Making the story OUR story

2 Kings 22:1-20; 23:1-3

One of the greatest modern philosophers in the history of the world; Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, once told a story of how a madman discovered that, according to his observations, God was dead. 

While Nietzsche is often credited with the quote “God is dead”, that quote has usually been misinterpreted. 

What Nietzsche was asking us to reflect on was the relevance of God, rather than the existence. 

Nietzsche was addressing a very real nightmare that was rising out of the industrial age; 

Pollution, economic disparity, child labor, and an industrial revolution that was ushering in a new era of warfare that would destroy the fabric of the entire European society; these were just a few issues Nietzsche saw rising from the eve of modernity. 

Friedrich Willhelm Nietzsche 

He believed, that in the face of such changes -especially changes that would usher in such a harsh reality and violence- God would not only be powerless to address the impending disaster, but perhaps God had ceased to work in the world at all. 

Now, I’m not implying that Nietzsche believed in God, but Nietzsche was addressing the NEED for God. 

For Nietzsche, there was no longer the need for religion or God. 

Society had just gone too far, it was surrounded by desperation, imminent destruction. 

Nietzsche wasn’t the first to make such claims. 

Many had claimed that the end was imminent and there was no way out. 

——

For King Josiah, there is a similar air of hopelessness. 

Josiah’s reign in Jerusalem followed the invasion of the Assyrians during King Hezekiah’s reign. 

It was an invasion that fully displayed the brutal and sadistic capabilities of an invading army. 

Much like Nietzsche’s Europe, the world of the Ancient Near East was on the verge of a major change. 

While Egypt had been a dominant power in the region, Israel had carved out it’s own territory and existed, largely unaffected by other empires, to include the Egyptians and the Hittites. 

But the Assyrians rose quickly, with an objective of dominating the region through fear and brutality. 

First, the Northern region of Israel was destroyed, sending refugees fleeing the northern region in fear. 

As the northern Israelites fled into the Kingdom of Judah, seeking sanctuary from the Assyrians, they brought with them their own interpretation of the God of Israel that both kingdoms professed faith to. 

They brought their culture, their faith, and what was left of their families. 

Little wealth was salvaged from the attack because the Assyrians had swallowed up not only the territory, but the wealth and the people left behind -which were killed if they were lucky, enslaved if they were not.

What the Northern Israelites brought plenty of -as they fled the massive Assyrian army- was fear. 

The fear of the Northern Israelites spread like a plague inside the walls of Jerusalem. 

Behind the walls of Jerusalem the entire region sought protection from the invading army. 

Imagine, a walled city surrounded by an enemy army. 

In a modern context, we have a difficult time imagining such a sight. 

An island in the middle of an ocean of impending doom. 

And while this occurred under the reign of the King Hezzekiah, Josiah’s reign occurs in the middle of two complete disasters; 

the reign of the Assyrians -who control every square mile surrounding what is left of Israel- and the Babylonians who will destroy, not only Israel, but the Assyrians as well. 

An artist's depiction of the
Assyrian siege on Jerusalem

Babylon will destroy and rule the region with even greater brutality than that of the Assyrians

Just consider the words of Psalm 137 that describes the brutality of the Babylonian invaders 

“Oh daughter of Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!”

Sobering insight isn’t it?

Much like Nietzsche, Josiah knows what is coming. 

Nietzsche knew an event like World War one would occur, much like all of Europe. 

Josiah knows, he sees the writing on the wall and this is partly why we hear of his lamentation today; tearing off his garments in mourning, knowing that nothing he does will save the people. 

But Josiah is a good king and he knows that faith is more than a deterrent against impending disaster. 

——

Comedian Dane Cook once did a bit called “the atheist”

In the bit, Cook claims he was at a party when he was sneezed on by another partygoer who was not polite enough to cover his mouth. 

Cook, in an attempt to be polite in spite of the sneeze, looked at the partygoer and calmly said “Bless you”

The partygoer took offense at Dane’s response to his sneeze and engaged in a conversation about how rude it is to say such a thing to an atheist. 

