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Friday, January 21, 2005
The miracle of approachability
Rabbis prided themselves on being unapproachable. They thought of themselves as being so close to God that common sinners--lepers, the unclean-- should not be allowed to get too close. The irony is that the only rabbi the leper could approach was God himself.
What quality did Jesus have that the other rabbis did not? He was eminently approachable. Not just with lepers. This happened on a regular basis with the prostitutes and tax collectors and gentiles. The more religious the rabbis became, the more unapproachable they were.
We face the same problem. We know it is important to be holy, so we begin to try to impress people with our theological knowledge or moral purity to reinforce our own sense of spiritual superiority. If we keep it up, it isn't long before we, too, become unapproachable.
When I was growing up I often thought that the more "spiritual" a person was, the more unapproachable they were, that holiness involved a certain rigidity and sterness and distance. But in Jesus, we see that true spirituality always makes a person more approachable, not less.
One of the most important questions I can ask myself is "Am I becoming more or less approachable?" How available am I to the people in my little world? Do I sometimes pause to put a hand on the shoulder of the people I work with, just to let them know I'm glad they're there? Am I getting better listening to people without judging them?
The miracle of the touch
Jesus touched the leper before he healed him. He touched the leper while the leper was still unclean. Jesus did not need to touch the leper to cleanse him. All he had to do was "say the word". The word healed his body, but the touch healed his soul.
In a contagious world, we learn to keep our distance. If we get too close to those who are suffering, we might get infected by their pain. It may not be convenient or comfortable. But only when you get close enough to catch their hurt will they be close enough to catch your love.
Sin and suffering are not all that contagious. Thank God. So is enthusiasm and laughter and faith itself. Get around someone who has them and you discover they're catching. Contagion works both ways.
We live in a contaminated planet on every level. It should be quarantined from heaven. But Jesus is not a reasonable God. He became a human being, he took on your uncleanness and mine. But instead of the world infecting him, he infected the world. With his immaculate infection. It's still spreading.
It's just a matter of time.
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Eveline pops at |10:49 AM|
Captivate my heart, dear Jesus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The miracle of approachability
Rabbis prided themselves on being unapproachable. They thought of themselves as being so close to God that common sinners--lepers, the unclean-- should not be allowed to get too close. The irony is that the only rabbi the leper could approach was God himself.
What quality did Jesus have that the other rabbis did not? He was eminently approachable. Not just with lepers. This happened on a regular basis with the prostitutes and tax collectors and gentiles. The more religious the rabbis became, the more unapproachable they were.
We face the same problem. We know it is important to be holy, so we begin to try to impress people with our theological knowledge or moral purity to reinforce our own sense of spiritual superiority. If we keep it up, it isn't long before we, too, become unapproachable.
When I was growing up I often thought that the more "spiritual" a person was, the more unapproachable they were, that holiness involved a certain rigidity and sterness and distance. But in Jesus, we see that true spirituality always makes a person more approachable, not less.
One of the most important questions I can ask myself is "Am I becoming more or less approachable?" How available am I to the people in my little world? Do I sometimes pause to put a hand on the shoulder of the people I work with, just to let them know I'm glad they're there? Am I getting better listening to people without judging them?
The miracle of the touch
Jesus touched the leper before he healed him. He touched the leper while the leper was still unclean. Jesus did not need to touch the leper to cleanse him. All he had to do was "say the word". The word healed his body, but the touch healed his soul.
In a contagious world, we learn to keep our distance. If we get too close to those who are suffering, we might get infected by their pain. It may not be convenient or comfortable. But only when you get close enough to catch their hurt will they be close enough to catch your love.
Sin and suffering are not all that contagious. Thank God. So is enthusiasm and laughter and faith itself. Get around someone who has them and you discover they're catching. Contagion works both ways.
We live in a contaminated planet on every level. It should be quarantined from heaven. But Jesus is not a reasonable God. He became a human being, he took on your uncleanness and mine. But instead of the world infecting him, he infected the world. With his immaculate infection. It's still spreading.
It's just a matter of time.
-- Love beyond reason
Eveline pops at |10:49 AM|