"A TRUE SENSE OF SELF"

Philippians 2:1-11
Luke 14: 1, 7-14

St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church

Rev. Gary Paterson

August 29, 2010

 

 

Chickens do it; so do elephants; and baboons; wolves too; and, of course, homo sapiens. Got you thinking now, haven’t I? And maybe worried. But no,, what I’m talking about is the need to establish hierarchical social structures; you know, the pecking order; head bull, or cow; top dog… and the bottom, and everyone in between. A constant question, though often unspoken, as we walk through our lives… “Where do I fit? How do I rank? How important am I, really?” But you know, we humans are pretty good about figuring this out … strong, weak; up, down; in, out. We like to know where we stand: at the front of the bus, first in line, middle of the road, centre of attention… and, oh yes, the back of the church. We’re able to use almost anything to evaluate people: looks, smarts, colour, size, shape, age, wealth, fashion – fine suit I’m wearing, no? You name it, so many ways to claim status, our place in the great chain of being.

Who knows where it begins… maybe in your first family: first born… hey, that’s me; eldest son… me again; mother’s favourite, father’s favourite… a little sibling rivalry to get things rolling. Or maybe it takes the playground and the classroom to cement it – who’s going to get chosen for the team? And don’t even let me get started on High School… nerd, that’s me; a status unto itself; not always fun. It continues on into work, and who claims the corner office; or in neighbourhoods, where NIMBY establishes pretty quickly who’s in and who’s not welcome to the party; even on airplanes, especially on a fourteen hour flight back from New Zealand, knowing very definitely that we are not in Business Class. I’ve been told from reliable sources that it happens occasionally in churches… would you believe that?

But why not, when you realize that we are quite willing to do it on a species level. Homo sapiens – top predator; the ultimate top dog. We claim primacy of place, and if that means the extinction of thousands of other species… well, too bad. The world was made for us; we claim world dominance and forget about tending and taking care of the garden, one species among many; all precious in the eyes of the Holy. We ignore the fact that we have only been kicking around for the last four million years; which makes you wonder what was happening for the first 14 billion, nine hundred and ninety-six million years before we arrived. Ah well… move over; we’ve arrived at the party, and we’re determined to claim the best seats. So strange, our presumption, and arrogance.

Now… a case in point. Two thousand years ago, Jesus was walking along the road to Jerusalem. He came to a mid-sized town; maybe stayed the night… and got himself invited to the big dinner party that was the talk of the town. This well-off Pharisee, very religious… synagogue every sabbath; daily prayer; gave ten per cent of his money to charity… well, a couple of weeks ago he had sent out invitations to a big shindig at his place; those who had received the invite, well, they just couldn’t help themselves… “So, I’ll be seeing you at Ebenezer’s dinner party on Sunday! … Oh, I’m sorry… oh, you’re not going; there must be a mistake; I’m sure your invitation is still in the mail.” The Who’s Who in town were gathering, and a fine bunch they were… “Tch, the best; tch, tch, the best; tch, tch, the best in town. And they went with a quack, and a waddle and a quack….” And then, of course, there was Jesus; he was going to the party too.

The guests arrive. Perhaps in the open courtyard, having a pre-dinner drink; a cocktail… well, no, actually, maybe just a glass of wine. Everyone chatting, milling around, checking out the crowd, who’s there, who’s not; who’s important enough to arrive late. There’s an anxiety in the air; you can feel it, as eyes keep flicking toward the closed doors that lead to the dining room. It’s not clear who will be sitting where…. Will there be name cards? And will that be embarrassing? Is this the time to make sure that you just happen to be close to the doors when they open, so that you just naturally stroll in and take a seat up front, close to the head table? Is this an occasion to do a little pushing, judiciously using the odd elbow here and there? Do you pull rank, and assume a place close to the host, where the hottest food will come, the smoothest wine, and the brightest conversation? And then, of course, there was Jesus; who was watching; and I’d guess, smiling. He shakes his head, thinking maybe … like a bunch of chickens, just pecking away, as if this were somehow important, like it really matters.

He laughs, and pulls out a zinger of a proverb from the Scriptures:

“When you are invited to a banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Well now, Jesus is making good sense; I mean, that’s what proverbs are always about. You might even think Jesus is acting as a Ms. Manners of Palestine, handing our practical advice on how to save yourself from social embarrassment. But you know, Jesus was never really about handing out advice, creating a Gospel Guide to proper etiquette.

No, Jesus always seemed to be wanting to startle people into a new awareness of God, and he was willing to use challenge and invitation, healings and parables, Samaritans and prodigals, his own life example …use everything he could to enable people to get a taste of a new life with God, to catch a vision of the Kingdom, and themselves, no longer ugly ducklings, but incredible swans.