Dane Cook, as only he can do, claims that he asked the atheist what he believed in, to which the atheist proclaimed 

Comedian Dane Cook

“After I pass on, my body will become one with this earth. From there, I will become a fertilizer for this planet. And with that. I will return as a huge, beautiful tree.”

Cook claims that although he didn’t share his thoughts out loud he secretly wished that this vision of the future would come true with a slight nuance. 

He says “I hope when he dies he does become a tree. I hope he's in the middle of the wilderness and he's doing his tree thing. Whatever it is trees do. I know they do a lot of work with breezes. And wouldn't it be fantastic if while he was out there just enjoying his treeness. Through the woods a huge, sweaty guy with an axe comes along. Sees him. Chops him down. Smash. Put a chain around him. Drags him through the mud and the muck. Puts him into a sawmill. Grinds him up. Then you pound him down into paper. And once he's paper. You print the Bible on him?”

——

Dane Cook does it much better than I do, but Dane is right to wish such a fate as this on his fellow party goer; 

In fact, Dane is right to wish it on all of us. 

These past six months I have been at Our Saviour’s I have spent almost every moment of my ministry talking about a very basic, even archaic means of communicating truth. 

Truth about ourselves, who we are, what we are, why we are. 

All good stories point to something beyond ourselves. 

If I read the story as mere words on a page than it will remain nothing but words on a page but this story, OUR story that is given as a gift from God, points to our call to BE the story. 

Sisters and brothers, when we refer to Jesus as the Word made flesh, this isn’t just a typo, this is our call. 

To be the story. 

But in order to be the story we need to realize the truth, the hope that we hold in our hands. 

Josiah, in realizing the truth he was receiving realized that there was hope beyond the impending doom at the gates of Israel. 

Hope beyond the horrors they had witnessed at the hands of the Assyrians, hope beyond the horrors they had yet to witness at the hands of the Babylonians. 

It was a word that they would carry with them into slavery, exile, and oppression. 

By the waters of Babylon as the Israelites would weep bitter tears they would still carry on because of the words Josiah had received that day. 

They wouldn’t just be sustained by them by reading them, they would live them out; day in and day out. 

That is why Josiah tears his cloak, it is the word that he thirsts for, the word that all the remnants of this once great people longed for. 

Josiah mourns because like a starving child at the window of a bakery, it is the morsel his people have craved through famine. 

——

One of the first classes I ever took in seminary was also the hardest class I took. 

The Professor, Dr Sam Balentine, was notorious for his high expectations and rigid demeanor. 

In our first class he started his lecture, telling us “Today, we are going to start class by listening to the bible”

After about 5 minutes of silence, which seemed like forever, he stepped back up to the podium and began his lecture stating; 

“Let us begin with what the bible does….. nothing without your voice”

What I never forgot from that man, besides his remarks on my papers to “stay in the trenches”, which, by the way, given the grades I received, I couldn’t ever figure out if he meant I should have stayed in the Marine Corps

But what I never forgot him saying was that the bible is just a book until we make it part of who we are, part of what we are, part of the story we live, rather than just a story we tell. 

——

A couple weeks ago, I was confronted and rightfully so, by someone who asked me if the hope I found in my faith was just out of desperation. 

It is the most important question that we must continuously ask ourselves. 

For Josiah, Nietzsche, you, me, we all need to ask ourselves

Are we holding onto this book out of mere desperate hope to survive the siege outside the walls of our own Jerusalems?

Memorial in Paris

Our Paris's

Our Beirut's 

Our Mali's 

Or are we holding onto this book out of mere superstitious hope that this book will present some magical formula that disperses or defeats the army’s at our gates?

Our ISIS's 

Our Al Qaeda's 

Our Most despised enemies

This is a hope that is solely in service of the self and not only does that hope lead to superstition and despair,

But sisters and brothers, when we recognize the power of this story, when we make it our own story, a living story that we live out in our daily lives, we find a hope that is not grounded in just one person’s need, but the world’s needs, the needs of all people

An outwardly directed hope in service of the entire creation.

