117. Willing to be wrong

Matt 25:14 – 16 For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

What would you be willing to do in order to be obedient to God?  I know that I do not live in perfect obedience; not even close.  There are things that I question.  What does it mean to live in community with other Christians as a church?  What does it mean to be in the world?  I see my participation in consumerism as being sinful in nature.  But I am not willing to give up the privileges and comforts that I am afforded. 

          In our faith we are asked to do things that we might not want to do.  Hang out with people we don’t like.  Go to places no rational human being would want to go.  Give up money to help support our church and other charities - just to be clear in doing so we need to hold those we give money to responsible for how it is spent.

          I could go on about what I would give up or do in order to be a decent human being.  I think for the most part being a Christian is being one of those – they seem to be a rarity these days.  Like me, I am sure that the same could be said for you.

          But I have question, and it was first posed to me.  I think it was an overactive imagination that posed the question.  It would be cool if it was a divine revelation, but I don’t think it was one.  But the question is, “Would you be willing to be wrong in order to be obedient?”

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus often says, “You have heard it said...” which is followed up with, “...but I tell you.”  In doing so, he reveals a deeper significance to that which is said.  But he also tells people to take matters one step further.  He challenges us to live in contrast to the world around us. 

          In living my faith, not only am I called to serve the world around me, I am entered into a world where there is little good or bad morality.  Often the quest for right or wrong morality is nothing more than a self-serving quest for certainty.  

          I like the parable of the talents.  I like the depiction of the master, God, as it is a common understanding of who we serve.  The two faithful servants sought to be obedient by being a good steward of what they had to offer.  And in conducting the commerce by which they increased the amount of talents they had, they risked being wrong and losing the talents they had been given.

          The other servant, also seeking to be a good steward, sought to protect what he had been given.  It is an understandable approach.  If you had given me money to hold onto, and then your found out that I played the stock market with it, you might be kind of grumpy.  If I stuck that same money in my safe, then you would be pleased that I kept it for you.

          The safe servant, reminds me of me so often.  Seeking safety, and seeking certainty.  In doing so, I do a disservice to God, and to those around me. Thus, with my life, am I going to play it safe?  Will I limit my energies on becoming the best little me I can be?  Or will I risk being wrong? 

          To put this in a more palatable context, we Christians once believed, and I imagine there are those that still do, that marriage was for life.  Even if your spouse was abusive and unfaithful, you were stuck with him or her.  The bible is quite clear on the topic of divorce, and of subservience of the woman to the husband.  The challenge is that the world does not mirror this clarity.  Now, the majority of Christians would agree that leaving the abusive spouse is the right thing to do – even if it conflicts with the understanding of scripture. 

          I will leave this with you til my next posting.