So all of a sudden this story about Jesus at the top dog dinner becomes something other than advice. It’s Jesus laughing at the whole thing; this is not what life is about, scurrying about for the best place at the table, locked in a simmering lifetime of comparison, status-seeking, keeping up with the Jones’s, always wanting to be one up. No contentment here, no security -- for you could slip up, at any moment… or rather slip down… a little recession here and there, an indiscretion, accident, illness, age… it’s never enough, whatever it is your supposedly to be collecting this week. I think Jesus is inviting us to take a look at ourselves, and gain a little perspective. Humble… that’s where we’re called to be… and take a moment to remember that the words humble, humility and human all come from the same Latin root… humus, meaning ground, earth, dirt. Be humble, says Jesus, not because it is socially polite and useful, but rather because a humble creature of carbon, of dirt… that’s what you are. And all the various accoutrements… appearance, achievement, affluence… they don’t mean much when death comes knocking at the door.

Humble… that can be a life-giving way to see yourself. Sometimes it comes spinning at your from the very world itself. Just say, for instance, that you were lucky enough to spend the night at Hicks Bay, way south in New Zealand, on the East Cape. A handful of people in the town, and a sky alive with stars, the millions that you don’t see here, with all the city lights. And strange stars: I mean, I’ve read about it in books, the constellations of the southern hemisphere are different from the ones I have seen. But to actually see it! I can find the Southern Cross, but that’s it. And the Milky Way, so thick that I thought at first it must be cloud in the sky. Inspired enough, then, to stagger forth at dawn, down to Te Arora beach, the sun arising from the Pacific Ocean, and because of the dateline, this is the first land to be touched by the rising sun, as the earth spins into a new day. And you find that you cannot help but sing out with the Psalmist…. “When I see the moon, the sun, the stars, the work of your fingers, what are we humans that you are mindful of us?” Stars, sun and humans. Humble.

But that’s only half the story, according to Jesus. Humble but exalted. Not by ourselves, but by God. Not because of our place in the order of things, but because we are valued by God. No jostling required; no elbows; no status. The host… and who else might that be in a story like this, if not God…. the host will come to each and everyone of us… “You most delightful swan, you battered up, beleaguered but oh so precious human being… here, take your place at the table, in the circle, in the web. Come sit with me.” In fact, says Jesus, every lame, blind, poor person will also get an invite. And make sure you add yourself to that list.

Maybe you don’t always feel this … it can take a leap of faith. But there it is – It’s part of what Jesus kept trying to say… hello Zaccheus, Prodigal Son, Samaritan woman; and, “Don’t be fussed about what you’re going to wear to eat… or where you’re going to sit at the table; just focus on God, and the rest will fall into place.” To use the language of the gospels, “The kingdom of God is at hand, in our midst” Or perhaps it makes sense to use theological language, “Accept that you are accepted.” Or even the language of the comic strip, where Dennis the Menace says to his friend Joey, “Mrs. Wilson doesn’t give you cookies because you’re nice; she gives you a cookie because she’s nice.” Maybe we just call it grace.

Humble but honoured; able to honestly see how we get carried away fussing about unimportant stuff; able to laugh at ourselves; to change our ways; to know in our very centers that we are of inestimable value. It’s the balance… so that our humility is not fake, Uriah Heep-like, with all the ingratiating hand-rubbing and excessive politeness that barely hides the resentment and anger. Balance, so that our humility doesn’t lead to pride… “Just look at me, how humble I am. Don’t you think I’m humble? -- oh so very religious of me.” You know what I mean. And this Jesus balance of knowing we’re from the dirt, but also shining stars in the heart of God, the humbleness that is rooted in deep sense of self-worth, it saves us from becoming doormats, martyrs, battered spouses – being humble does not mean taking abuse.

I think it’s at this moment, perhaps when everyone is feeling welcome at the banquet, that Jesus smiles again, and suggests that when we leave, maybe we can do a bit of welcoming ourselves… making sure the invitation gets out to everyone; making a place beside ourselves at the table. Go and do likewise… that’s what Jesus said after telling the story of the Good Samaritan. Or at this dinner party that we’ve been talking about, when Jesus advised folk to invite all the lame, poor and blind to the next party they threw. I wonder if that’s what Paul meant when he wrote, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus….

I could go on… and on… about what it might mean to go and do likewise, but I’d rather invite you to sing with me. You know how difficult it can be to focus on a lot of words while at the same time you’re trying to catch on to a new tune. Well, let’s just stay seated, and grab More Voices, and turn to the very first page… and while Darryl plays the music, I invite you to speak the first verse with me, listening to what is being said:

Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live,

A place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive.

Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace;

Here the love of Christ shall end divisions:

All are welcome, all are welcome,

All are welcome in this place.

Let’s just keep singing along…

Let us build a house where prophets speak and words are strong and true,

Where all God’s children dare to seek to dream God’s reign anew.

Here the cross shall stand as witness and as symbol of God’s grace;

Here as one we claim the faith of Jesus:

All are welcome, all are welcome,

All are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where love is found in water, wine and wheat;

A banquet hall on holy ground, where peace and justice meet.

Here the love of God, through Jesus, is revealed in time and space;

As we share in Christ the feast that frees us:

All are welcome…

Let us build a house where hands will reach beyond the wood and stone

To heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the Word they’ve known.

Here the outcast and the stranger bear the image of God’s face;

Let us bring an end to fear and danger:

All are welcome….

Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard

And loved and treasured, taught and claimed as words within the Word.

Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace;

Let this house proclaim from floor to rafter:

All are welcome, all are welcome,

All are welcome in this place.