You've undoubtedly heard the proverb that says, "May you live in interesting times." My sense of the original intent of this saying is that it was meant to be more negative than positive. Sort of like when a parent says to their unruly child, "I hope your children turn out to be just like you." But, the proverb could also be understood as something hopeful and ripe with possibility. Sometimes it is the unruly child who surprises us the most. They nudge us out of our sameness and energize us to take on new and life giving action.
Jesus was such an unruly child. He questioned the status quo and called the powerful and the powerless to reconsider their world view and core values in light of the God of life and love. He took up the cry of the Baptist to repent and return to the Lord, but then added to it a social conscious component urging people to make a difference in the world around them: love God and neighbor as self, he said, treat others the way you would like to be treated. Don't just repent to get a reward, be the change that transforms hopeless living into Spirit informed hopeful living.
In several Op-Ed editorials, the New York Times columnist, David Brooks, has argued that we live in a time in which, to solve the challenges of our generation, we need to concentrate on small, holistic changes that make life better for people, rather than searching to find the one grand solution that will make everything work and return us to our former greatness. Conflicting sound bytes and grand schemes will not save us, doing things that make a positive difference in people's lives will. Remember Jesus' teaching about the cup of cold water given to a thirsty child or the Zen teaching about the butterfly.
Our times are not that different from the times in which Jesus lived. Jesus asked people to take a good look at themselves, turn away from self-seeking behavior and use their creative energy to help transform their families and communities into places where all were allowed to live in peace, dignity and beauty. He asked it of those with whom he came in contact during his time, and he asks it of us today. The Good News, Jesus said, was that the kingdom of God had come near. Believe, repent, he said, and work to transform yourself and the world around you to reflect that kingdom.
It is not easy being an unruly child in the kingdom of God, but in his day, Jesus, with a handful of friends and the energy of the Spirit, did some amazing things. We, too, live in interesting times, and we, too, have our unruly natures, but I believe that if we follow Jesus' lead, heed the Spirit's teaching and join our energies and passions, we, too, can make a difference for the good of the kingdom.
In name of Jesus, the unruly child of God, Amen.