——

Over these past weeks I have been moving at a snails pace through Sunday School and confirmation. 

And believe me, it isn’t because I am dealing with a group that is a little too slow to pick up the material. 

They have pushed, challenged, questioned, criticized. 

They have done so, and I encourage them to continue to, because they are making the story their own. 

I hate being here and meeting this young man and these young women because I don’t get to continue to share the story with them as they continue to grow once I leave after these next six months are up. 

Their stories have given me hope, their passion has given me hope, and their eagerness to dig into this story inspires me daily. 

But it isn’t my story, it’s ours, given by God through the hands of those who only wanted to know God, to question God, to challenge God, to criticize God, and when they made the story their own, to love God and one another. 

Today, these four confirmands will be presented with their Bibles and Large Catechisms. 

These are gifts from the Congregation and I, with a little help from Thrivent too.

As you receive these gifts I only ask you one thing and I ask the same of all of us gathered here today today; 

Let us strive to continue to find OUR truth in this story and make that story OUR story. 

Amen

Sources; 

Callner, Marty. Dane Cook: Vicious Circle. USA, 2006.

Common, Thomas, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Paul V Cohn, and Maude D Petre. The Gay Science (philosophical Classics). United States: Dover Publications, 2006.

Damaged Goods

I am sure we have all heard the term "damaged goods". It has most often been treated as a pejorative term. No one wants to be "damaged goods" and no one wants those we care about to be considered "damaged goods". Claiming that there is a stigma attached to being "damaged goods" would certainly be an understatement. I never considered it until I went to seminary, but I began to reflect on my own experiences, realizing that I was in fact extremely damaged goods. 

I have written in the past about my experiences in Iraq and my concerns about the climate that led to where we are today. I have largely refrained from weighing in on the conversation revolving around current events, waiting for the emotional fallout to subside. I find when people are the most emotionally charged they seldom can weigh in other perspectives. I have found that if I wait any longer to share, however, I may have been irresponsible in my own silence. 

Iraq 2005, author in the center

If you do not know me or you have not read this blog before, I am a combat veteran. I served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 as an Infantry Marine. I landed in Iraq in March 2005, and although several Marines I knew were killed in action (roadside bombs, mines, and mortars), I did not encounter enemy combatants directly until May 26, 2005. I don’t need to share details of Operation New Market or any other operations, but I will tell you it changed me forever. I came home in October 2005. I returned to church, worshipping on Sundays, hearing lessons like Mark 5:38-40. I felt broken, sinful, and evil. I still hated my enemies. I wanted revenge. I didn’t enlist because of 9/11. It occurred while I was at boot camp on Parris Island. I didn’t fully understand my enemy. I didn’t fully understand Islam. I didn’t fully understand the cultures in the Middle East. What is more, it didn’t matter. I didn’t feel a need to understand. All I needed to know “they” showed me on September 11th. 

Operation New Market didn’t help. Years later I had to lead a youth group bible study comparing  Mark 5:38-40 to Exodus 21:23-25. It was awkward talking with High School students about gossiping classmates and friends who had abandoned them as enemies. My enemies had attempted to take my life and successfully ended the lives of others I cared for, as deeply as my own family. It was easy to tell these young adults to forgive but what I had experienced was unforgivable. No comparison -I thought- and certainly not hypocritical. 

It has to start somewhere though. Now, despite my sense of call to ministry -and the challenges of many friends and classmates- I am not a pacifist. I have, however, come to understand something about myself. I am damaged goods, perhaps not the most damaged the world has seen, but I am pretty damaged. It took many years and it wasn’t just seminary that changed it for me. I had to learn to forgive and in my forgiveness I found out something about myself. I wasn’t forgiving for the sake of my enemies, I was forgiving for my own sake. I used to see articles about Vietnam Veterans returning to explore the battlefields, even meeting up with Vietcong and Vietminh Veterans. I completely thought they were out of their minds, or liars. They couldn’t forgive and be healed, I thought. 

