly. When he became too gross, wild acting, and unprofitable, she and a couple of her help drug him kicking and screaming out of the house, slapping and hitting him, and threw him out at a hospital. When I am tempted to be difficult, irritable, and snarky, I remind myself that I am too blessed to have that attitude.
Paul writes, “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois, and your mother, Eunice, and I know that same faith continues strong in you.” Timothy was strong in his faith, his love, and service because he had a foundation both in himself and in the communities he served. As Mark 7: 15 says, “It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.” So what comes up out of our heart? What comes up out of our mouths? What good and Christlike things do we put into the world around us? What words and thoughts of anger and hatred and unkindness do we spread?
“Ultimately,” writes Evans, “all are called. All belong to the holy order of God’s beloved. The hands that pass the peace can pass a meal to the man on the street. The hands that cup together to receive Christ in the bread and cup will extend to receive Christ in the immigrant, the refugee, the lonely, or the sick and dying.” So then, just as we are all called, we are all equipped for a purpose. A friend of mine, who is a long-time church musician, told me that one time she was playing quiet organ music for a service of healing and anointing. Her back was to the congregation, and she felt so removed and apart from them. Later, she told the pastor, “I feel like instead of being behind the organ, I should be out there laying hands on people, helping them, healing them, doing the same work as others here.” The pastor replied, “Oh, but you are, from your hands on the keys of the instrument, you are healing just as powerfully as my hands laid on their shoulders in prayer.”
“There is a power in touch—a connective energy—a bond, for the Son of God healed with his hands.” When Moses laid hands on Joshua, he was filled with the spirit of wisdom. And when Paul laid hands on Timothy (in verse 6) it fanned the flames of the spiritual gifts God gave him. We are all called by God, and we are all equipped for a purpose by the same God who gives all power, all healing, all strength, and all love. Many say life is short, nasty, brutish, that it is miserable then you die. But in faith we say, “God gave us the power to injure or to heal, wage war or wash feet.” Let us not forget the power in that. Let us not forget our call.