Do It Anyway (Sunday, October 9th, 2016)

Bible Reference(s): Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7

Sermon by Rev. Terri Thorn

There is a saying that has been attributed to Mother Teresa, which supposedly hung on the wall of the orphanage where she did much of her work. Now, it may come as surprise to learn that these words are not original to the beloved saint.  In fact, they were adapted from the writings of man named Kent Keith who called the collection of sayings, the paradoxical commandments.  Nevertheless, it speak volumes about Mother Teresa's understanding of her vow to God.  Let me share it with you now.

People are often unreasonable and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

It's no wonder that some sources also refer to this reading as, "Do It Anyway."  Even in the face of uncertainty, difficulty, and popular opinion, no matter how much people said her life and commitment made no sense, Mother Teresa knew she was called to a ministry of compassion and love...anyway. 

This also seems to be what Jeremiah is saying to the Israelites in today's reading. Even if you're living in exile and you would rather not be there, live as God's people anyway.  

On the surface, the passage reads like another inspirational quote for Jeremiah to hang on his office wall.  You know, right between the one that says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” and "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." 

Ok, so Jeremiah didn't really say that one about lemons...but it is encouraging right?  Still, Jeremiah wasn't in the inspiration quote writing business.  He didn't dream this stuff up just to give the Israelites something to cross-stitch on banners or emboss on a key chain.  No, his words are meant to be a prophetic, no-holds-barred reality check to the people of Israel.  Jeremiah saw what the people could not, or would not, see...and it was his job to tell them the truth even if they refused to hear it.

Now, please don't you hear what I'm not saying.  Finding encouragement and hope from these, or any words of scripture, is not wrong.  Having them posted on our walls is not problematic. Truth be told, I have the Jeremiah 29:11 on my wall and on my key chain.  What I am saying is this...to fully appreciate the significance of Jeremiah's message for the Israelites we have to take a quick look at the back-story...the bigger picture. 

It's not only important for us to know that Jeremiah is speaking to the first wave of exiles who were to be deported from Judah to Babylon in 597BCE, but to also understand the ambiguity of the situation.  You see, Jeremiah is thinking about the long-term future consequences of living in a foreign land; while others, including many of the exiled themselves, considered this to be a temporary situation. In fact, there were a number of prophets who predicted that this was just a short-term displacement that should only last a couple of years.  These prognosticators, whom history proved were not God's prophets, claimed an imminent doom for Babylon which would allow the Israelites to return to Judah sooner rather than later. 

Now, obviously, this is the prophecy they preferred to hear...they wanted to think they would be going home soon. It would make the exile situation more bearable if they could just reassure themselves, "a little while longer and all will be well." It also lends itself to a mindset of, "let's not get too settled in here in Babylon...we will just stick with our own kind, do the bare minimum of interaction, and engage with the Babylonians only when necessary.  If we do, it won't be long until things will turn to our favor." 

They were right. God had promised to remain their God.  God also promised they would be redeemed and returned to their land...but...God never said it would only be a couple of years.  In fact, this was probably the hardest part of Jeremiah's job...trying to help the people comprehend that this exile thing was for real, and things were going to be this way for a long, long while.  Like generations-long while. 

He was also rather blunt with them...reminding them that their exile was, at least in part if not entirely, the consequence of their own disobedient choices and actions.  Mind you, this isn't Jeremiah's judgment or opinion; this is straight from God when he referred to the Israelites as "the exiles whom I have sent into exile."   Furthermore, as God's prophet, Jeremiah refuses to join into the "prosperity prophecy" of the others prophets on the block.  He can't just tell them it's all going to fine...take the lemons and make lemonade.  No, he has to tell the truth...even if it hurts.

Jeremiah knows that it's going to be difficult to live in exile.  He knows that the Israelites are going to be strangers in a foreign land...that they will not understand the people or speak the language. The customs will be unfamiliar and the many pagan deities will be overwhelming.  I suspect the exiles were a people who would constantly be looking over their shoulder in fear, waiting for the proverbial "other shoe" to drop.  Many would be separated from their families...and to be sure, life as they had known it was now over!  Even more so, Jeremiah knew that this was going to be a devastating reality far beyond what the people ever anticipated.

Likewise, he understood that while in exile, the Israelites would be tempted to resort to some unhealthy, unholy behaviors. Like...withdrawal. Unwillingness to settle or engage. Emotional barricades. Anxiety. Fear. Suspicion. Depression.  Despair. Not to mention a mounting resentment and anger toward their captors.  But, who can blame them? 

The thought of being uprooted from all one has ever known and thrust into the middle of a complete unknown is one of the most gut-wrenching feelings ever.  Many of us have been there.   For some it may have been the anxiety and fear that came when the economic security of employment was ripped out from under you.   Others have been on the receiving end of a devastating diagnosis, made worse by conflicting medical advice.  Perhaps it was the grief of an unexpected divorce that no one saw coming...or the sudden loss of a loved one.  We may not suffer to the extent that the Israelites did, still many of us know that feeling of personal exile - finding ourselves in place beyond our control...a place we really did not want to be.