A former officer of the North Vietnamese army
welcomes Dr. Dennis Woytek back to his country.

I believed this until I went on a trip to Palestine, two years ago. I wrote a blog about it (Cradle to the grave- A good cup of coffee) but that trip changed my life. Now, Palestine is not Iraq but this trip made me realize how much I missed and loved the culture that I had been surrounded by, which was also the culture I generally associated with my anger and resentment. The smells, the food, the drinks, the language, the sounds (call for prayer was really tough), and the clothes. It all brought painful memories flooding back to me. I immersed myself into those painful memories. I felt anger, fear, and resentment but I also felt a slight feeling of comfort. It was kind of like an early morning trip to a nice coffee shop on an overcast day, that feeling as if you are home again and as comfortable as you can be. Maybe even a late night at a quiet pub, sipping on a hearty pint in an atmosphere with just the right amount of light, sound, and ambiance. It was the ever slightest coziness I had experienced in years. I was reminded of Middle Eastern hospitality and humor. I heard jokes about how Israel was the 51st state in the U.S., how excessive and abusive we are in our consumption of coffee, and our poor dietary habits. I found it fairly easy to quip back about how coffee grounds are meant to be brewed, not eaten, and how excessive amounts of hummus/falafel allows for a Palestinian Montezuma’s revenge. Those I encountered laughed and shared. Some even asked about my own ability to have a conversation with them, after what I had experienced. 

Returning home from Iraq and going to seminary, I found a mentor in my theology professor, who specialized in Muslim/Christian/Jewish inter-religious dialogue. Having lived in Palestine himself, we compared notes about cultural experiences and especially the foods/drinks we missed (true arabic coffee is magnificent!). He introduced me to members of our shared community that worked towards deepening relationships with the Christian community locally. My healing continued. 

In the midst of my healing, many made the same conclusions that I had once made about Vietnam Veterans; I was crazy or I was a liar. A new conclusion was introduced that hurt deeply; I was a self righteous Christian who was preaching down to others. It probably hurt the most because I never told anyone to take the same path I had. I have never even assumed that my path is the path that everyone should, or even could take. I would never tell the family of one of our fallen that they should forgive and forget. I don’t have that right and I don’t believe it is possible. What I wanted people to know was that I had found a way to begin to heal. I am still damaged goods but I am not longer damaged beyond all recognition. In reading Hebrew 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us”, I have found that my attempt to face my hate, my fear, and my own cry for revenge has freed me. I believe that we are all called towards reconciliation. As animals we are one of the few species that intentionally and systematically seek confrontation and systematic methods of-not defeating but- crushing our enemies. We don’t seek victory, we seek overwhelming victory. We don’t seek merely a win, but the right to humiliate those who stand in opposition against us. As the only species that engages in such acts, I cannot help but wonder; what if this attitude violates the very nature of our created order? If this is the case, no wonder my hate soiled my heart like a cancer!

Forgiveness is a never ending process and whoever says “forgive and forget”, is simply foolish. The most savage acts in this world will NEVER be forgotten, but how do we allow those acts to continue to eat away at our hope, our lives, our love, our potential to be as we were created to be? I’m no pacifist, despite what you may think upon reading this. What I wonder is this; if we sought the redemption of the weak with the power we have, rather than the victory, protection, and humiliation of our enemies, how would we look? To quote the great philosopher, Rocky Balboa, “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

A French father, whose wife was killed at the Bataclan, recently claimed that he would not allow Daeesh to receive his hate. He is right, they are drawing us into a state of hate that will deteriorate us from the inside out. They are not a military power, and they are therefore using the harshest guerrilla tactic there is, demoralization. There is no easy answer and we all must find our own path, but before you seek revenge, do me a favor and just try one thing; try first to seek out someone that you believe is exactly what you most fear and hate, take them out for a cup of coffee, then make a collective decision about who your neighbor may or may not be.

