The Love is Genuine (sermon based on Paul's Letter to the Romans 12:9-21)
There are parts of our scripture reading today that seem good, intuitive, and easy to understand: abhor evil, cleave to good; love each other with mutual affection; weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice… yes, there are lots of good solid truths. But then there’s verse 14 “Bless those who persecute, bless and do not curse.” Well, maybe we’re just meant to pray for them like the Rabbi in Fiddler on the Roof who says, “'May God bless and keep the Czar... far away from us!” Or wouldn’t it be nice if it read, “If your enemy is hungry or thirsty, heap burning coals on his head.” That coals on the head part seems such a relief after reading all that love and bless stuff. It seems contrary to our nature, right? People don’t actually normally bless those who persecute them, do they?
On a brisk October Monday, in 2006, Charles Carl Roberts IV drove his pickup up to the West Nickel Mines School, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a one room Amish school for the Old Order Amish community of Nickel Mines. After ordering, at gunpoint, the males in the class to help him carry in wood, nails, tools, and sexual lubricant, he allowed them to leave along with a pregnant woman and a few others. Ten girls were left bound with plastic ties. Knowing their fate, the two oldest begged him to take their lives and spare the others. Both were shot… as were the other eight girls. Some were shot with a handgun and some with a shotgun. Finally Roberts took his own life. Three, including Roberts, died at the scene, three later in the hospital, and the remaining five have disabilities ranging from mild to near vegetative existence.
What was the response of the families? What was the retaliation of the Amish? Anger? Condemnation? A call for better police security? A lawsuit levied against the family of the killer? No, the response was immediate and it was grace. The response of forgiveness and the extension of compassion was swift; within hours of the shooting, the community visited Marie Roberts, Charles Roberts’ wife. Amish visited the family of Charles Roberts to comfort them in their time of loss. It is said that an Amish man held the father of the Roberts for over an hour as he wept. Where does such grace come from? It seems so counter-intuitive. It seems like it could not possibly be genuine. I think there is a part of us deep down that wonders exactly how many of the mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters truly feel the way that was reported in the news. It’s hard to imagine that it was authentic, that it was heartfelt. But… the thing is, it was genuine.
In fact, according to Paul’s description, this is the most genuine love that there is. It is a love that has been poured into us. In Romans 5, Paul writes, “we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
A person’s nature is their reflexive way of acting; the pattern of behavior that reflects their inner essence. I’ve often thought that a response such as the Amish gave is contrary to our nature and I suppose I still believe that in a way… it is contrary to our fallen nature. But in Christ, we are given a new nature. Earlier in Romans 12, Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” So by the transforming power of God, we are given a new nature… Now whether this as a gradual process of sanctification or a dramatic change that occurs all at once, I’ll leave to you to ponder. In either case, there is a change.
It may be just a guess, but after reflecting on these verses I’ve come to the hypothesis that
1. Without God, we live in the illusion that it is natural to return evil for evil; to love friends and hate enemies.
a. Although we can act otherwise, it is in tension with that nature.
2. With God we see that our true nature is to overcome evil with good; to love friends and to love enemies.
a. Acting otherwise causes tension, we strive against our true nature when we act according to the false nature.
Let me say more about that. If our former understanding of our nature is to return evil for evil and to retaliate with vengeance, then why do we see acts of forgiveness outside the Christian community? I do believe this is possible and authentic, but still in tension with our false nature. God is able to act where God chooses.
But why do I believe this 'way of grace' is part of our true nature? Because of the weight of carrying a grudge, the nagging pain of bearing un-forgiven anger towards another, and because of the obvious joy we feel when we are the giver or recipient of forgiveness.
There is something in us that loves a story of redemption. We love to see such grace in news items, books, songs, and movies. For instance, in Les Miserables, after being granted hospitality by a benevolent Bishop, Jean Valjean assaults him and robs the Bishop. But when Jean Valjean is caught and brought back by the police, the Bishop tells them to release him, telling them that the silver was a gift. Later he says to Valjean, “You no longer belong to evil. With this silver I've bought your soul. I've ransomed you from fear and hatred. And now I give you back to God.” As the story moves on, Valjean takes that to heart and does become a loving and generous man. The act of grace causes a chain effect not only within the story but also in us as we read it.
Do you feel that? Do you sense it? Do you remember seeing such a story and getting a bit choked up? Was there a wetness in your eye?
That is our true nature. We recognize the beauty of it.
One other thing, though. As I was writing this, it seemed to me that we love stories of redemption and can even see the good of pursuing resolution when it is not so close to home. It’s easier to talk about working for peace between our nation and another, than working for resolution between ourselves and that family member who hurt us or abused us. It’s easier for us to work for understanding through religious pluralism than it is for us to humbly embrace our neighbors across the road at that other seminary. But there are no qualifications on who our enemy might be. No, we are called to bless and show love and hospitality to our enemies… period…
Consider who that might be for you. Osama Bin Laden? Fred Phelps who pickets funerals? Political pundits who virulently perpetuate a culture of hate? People on one or the other side of the abortion picket lines? The men who tied Matthew Shepherd to a fence, pistol whipped him, and left him to a slow death? The ex-husband who beat you? The uncle who sexually abused you? The mother who emotionally tortured you through your childhood?
Consider in your own life… think about that person who came to mind when you held that stone in your hand. It’s painful. It’s so much work. It hurts to hold a grudge. We seek to allay the pain in many ways. Sometimes we block that person out of our mind, sometimes we seek revenge, but does vengeance ever heal us? Does cutting them out of our lives bring joy?
…
Now consider a time in which you have forgiven someone… consider an event from your history in which you have sought to bless, reach out to, and love someone who has harmed you deeply… Was there an unburdening? Was there healing? Was there a restoration of your soul? Was it replenishing?
How else can we understand what is part of our nature if not by observing what is healing to us, what is restorative to us? This love IS what is described so well in Romans 12. This love IS genuine.
But what about those hot coals? The ones heaped on the heads of our enemies when we show them grace, love, hospitality, forgiveness. To understand this, I can look back at the times that I have been forgiven for no reason at all and no repentance of my own. It set my head on fire with a recognition of what I had done, a desire to say I was sorry, and a mind to grow closer to this person… a mind to share this grace with others around me. In literature we see this reflected in how the forgiveness and blessing from the Bishop cause repentance in Valjean and in turn blessings for those who Valjean encountered.
As Marie Roberts wrote later "Your love for our family has helped to provide the healing we so desperately need. Gifts you've given have touched our hearts in a way no words can describe. Your compassion has reached beyond our family, beyond our community, and is changing our world, and for this we sincerely thank you."
Consider, as we listen to this song, what God is laying on your heart. After the song, there will be a time to pray and reflect; a time to return to the thoughts of the one or ones who have harmed you in body, mind, or spirit; a time to consider what to do with that weight you carry. I encourage you to listen for a word from God…
Thanks be to God.
(Song: That Guy – Andy Gullahorn)
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