Today, we can't help but think that pretty much the entire nation of Haiti woke up relating to the Israelites.  Likewise hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees every day...placed into an unfathomable state of exile..with no foreseeable end in sight.  Yet, unlike the Syrian refugees, the Israelites were at least allowed to settle into the other nations where they were exiled.  

It's a subtle point, this idea that they do actually have a place to call home if they will, but it is a key aspect of Jeremiah's message to them.  He's basically saying, "I get that you don't want to be in this land.  I understand how alone and scared and downtrodden you feel.  I hear you...you don't belong here.  But here you are...and here you will be.  So, get over it.  Settle in, live life, and make this place your home.

Don't give into the whining and pining about what used to be.  Don't cower in fear.  Stop it with the "if only-s".  Just be the chosen of people of God that you are.  No situation...no crisis...no hostile enemy can take that away from you...ever."  Ok, so that's a paraphrase of Jeremiah...but, I believe it is what he means when he tells the Israelites to build homes and plant gardens in the foreign land. 

Actually he tells them to build homes and live in them.  To plant gardens and eat the harvest.   Do you know why?  Because that's what free people do!  Enslaved people build homes inhabited by others and they plant gardens to put food on other people's tables.  But free people, build and plant their own.   So, part of what Jeremiah is making clear to them, and us, is this...you may be in exile...you may find yourself where you would rather not be ...but you are not slaves to your situation...you are always free to be God's people.  

In other words, Jeremiah compels the Israelites to keep on being God's people no matter what their circumstances.  An ancient version of, "Do it anyway!"  This is not just a "make lemonade" message...it's a plant lemon trees while you are there kind of message.  Even more so, it is a God is not confined to a geographical location, God isn't limited to a specific place of worship, and God has claimed you to be his people, so live like it,  kind of message!

Jeremiah isn't implying it is going to be easy.  He isn't telling them that the garden will be a bed of roses.  And he isn't promising that if they just do these things, release will come sooner.  He is, however, revealing the path to peace in every circumstance.  No matter how disturbing or  foreign life gets, be the person God has called you to be...live the life that God has called you to live...and that will be enough.

What an empowering message...to the exiles back then, and to us, the church, now!

Peace comes not because the circumstances are predictable or settled. Peace comes when we live as God's people in the midst of the unpredictable and the unsettled.  Peace comes when we resist the urge to conform to the anxiety and pressure of what could be, should be, or might be, and instead, choose to be God's people in the middle of whatever is.

So, what do you suppose it looks like to be God's people in the 21st century?  Personally...I don't think it's about building houses or planting gardens or having babies.  Well, I suppose it could be, but I think instead, it's about choosing the way of Christ, choosing his justice, his mercy, his righteousness -- no matter what our circumstance...and regardless of how much we would rather choose differently.

Being God's people looks like offering the grace we've been given, anyway.

There will always be people who do not deserve our forgiveness. Still, the people of God choose to forgive anyway.

We may fear or even disapprove those whose lives or cultures are different than ours, but as the people of God, we welcome them and offer them dignity anyway.

We are tempted to hold onto our blessings rather than share them with others...worried there won't be enough. But...what do the people of God do?  We share anyway.

And the list goes on and on.  

Being the people of God in every circumstance is to remain true to the gospel of compassion and mercy and love...even when we would rather not...or when others would rather we not.  Being the people of God in every circumstance means, in trust and obedience, we do it anyway.

Friends, the greatest sense of exile that we might all be experiencing right now, is how to be the church in this very unsettling and highly divisive political environment.  True, we're not technically in exile, but I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that many Americans, particularly Christians, feel as if we're living in a very unfamiliar and quite strange land.  Life as we have always known it, at least in terms of our nation's political life, definitely seems to be over.  We've never seen anything like this election and our response is starting to look more and more like people of exile.  Anxious, bewildered, fearful, suspicious and unwilling to engage.

Not to mention, I'm pretty sure that irrespective of who is elected as President in November, there are going to be a whole lot of people feeling as if they are living in captivity. We can only hope it won't last as long as it did for the Israelites.

Seriously though...what is a Christian to do in a situation like this...where we feel lost and confused and quite honestly we'd rather not be here?  Well, let me just say this upfront, your vote is your business. Pastors don't tell congregations who to vote for..so, just vote your conscious. 

But if we are to follow Jeremiah's words, then no matter how ugly the campaign gets, or who is elected to what office, first and foremost, as the church, we remain true to the call Christ  has placed on our lives.  We do the hard work of loving others - regardless of how much we disagree.  We build community when walls of separation would be much easier.  We champion truth and dispel falsehood, even though rumors are much more sensational.  We trust that God's redemptive power at work in our nation is greater than the outcome of any election, and then we vote for the candidate whose values we feel most align with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

And, finally, my friends, we pray.  We not only pray for our situation but also for welfare of those around us - including our political system.  For, as Jeremiah so eloquently states, the welfare of the city is also our own. 

Trust me, I know it's not easy to set aside news headlines, social media flurry, and our person disdain in order to pray for politicians.  It is not easy to earnestly pray for people we don't like, don't respect, or don't trust.  It's not easy to pray with integrity, without imposing our own political views, or asking God to see things our way.  It's not easy to pray for transformation and trust God with the outcome.   Still, friends, we are his church.  If peace is our desire, then we do it anyway.  All glory be to God.  Amen