4 Sunday of Epiphany Jan. 28, 2007
January 28, 2007
Epiphany 4, Ordinary 3, Year C
Scripture Reading:
Old Testament Lesson Jeremiah 1: 4 – 10 (P. 1169)
Epistle Lesson 1 Corinthians 13: 1 – 13 (Pp. 1786 – 87)
Gospel lesson Luke 4: 21 – 30 (1596 – 97)
Summary:
Jesus was not afraid to correct misconceptions, especially when they were in regard to his identity. Jesus knew how to balance affirmation and challenge when addressing would-be and existing followers. As we see in Jesus’ example, it’s important to speak the truth in love, even when we expect the response to be hostile.
“Bursting Bubbles, Speaking Truth”
Monty Roberts, the original “horse whisperer,” has an unusual way of breaking wild horses. For centuries, horse trainers have been, in effect, telling these majestic animals, “Do what I say, or I will hurt you.” Mr. Roberts, on the other hand, uses a technique that he developed from observing wild mustangs out in the wilderness.
If a horse wanted to join a herd, it had to go through an elaborate “affirmation, challenge” ritual with the “alpha horse” of the pack --- which was usually a mare.
The ritual would begin by the mare staring down the new horse, with her ears locked back. The new horse would usually respond with a more submissive gesture, of licking and chewing, and then dropping its head. In response, the mare would then assume a less threatening posture of exposing her flank side to the outsider. The new horse would respond by coming in a little closer. And then the mare would challenge again, the new horse would bow down, and the ritual would repeat itself. When the new horse and the mare were close enough to stand flank to flank, the outsider was officially accepted as a part of the herd.
AFFIRMATION AND CHALLENGE
Mike Breen, author of the Passionate Life, uses this illustration to demonstrate an aspect of Jesus’ leadership style.1 He seemed to establish a pattern of affirmation and challenge with his disciples (and even the crowds) that made his leadership style incredibly effective.
We see this rhythm of affirmation and challenge in today’s Bible passage, which is an interesting story of contrasts. The passage begins with Jesus being praised by a crowd of people. As the invited reader in his hometown synagogue, he had just read to them form Isaiah 61, which makes reference to the ancient Year of Jubilee practice where all existing debts were wiped clean. Jesus then announced that the scripture he had just read had been fulfilled in their hearing.
It’s not likely that the crowd caught the connection that Jesus was intending to make. He was the fulfillment of the passage. However, since most of the Jewish people during this time expected deliverance from the oppression of Rome, those who had heard the reading probably listened to Jesus interpretation through a political filter. And that was welcome news for them. So everyone initially spoke well of Jesus and were amazed at the graciousness of his words.
Little did they know, Jesus was about to take a different tack.
Jesus was never on to allow a serious misconception to go unchallenged. He understood the oppression these people were under and that they were looking for some sort of hope. But false hope is worse than no hope at all, because when it proves to e nothing but smoke and vapor, the final state is worse than the first. Besides, the people were basing their assumption of deliverance on being God’s chosen ones. In their minds, God was obligated to save them.
But then Jesus burst their bubble.
We can tell by Jesus’ initial statement to the crowd that he expects them to be hostile to whatever he is about to say. “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!”
Jesus expands this thought by saying “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.” A modern-day version of this saying is found in the cliché “familiarity breeds contempt.”
How sad but true this is. No matter how qualified a person might be in any field of endeavor, he or she sometimes gets little respect among those who know the person well. There might be a tinge of jealousy. They say to the would-be prophet, “We knew you back when.’ You’re really no different from the rest of us. You may be a big star there, but among those who grew up with you, you’re just the same old’ Joe we used to know.”
While this might be common in our culture, there’s no reason why we have to adopt this posture as individuals, or even in our community here. If someone we know well have obvious or extraordinary gifts, let’s resist the temptation to knock that person down a peg or two just because we might know some of the intimate details of the person’s life. Who knows? He or she may just need a little boost from one or two of us to accomplish extraordinary things for God. Let’s treat others the way we’d like to be treated if we were (or will be) in that position.
A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT
From this beginning, Jesus presses his point. His hearers are placing their trust in their religious heritage and their bloodline, and not in an attitude of brokenness and contrition. Thus Jesus names two people in the Old Testament who were Gentiles who received helped instead of the people of Israel, people who trusted in God with a humble heart, and not in their national heritage: the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian.
It’s (sinful) human nature to think we are entitled to something from God for any reason. In the gospel passage, the people pointed to their heritage. Today, it is not uncommon for us to think that we are entitled to special treatment from God because of our suffering. We begin with the erroneous assumption that life must be fair. And because we have experienced a significant loss, or series of losses, we conclude that we are entitled to special treatment or compensation from God .When that goes unfilled, we start expecting exceptional treatment from others. We all know now burdensome it is to be around someone who has an ever-deepening sense of entitlement. Let’s not become one of them.
Along the lines of suffering, it’s also useful to note here that Jesus acknowledges that not everyone who needs help necessarily finds it. Everyone who needs healing does not necessarily receive it. This is helpful to remember when wrestling with the problem of evil and God’s apparent unwillingness to stop the suffering of innocent people. Jesus does not offer any explanataion here, but he does acknowledge the presence of the hungry and those still in need of healing. If we are suffering from these things, it’s sometime helpful to be reminded that God knows what’s going on with us, even though our suffering may be prolonged.
The crowds were not about to take their bubble-bursting lightly. They went from admiration and adoration to homicidal rage in the course of about two minutes (or however long it took Jesus to deliver these zingers). Hell hath no fury like a sense of entitlement that’s been denied, or even worse, told it has no legitimate reason to exist.
Apparently the crowd was so enraged that they grabbed Jesus and started to run him toward the edge of a cliff, to throw him over. But just as suddenly as their attitude toward him had turned, so had their ability to do him any physical harm. The text is not clear how it happened, but Jesus somehow walked away unharmed.
LEARNING FROM JESUS’ ENCOUNTER
So what can we learn from this brief encounter that Jesus had with a crowd?
First, it’s not helpful to allow misconceptions about ourselves, even if they’re flattering and complimentary, to keep going on unchallenged. It is better to be authentic and straightforward.
Secondly, we shouldn’t be afraid to balance affirmation and challenge with those in our circle of influence, especially those with whom we may have a leadership role. If we’re only being affirmed and never challenged, we may come to think that we can do no wrong. If we’re only being challenged, however, we can become discouraged and lose initiative. When we lead, we need to be both supportive and constructively critical if we’re going to be effective.
Lastly, let’s not be afraid to boldly exercise our gifts, even among those who know us well. We should do our best even around those who may be jealous of our gifts, even though they may know some of our vulnerabilities. And we should support those in our community who may have a degree of familiarity that prevents them from receiving the respect they are due. We should humbly acknowledge our own weaknesses and mistakes, but then get down to business. Let’s not let the possibility of a hostile response keep us from doing what is right.
Amen.
1. Mike Breen, A Passionate Life (Colorado Springs, Col…Cook Communications Ministries, 2005).