For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
- Galatians 5:6
Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God’s will.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I’m told that once, when I was a child, our family was leaving Jacob’s Field after a Cleveland baseball game. As we made our way to our car, a man holding a cup asked us for money. I tugged on a parent’s sleeve and asked if we could help him. Wanting to encourage their son to give to others, I was handed something to put in the man’s cup. I have no recollection of that moment, but my Mom does. All I can say is, it was simpler as a child. Sharing with others in need was clearly the kind thing to do. Every adult I knew reinforced it. My Sunday School teachers taught me that this is how Jesus lived, and that it made God happy when we saw those in need and helped them. I was more eager to help others in need when I was a child. My faith response was not a question; it was a reaction, a reflex.
Now, when I see others with a cup, I wonder if they really need it. I wonder what poor choices they have made along the way. Is it safe to risk interacting, a risk Jesus certainly took and demanded his followers take? Faith has become more of a thought in need of justification. Jesus teaches his disciples, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Today, I invite you to read the newspaper, watch the news, listen to NPR, or scroll on social media. As you take in all that is happening in the world, how would you explain it in its simplest terms to a child? For instance, a man in need sits outside a stadium, facing insults and avoidant eyes just to receive a few coins or the occasional paper bill. How would you explain why families have immigrated to this country? How would you describe the purpose and role of ICE? How does the child in you respond to it? The adult in you will want to say, “yeah, but” or “it’s complicated,” but what does the child say about what the right thing to do is?
Galatians 5:6 says, “the only thing that counts is faith working through love.”As his country slipped deeper into authoritarianism, Dietrich Bonhoeffer echoed Paul’s words, saying, “Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God’s will.” How will you get out of the way, and allow your inner childlike reflex do what is right? What is God’s will, and what small act can make that a reality today? And then… do it!
Blessings for your journey,
Rev. Keith McDevitt
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