Sources

"Returning Veteran Finds Reconciliation in Vietnam | Local and State News & Features | Pittsburgh Catholic Newspaper." November 20, 2015. Accessed November 20, 2015. http://www.pittsburghcatholic.org/News/Returning-veteran-finds-reconciliation-in-Vietnam-.

Stallone, Sylvester. Rocky Balboa. USA, 2006.

Banksy's Girl with a Balloon

Romans 8:18-25                                                           Banksy, Girl With a Balloon

8:18  For I am reasoning that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy in contrast with the glory that will be revealed in us. 8:19  For the intense anticipation of the creation is awaiting the revealing of the sons of God. 8:20  For the vanity to which the creation was submitted was not of its own will but rather according to the will of the one who submitted creation for the sake of hope 8:21 that the creation itself will be liberated from the bondage of the corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 8:22 For we know that the whole of creation is groaning and suffering in agony collectively until this very moment. 8:23 and not alone but we ourselves who have received first fruit of the Spirit, we also who are receiving, we are groaning within ourselves, we who are eagerly awaiting the redemption of our body. 8:24 For in hope we were and are rescued but hope that is seen is not hope since why would one hope in what is seen? 8:25  But if we hope in what we do not see we will endure patiently as we await the unseen hope.

The pseudonymous graffiti artist, Banksy painted this piece on a South Bank wall in London, England. It is one of his most discussed works and has been used in benevolent endeavors such as the #withsyria campaign to provide support for Syrian refugees and citizens struggling in the midst of war.

Girl With a Balloon, depicts a young girl standing with the wind blowing against her back, based on the direction her hair appears to be blowing. The observer can conclude that based upon the direction of the wind the balloon is being blown away from the girl, whose arm is outstretched towards the string of the balloon. Although it is blowing away, her outstretched fingers depict her intense anticipation to regain her grasp on this coveted balloon. Behind the girl the words “THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE” is spray painted onto the wall. Along with the heart shape of the balloon the observer can assume that this balloon serves as a metaphor for hope that was once fully under her possession.

Much like Banksy’s girl, Paul depicts the whole of creation’s intense anticipation as if creation is outstretched awaiting the glory God intended for it. This intended glory, like the red heart shaped balloon for the girl, was a fully actualized reality before the fall within the grasp of creation. The fully intended glory and hope of creation is no longer under its control. The whole of creation continues to reach with an outstretched hand groaning in hope of rescue and redemption which is just beyond our reach. Yet, behind the whole of creation, God reminds us through the first fruit of the Spirit that there is always hope. Much like Romans 8:24-25 it is interesting that the encouraging words reminding that there is always hope is behind the girl where she cannot see.

We, as members of the whole creation, are given hope that we will one day grasp the actualization of our true being. There are many factors in life that inhibit our ability to fully grasp our actualized possibility. Our finitude, our sin, and our very fallen nature, have caused us to lose our grasp of the intended glory of God’s creation. In participation with the Spirit, by the example of Christ, and with the unseen hope that God’s intentions will one day be fully realized, we as the children of God are given an unseen hope to continue to reach out. In the midst of the winds that blow in the context of our finite suffering, we hope for our fully actualized glory as the children of God.

Confidence in THE Hope

1 Kings 18:20-39

There was a couple who was having trouble disciplining their two young sons. 

The boys were mischievous and could always find a way to get themselves into trouble. 

They were the type that got in trouble so often that they took the blame for even the trouble they weren't responsible for causing. 

One day their mother went to the Pastor at the Church and asked him if he would discipline the boys. 

He had a reputation for “putting the fear of God into them” so to speak

He accepted the challenge and when they arrived the pastor called them in one at a time beginning with the youngest boy; Jake. 

Jake sat down across from the pastor who glared deeply into Jake’s eyes. 

The pastor broke the silence, asking Jake,

“Where is God, Jake?”

Jake just stared at the Pastor in fear, unable to respond.

The pastor spoke up asking slightly more forcefully,

“Where is God, Jake!?”

