Sometimes in the Bible I believe it's so easy to see the many good and pleasing words, which are certainly there, no doubt. However, at times we look over the words that we don't want to say... today's scripture readings hold two examples. First we have Jonathan who must bid farewell to his dear friend, denying his own desire for companionship to protect his friend. Secondly, Jesus shares harsh words of correction at a dinner party.
I pray that God may teach me when I need to speak and what I need to speak, even when it is not what I want to say... when they are words that sidestep my own desires or words that may include harsh correction.
Good-bye
Words that We Don't Want
Then Jonathan said to David: "Tomorrow is the New Moon festival. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. 20 I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. 21 Then I will send a boy and say, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I say to him, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,' then come, because, as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe; there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the boy, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then you must go, because the LORD has sent you away. 23 And about the matter you and I discussed—remember, the LORD is witness between you and me forever."...
30 Saul's anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, "You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don't I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? 31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he must die!"
32 "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" Jonathan asked his father. 33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.
34 Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the month he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father's shameful treatment of David.
35 In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, 36 and he said to the boy, "Run and find the arrows I shoot." As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy came to the place where Jonathan's arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?" 38 Then he shouted, "Hurry! Go quickly! Don't stop!" The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master. 39 (The boy knew nothing of all this; only Jonathan and David knew.) 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, "Go, carry them back to town."
41 After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.
42 Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, 'The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.' " Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. -1 Samuel 20:18-23, 30-42
The parting of Jonathan and David certainly is not easy. Jonathan would not like his friend to have to leave his side, but his love and concern for his friend is greater than the importance of his own desires. This is rather easy to talk about, but when it's something deep, it's harder to set it aside. This reminds me of my dear friend Kammy, who was here last year and brightened up my life. I miss her so much. She was a wonderful friend to me, but she had her husband waiting at home, her life waiting at home, and now she is happy there with him and her new little baby girl who is absolutely precious. The farewell was hard, but it has been good for her.
Still, it's important to note that this 'giving up of ones' own desires' is not always a physical good-bye. It might also be a good-bye to a previous plan. Before this Fall, I'd planned on going back home to PA to teach for a while before continuing my studies. Though it's sad not to be at home, it's for the good of my new young marriage and for my own good in a way. God has given me other wonderful opportunities that I myself didn't plan out- an amazing husband-to-be who loves me so much and acceptance into a top program with wonderful colleagues, supportive professors, interesting classes and a variety of expansive opportunities.
I guess another example is that I was hoping to go to Guatemala this summer (while Brad's in Brazil) and visit a project that I love there called Education and Hope, that's actually where we signed up for a registry. In fact, it's one of my dreams to possibly set up or work with a similar program somewhere, perhaps in the DR with our church. To me the DR stands out, since so many Haitians (without DR citizenship) have no right to an education. But, there's a lot going on this summer, along with a lot of expenses tied up with a new home, etc... so I might not make the trip this summer. It's hard to not do something that would be a great experience, but I have new priorities coming my way, a new family I'm starting... and this I love.
Woe
Words of Correction
37When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.
39Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41But give what is inside the dish [b] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
42"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
43"Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
44"Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."
45One of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also."
46Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
47"Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. 48So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' 50Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
52"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
53When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54waiting to catch him in something he might say. -Luke 11:37-53
I was especially struck by these words this morning. For all the times we read of a gentle Jesus with quiet and loving and mild mannered words, these words are striking. I'm reminded that Jesus was anything but silent. When he noticed that something was amiss, he called it out. When he believed that something wasn't correct, he mentioned it. I pray that God may give me wisdom when I need to speak out, and when I should remain quiet.
Sometimes it's hard to speak out. We don't want to create 'conflict.' But being pacifist is not being 'passive,' though that's the common myth. Actually "pacifism" does not just mean peace but "peace making"- note the active verb in the second part of this definition. Pacifists were always rather countercultural... taking punishment and persecution without resorting to the "(carnal) sword" as they put it, their actions spoke as loudly as their words. They spoke out with words and their ways that they believed in a Jesus who asked us to 'turn the other cheek' and 'love our enemies.' In fact, that is one of the reasons the COB still exists today, a strong belief that a historical tradition of Biblical pacifism (in addition to radical discipleship) is a unique and significant witness, described in Dale Brown's book "Biblical Pacifism" as a "faithful prophetic minority [that] provide[s] a needed alternative model."
In a more day to day context, we might think about when God is asking us to challenge our brothers and sisters, remind them of the blessings of corporal worship and bible studies, and invite them to participate in prayer groups, etc.
Lord, teach us when we need to say what we might not need to say- whether words that go against our own desires or words that correct.
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