Lucy engaged with Mr. Tumnus in Narnia consoling him through his grief. After returning through the wardrobe to her brothers and sister, she begins to tell them about the witch. “But before Lucy could persuade Peter and Susan that there was a wicked White Witch through the wardrobe, Edmund secretly slipped through to see for himself…and bumped straight into her! At once the Witch saw he was just the kind of boy she could win over with a box of her enchanted Turkish Delight. ‘And they’ll be lots more…rooms of it,’ she tempted him, ‘if you’ll only bring your brother and sisters to my House!’ ‘I will, I will,’ said Edmund, stuffing and gobbling, without stopping to think what might happen to them if he did. So when, a few days later, all four children did go through the wardrobe together, Edmund was quite ready to deliver the others to the Witch…just to get his mouth around more of that magic, must-have Turkish Delight.
The lectionary readings (click here for the link) contain the most extremes of humanity
Admittedly, we see King David in the text of 2 Samuel through our own post-modern lens…he sees a woman as an object to be acquired, sends for her, lays with her (rapes her), wants this person like Edmund wants Turkish Delight, so David schemes to cover his tracks and have Bathsheba’s husband sent to the front of the war and abandoned there with no military support to protect him.
We are challenged to find any redemptive quality in David whatsoever. Recently there has been a question moving through social media in the last several months. The question is asked to women: if you were alone walking a path in the woods, would you rather encounter a bear or a man. This question has sparked a variety of emotion-laden conversations amongst women and what, for some, have been complicated histories with men
And, in David, again viewed through our post-modern lens, we might be able to understand the legitimacy, relevance, and sheer audacity of the man/bear question.
And yet, David’s story does not end with these predatory impulses that he succumbs to; his redemption story follows, as we all well know.
Similarly, our readings of this morning do not stop with David who exemplifies the worst of humanity.
In our gospel we see Jesus as he has crossed the Sea of Galilee, apparently to seek peace and respite from his ministry amongst the people. But, the crowds hunt him down and harass Jesus and are relentless as they continue to demand his attention. As his disciples are on the boat when the storm arises at center of the sea they, do not recognize Jesus when he walks out to them on the water.
I’ve been listening to a podcast called A Bit of Optimism from Simon Sinek. Sinek engages in systems theory regarding how teams and individuals work together to help, and to sabotage, progress. He works with organizational leaderships to identify their purpose and engage mutual trust and vulnerability so that they are meaningful as they maneuver their outreach. In two of his podcasts he talked with Adam Grant and Brene Brown. In their unpacking of topics like values and compliance versus commitment, Sinek said that when we are put in our most exposed and vulnerable moments, our true values will emerge. Specifically, Sinek said this: “Show me what you’re like when you’re angry and I’ll show you what you value.”
In our gospel passage we can see what the people value. Some want to be healed of their illnesses and disabilities, some want their loved ones to be raised from the dead, some are curious and want to know more of this healer, teacher, mystic, prophet.
Jesus knows, however, what they all want which is for him to take over and to be king, and he wants none of it
In the boat when the disciples are terrified from the storm — reminder that many of these individuals are fishermen living day in day out and know quite well the movements and experiences of the sea — they cannot even recognize Jesus despite the fact that they have been with him for such a long time. In their most vulnerable moments as the fear and reality of imminent death consumes them, we see what they value: they want Jesus to take over for them and get in the boat.
But what Jesus does in our gospel reveals what he values: the people descend upon him and instead of giving in to the panic of the lack of food, he asks them a question. He acknowledges the issue. He engages with them more deeply by asking a question. Then, he accepts the food from the boy and creates a moment of fellowship and community as the people sit and eat. He empowers them to solve the problem themselves. He acknowledges the disciples’ fear as they are in the boat amidst the storm. But, he is present with them empowering them to sit in community with their emotions while refusing to join the disciples in the boat.
Karen Marie Yust says this about the ministry of Jesus, “This story suggests that the focus of ministry is not simply what good people decide is reasonable to undertake in order to meet basic needs. Instead, ministry is about multiplying resources so that what might have been a social handout become a revelation of amazing grace. Ministry should leave people exclaiming that prophets of transformation are active in the world bringing hope to souls weary of oppressive social systems and values.” She goes on to say that ministers in the work of the kingdom, which is all of us, may “relish acknowledgment of their value and worth in the community as agents of transformation…but what Jesus does is withdraw from public limelight in solitude in his ministry.”
The coming months for all of us will be times of trial, of stress, of anxiety, of heightened emotions and words and behaviors…the coming months for all of us will be opportunities in which the viselike grip of our world might cause such extreme mental and emotional pressure that what comes from us will be the truth of what we value. Is what we value victory over our political enemies? Is what we value bearing to witness to our opponent suffering in humiliation?
Jesus knew the values of the people and yet he caused them to pause in their pursuit, take a moment and break bread tougher, seek rest, and engage in community and fellowship together. In these coming months when our emotions run thick and red and violent, may we not be like David pursuing oppression and deception and violence and power. Instead, may we pause and rest and reflect and seek curiosity and connection and fellowship. And, when the world is simply too much, may we actually follow in the steps of Jesus and disengage with the world in personal rest and renewal as we value the grace and love offered from our Creator.
Amen.
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