Jake began to shake his head, murmuring, 

“Uhm uuhhhh”

Finally the pastor grew impatient and loudly inquired, 

“Jake! Where is God!!!!?”

Jake jumped up and bolted out of the office, slamming open the pastor’s office door and fleeing into the coat closet outside. 

Jake’s brother, Tommy ran to the door and opened it to see what was wrong. 

When he opened the door Jake pulled him into the closet with him and advised him; 

“Don’t go out there Tommy! They can’t find God and now they think we took him!!!!”

—————————

The story about Elijah we heard today is a lot like the story of Jake and Tommy.

It is one of the reason that Elijah is one of my favorite biblical characters throughout scripture. 

Religious leaders are supposed to fit a certain mold, not just today but in the days of Israel as well. 

Elijah doesn’t really fit this mold. 

Elijah

He is anything but clean cut, and he is a considered a troublemaker on the margins of society. 

Picture a much less attractive James Dean with bad hygiene. 

Rather than a Rebel without a Cause, picture a rebel with a cause. 

Elijah is addressing a king and a people that are facing famine and drought on a large scale. 

For a culture that survives on the ebb and flow of the seasons for their livelihood and daily sustenance, a drought would mean that God has gone missing. 

The people of Israel live in a land that has always lived by the natural cycle of rainy and dry seasons. 

So it is only natural that they would consider the cultures, the techniques, and the religions that occupied the lands before they arrived. 

The cultures that had occupied those lands did not worship the God of Israel, however, they worshipped Baal and other gods who were said to dictate the natural cycle of weather patterns. 

Over time, and most likely trial and error, the Israelites had developed a hybrid religion that merged the pagan practices of the previous cultures with the religious practices they had brought into the region. 

If they had a plentiful harvest they probably thought they had struck just the right balance between God and Baal. 

Baal was often depicted as a golden calf

But when things go badly we always need answers. 

The King, Ahab, being married to Jezebel -a member of the cult of Baal and an advocate for outlawing the worship of the God of Israel- certainly isn’t going to take Elijah’s side. 

Elijah is trouble and according to all accounts he looks the part just as much as he acts the part. 

He is rude, he is crude, he is odd to say the least, and far from living up to the standards most would have for a prophet or holy man. 

So if you have to pick a scapegoat Elijah is by far the most likely candidate. 

King Ahab in fact, directly accuses Elijah in his greeting essentially saying in verse 17 leading up to our reading for today; 

“Is that you Elijah, the guy who messed up the whole country?”

It reminds me of the modern claims in our own country; 

“It’s all Bush's fault” or “Thanks Obama!”

All of the troubles of the country are pinned on one man by the very ruler the country, King Ahab,

“Thanks Elijah! It’s all Elijah’s fault!”

Certainly Elijah must want to run out of the office and hide in the coat closet for fear that he is going to catch the blame for Israel’s continued misfortune. 

And there is more misfortune on its way; 

More War

More Famine

More Suffering

More Drought 

Everyone thinks God is missing and Elijah is the culprit. 

———————————————

A few weeks ago, Pastor Nickols and I attended a large gathering of pastors and rostered leaders from around the Synod at the gathering of the Ministerium in Virginia Beach. 

During this gathering, a theology Professor; Dr. Linda Mercadante spoke to this gathering of pastors and rostered leaders about a group she labeled as “SBNR’s” short for Spiritual but not religious. 

It was another lecture regarding the decrease in church attendance, the decrease in church membership, and the decrease in affiliation with any religious groups. 

Many causes were linked to the problem; mistrust for authority, increased scientific awareness, concerns that religious affiliation is linked closely with ethnic, cultural, sexual, or gendered intolerance. 

Even practical issues such as scheduling conflicts and the technological accessibility that allows people to enter into a digital congregation of sorts. 

Dr. Mercandante cited one problem that stands out to me above all others, however; authenticity. 

————————————

In today’s story about Elijah he doesn’t promise the people anything. 

He doesn’t sell his faith to them. 

He even gives them a choice. 

