Our lessons are full of symbols (or signs) today – from the rainbow in our Old Testament lesson, to the dove in our gospel lesson.
They give us hope in a world that does not always appear very hopeful. We often struggle in this world to make sense in the things that happen around us. And we are not perfect - as much as we would like to be. We often do not come up with the best solution to the problems that face us on a daily basis. We often do not react in a Christ like manner when we are confronted by problems that remind us of the past. More often than not, we react out of our brokenness – the history we try to leave behind, but can’t because our healing has not yet been perfected.
At one conference I went to, the question was asked, how many have gone through some life changing experience that had shaped us and formed our lives. The reference was to an experience that moved us toward the understanding that ultimately we are not in control of our own destiny. One man talked about his daughter’s attempted suicide, and how that event had changed him forever. We have no idea of the things that people around us might be dealing with on a daily basis. And we need to understand that we are not always in control.
But going back to our symbol - here in the beginning of Mark’s gospel we see some of the glory and power of God – “the heavens torn apart” and the Spirit descends – but not like thunder or lightning. The Spirit descends like a dove – a gentleness that is not normally acknowledged in association with God.
But remember Elijah, fearing for his life and hiding in a cave, he hears the voice of God – not in the earthquake, fire or wind, but in the stillness he experienced the gentleness of God. Or look at Jonah sitting on the hillside overlooking Nineveh, mad at God for not destroying the city. God takes pity on him and causes a bush to grow to shelter him from the heat of the sun.
And so with Jesus, this same Spirit that descended with the gentleness of a dove, also drives Jesus out into the wilderness – to be tempted and to face his worse fears and nightmares – . . . And only now, after learning firsthand about the hardships of life and standing firm and trusting on the Lord, Jesus comes through the ordeal and the angels minister to him. He is ready to partner with God – knowing that it is not his own power, but God’s grace that will carry him through to the end.
It is only after John’s arrest that Jesus comes proclaiming the good news – the message goes on, repent and believe and follow me. God has drawn near – he has come down - to deal gently with broken and needful humankind – as Isaiah says, “to bind up the brokenhearted, to free the captives, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
This Lenten season let us enter into our own period of wilderness experience – inviting God in – to teach us something new – or just to remind us of what we already know – that God himself is with us and is willing to partner with us as we journey through this life.
I was reminded the other day of Trish Schlegel, who, a number of years ago, said that she chose joy for her Lenten discipline. Joy is one of the Fruits of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23 we read, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” What if each of us chose one of the fruits of the spirit as our Lenten discipline? How could we, embodying that fruit, have a positive effect on the world around us?
We (mostly) have no idea of the kind of pain, or anguish, the inner turmoil or hopelessness that any person we meet might be facing.
It might be dealing with a child who is ill or unruly or failing in school. It might be dealing with a parent or other loved one who is dying or suffering dementia. It might be worry over how to provide food for their children that evening. I can’t even imagine what kind of pain would cause someone to take their own life; or to go into a school or other venue and begin to shoot innocent people. What if some small kindness could give them pause, to think maybe there is hope in this world; maybe someone does care!
I was surprised earlier this week to have a deputy sheriff pay for my meal at the McDonald’s drive-thru. I decided to “pass it on” and paid for the person behind me. The whole experience set the tone for the rest of my day. An act of kindness does not go unrewarded, even if only in the feeling you get when you have done something to make someone else’s day just a little brighter. You may never know the difference your kindness might make to another soul, especially when they are sad, or depressed, harried or stressed or just having a rough day.
God calls us to reach out to others in a positive way, to make a difference in the world around us. Truth be told, if we look around us, to see how we can make someone else’s day a little better, it will often make our own day brighter and our problems seem much smaller. With a smile or a kind word, some small gesture, the love of Jesus might spread further and wider than this year’s flu. I invite you to allow God’s grace to flow through you and reach out to others through acts of love, or kindness, or generosity, or patience, or any of the Fruits of the Spirit. We might not be able to change the world, but with such small measures, we can spread a little joy to the joyless corners of the world - or at least here in Alvin. So I ask you - What Fruit of the Spirit could you take on as your discipline, and share to help make someone else’s life just a little better today?
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