Camel Hair
Notes
Transcript
We continue our sermon series on Social Issues that we face today. Each week we will look at a different issue that our community and world deal with. This is all based upon Jesus’ opening to his sermon on the Mount and two quotes, one from Deitrich Bonhoeffer and the other from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bonhoeffer said “Silence in the face of evil is evil itself: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” And Dr. King said “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” I challenge you to stop allowing silence be your response and to speak up and act upon these issues.
Last week, I informed you that there were approximately 3200 students in our community who are on free and reduced lunch, which typically means they only get food when they are at school. These kids’ stomachs are growling painfully on a regular basis. To act upon this issue requires a attitude change within us. That is exactly what Jesus was trying to do within his opening, called the Beatitudes. He was acknowledging people but also calling his listeners to look at ministry differently and to reach out to the least of these among them. In fact, let’s dive into the text for the morning. Turn with me to Matthew chapter 5 verses 1-12 and hear Jesus’ call for this attitude change. Last week we heard these verses from the CEB, this week we turn to The Message translation. Now hear the words recorded in the Gospel.
When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
As I said, this is Jesus’ opening statement to his first sermon. It is Jesus’ first real public talk. Through these statements he greats everyone who is in attendance and puts them all on equal footing. We could talk about through these words, those who have been outcasted from society become part of society but then we wouldn’t get a chance to look at our sermon, Camel Hair, for the day. What in the world does Camel Hair have to do with any way? I mean, Jesus does not mention Camels in his sermon’s opening. There is also no mention of Hair anywhere either. I kind of wish Jesus would have offered a blessing for those who were going or were bald, but unfortunately for me and others, Jesus did not bless our lack of hair follicles. But anyway....
Camel Hair has to do with our topic today. Today we talk about those in need of clothing. As I was thinking about clothing and a biblical idea of clothes, I was reminded of an outfit that is described within the Gospels, that is John the Baptist’s clothing. This is found in .
John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.
John wore camel hair clothing. Camel hair clothing would have had a two fold symbolism for Jewish times. First, it tied John to the Old Testament prophet, Elijah. Elijah wore a similar outfit to John’s outfit. Secondly, the camel hair clothing would have been a sign of John’s poverty. Camel hair clothing was not something that the upper class wore in Biblical times. In fact, it was something wore by the lower classes because it was not an expensive garment. So, John resembled Elijah and a poor person all through his outfit.
In fact, clothing was a major symbol during Biblical times. Clothing types could only be afforded by certain people. Purple clothing was a sign fo royalty and rich. Purple clothing could only be afforded by those with a lot of money. This allowed the people of the time to separate the classes by only looking at the clothing of each person. Visitors in a town would know who was influential just based on their clothing. Really, this still exists today. We can tell a lot about a person’s clothing.
If somebody is seen wearing a suit on a daily basis, we assume they have a job that pays well. They are either an exec within a company or in sales. We hold people to a different status if they are in a suit verses raggedy jeans and a dirty t-shirt. In fact, I remember reading an article, I believe in the AJC, almost 20 years ago. A man went to a Marta station and dressed in dirty clothing, giving the perception of being poor and ask for money to pay for a train ride to get home. Then a day or two later, he returned in a suit and claimed to have forgotten his wallet. The results were astonishing in that he received an astronomical amount more in his suit than he did dressed down. It is the idea that we trust a well dressed person more than a person who appears poor.
Without realizing it, we judge a book by its cover. We look at people and judge them based on their clothing. It is almost engrained in our DNA. Scientists have done a number of studies on this and have come to the conclusion that there is truth this idea. They found that if we wore a white coat that we thought was a doctors we paid attention better than in a regular outfit.
It is not only adults that do this but kids too. Kids judge other children on their clothing without even thinking about it. They recognize popular fashions and unpopular fashions. Girls will ask for expensive clothing, even their parents cannot afford them, with the hope of fitting in. Boys will look at another boy’s shoes and judge their social status. It has been this way for years. While it has been happening since biblical times, judging a person’s social status is wrong. Especially when their family cannot afford better clothing. And there are many in our community who cannot afford good clothing or to even keep their clothing clean.
I’ve known of teachers who have bought students shoes, shirts, and socks because their shoes and clothes were torn and falling apart. This goes back to the free and reduced lunch. Most families on free and reduced cannot afford to properly clothe their children. I guarantee if you search within our community you will find those in need of clothes especially, winter clothing. Bullying has become a major issue in our schools today and a lot of this bullying stems from clothing and shoes.
But, it is not just clothing they need, they need clean clothing. These families might not have access to a washer and dryer. And if they do, they view laundry detergent not as a necessity but as a bonus item because of their financial situation. Think about that friends. There are children in our schools who are wearing clothing that probably haven’t been washed in the past month or longer. And these kids feel outcasted by other kids because of their clothing situation. They are bullied and made fun of because their parents cannot afford the newest and nicest clothing. I remember growing up, if you wore clothes from WalMart, you were thought of as poor and not worthy of being part of a group.
Friends, this is just as bad as the food epidemic in our area. Kids are sent to school without a jacket because their parents cannot afford a new jacket that fits. We have adults who are freezing because their jackets have been worn to the point of being destroyed and their fixed income does not allow them to buy a new jacket. While some of us sit here with more clothing than we could ever wear in a year and are buying new clothes. It is time to speak up and act but how. Well first is to tell others of the need. And then to tell those in need where they can get clothing. One place I know they can go is Two Shirts Thrift store. If they cannot afford clothing, Two Shirts will help them out. Finally, get involved, give clothing to shelters and places like Two Shirts and volunteer to help these places to give out clothing. Let’s strive to end this clothing classism. Let’s make Camel Hair popular again. Join me this week in reaching out to a place with clothing for those in need.