“How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” 

Elijah doesn’t claim that Baal is a false god, he doesn’t even claim that Baal isn’t real in this public declaration. 

He only advocates for one thing and one thing alone; loyalty. 

Elijah on Mout Carmel

Elijah knows that the people need to put their faith in something, 

something beyond the dust of their empty fields, 

something beyond the cloudless sky that has failed to nurture those fields, 

something beyond the mighty armies waiting to invade their lands, 

something beyond the hungry mouths of the children they are unable to feed. 

He only asks them to choose, but when he asks them to choose they know what he himself has chosen.

And while they may not know why, they can hear in his voice the confidence in which he chooses God. 

It’s not the clothes on his back.

It’s not the food in his belly.

It’s not even the safety and security of his life, because if the King or Queen get the slightest chance his life will be over. 

But none-the-less a confidence rings out in his voice, in his actions, as he stands up; one lowly prophet against 450!

Sisters and Brothers, how often do we walk out of those doors with that kind of confidence!?

What is more, what does it say about the God when we walk out of the doors of our sanctuary with our heads hung low as the world outside longs to put their faith in something,

something beyond unemployment

something beyond a depleted economy 

something beyond our divided public opinions

something beyond the hurt, the pain, the suffering, the fear, the anxiety. 

—————————————

One of my wife’s favorite movies Rob Reiner’s 1995 political romantic dramady “The American President” has one scene that speaks to the need we all have. 

In the movie, the president -played by Michael Douglas- is discussing a policy he is trying to pass with one of his political advisors, Luis -played by Michael J. Fox. 

The policy in question has caused the president's numbers to dip in the polls and his advisor, Luis attempts to address why the American people have lost their faith in him. 

The President claims it is because the American people have become willing to listen to the lies of his opponents to which Luis replies, 

“People want leadership Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership they’ll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone, they want leadership. 

They’re so thirsty for it they’ll crawl through the desert towards a mirage and when they discover there’s no water they’ll drink the sand.”

To which the president responds “Luis, we have had presidents who are beloved who couldn’t find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight, people don’t drink the sand because they are thirsty, they drink the sand because they don’t know the difference.”

————————————————

Much like the president, Elijah cannot make the decision for the people. 

They have to choose for themselves; the God of Israel or Baal. 

But Elijah communicates the difference. 

I would disagree with Luis; people like leadership but don't confuse leadership with what people are truly thirsty for. 

In a world of suffering, hate, and fear, we all crave hope.

What Elijah exudes is not leadership but it is a quality we seek in leaders; confidence. 

Elijah portrays a confidence unparalleled by King Ahab, Queen Jezebel, 450 prophets of Baal or the people of Israel. 

They don’t have confidence in God or Baal, and they are crawling through the desert desperately drinking cups of sand with just the chance that it may just be the water of hope. 

Elijah simply allows them to decide for themselves based on the obvious confidence he has in the hope that is God. 

Do we exude that kind of confidence?

Not on Mt Carmel against 450 prophets of Baal but at work, in school, at the grocery store. 

This isn’t the kind of confidence that belittles another’s faith or religion.

It isn’t the kind of confidence that claims that our way is the only way to find hope. 

It is the kind of confidence that I pray my daughter had a few weeks ago when for the first time she reached up to receive a small piece of bread and heard the words “The Body of Christ given for you.”

It is the kind of confidence that I pray my daughter had when for the first time a small glass of wine was poured into the tiny cup in her hands and she heard the words “The blood of Christ given for you.”

That is the hope that we are called to, that is the hope that we have come here to bet it all on, with confidence laying all our chips down before the Cross of the Crucified One. 

After all, Jesus the Christ had the confidence to lay his down on us first, didn’t He?

Amen

Sources

Hayley Silas. “The American President 1995 Full Movie - Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen”, October 10, 2015. https://youtu.be/rs6FUVO6Iho.

Mercadante, Linda A. Belief without Borders: Inside the Minds of the Spiritual but Not Religious. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2014.