{"id":4592,"date":"2020-08-30T14:12:38","date_gmt":"2020-08-30T14:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/2020\/08\/30\/life-based-on-romans-129-21\/"},"modified":"2020-08-30T14:12:38","modified_gmt":"2020-08-30T14:12:38","slug":"life-based-on-romans-129-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/2020\/08\/30\/life-based-on-romans-129-21\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cLife\u201d based on Romans 12:9-21"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nMy
\nnormal preaching style is to argue with the text, but I can’t do it
\nwith this one. \u00a0Romans 12 speaks for itself. \u00a0That is, it preaches
\nfor itself. \u00a0It doesn’t need to be argued with, just amplified. \u00a0It
\npreachers better in the Message, paraphrased by Rev. Eugene Peterson.
\n Hear it again1<\/sup><\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

<\/a>
\nLove from the center of who you
\nare; don\u2019t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear
\nlife to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing
\nsecond fiddle.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\nDon\u2019t burn out; keep
\nyourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master,
\ncheerfully expectant. Don\u2019t quit in hard times; pray all the
\nharder. Help needy people; be inventive in hospitality.<\/p>\n

Bless
\nyour enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy
\nfriends when they\u2019re happy; share tears when they\u2019re down. Get
\nalong with each other; don\u2019t be stuck-up. Make friends with
\nnobodies; don\u2019t be the great somebody.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t
\nhit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you\u2019ve got it in you, get
\nalong with everybody. Don\u2019t insist on getting even; that\u2019s not
\nfor you to do. \u201cI\u2019ll do the judging,\u201d says God. \u201cI\u2019ll take
\ncare of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our
\nScriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that
\nperson lunch, or if he\u2019s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity
\nwill surprise him with goodness. Don\u2019t let evil get the best of
\nyou; get the best of evil by doing good.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This
\nis one of those passages that doesn’t speak the name of God \u2013 but
\ntries to speak about what it means to be followers of
\nJesus. \u00a0Its good news that following God means being good
\nfriends. \u00a0Modern theologians and scholars spend a lot of time working
\non the idea of a \u201crelational God.\u201d which is to say that God is in
\nrelationship with us and cares deeply about our relationships with
\nothers. \u00a0To take it a step further even, God is in the midst of all
\nof our relationships with others. \u00a0To be in relationship with God IS
\nto be in good relationship with those around us. \u00a0To harm those in
\nour lives IS to harm God.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

So
\nwe hear that we should be good friends who love deeply \u2013 and thus
\nwe become better friends with God.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

The
\nnext line is one of the best pieces of advice in the Bible. \u00a0As
\nPeterson puts it: \u00a0practice playing second fiddle. \u00a0 Imagine if we
\ndid this. \u00a0Imagine if we could practice and perfect second fiddle.
\nIf we didn’t dream of having the top seat, but dreamt of being as
\nsupportive as we can be from the place we are. \u00a0Imagine if we all saw
\nourselves as important people because of the ways that we play the
\nharmonies….. and not for the ways we play the melodies. \u00a0To
\npractice playing second fiddle is also to put emphasis on God as the
\nband leader who knows how to make the music \u2013 it is to be willing
\nto play the role most needed instead of the role most prestigious.
\nThere are people who do this, and do it well \u2013 you probably know
\nsome. \u00a0Think of how precious they are…. \u00a0It
\nis good advice\u2013 practice playing second fiddle.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cDon’t
\nburn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.\u201d \u00a0We hear so often
\nabout burn out. \u00a0People throw themselves wholeheartedly into their
\njobs, and their bosses take advantage of their willingness, and there
\nis more work than any person can handle, and eventually they have
\nnothing left to offer. \u00a0We know this happens in the church too.
\nPeople get excited about being in a place where they can serve God \u2013
\nand where they can feel God’s love through the people around them \u2013
\nand they want to help however they can. \u00a0Yet the meetings can get
\ntedious. \u00a0And the excitement can fade as things don’t go as they’d
\ndreamed and maybe it seems like nothing ever changes \u2013 or like
\neverything has changed \u2013 and there is burn out. \u00a0But this passage
\ntells us, as it continues, how to avoid it…. \u201c be cheerfully
\nexpectant. \u00a0Don’t quit in the hard times! Pray all the harder.\u201d \u00a0(I
\nwould suspect, as well, that constancy of prayer and mediation would
\nguide each of us to be strong and wise enough to say no to roles in
\nthe church that are currently dragging us under instead of lifting us
\nup. \u00a0So prayer really is the answer!)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I
\nlove the line: \u00a0\u201cBe inventive in hospitality.\u201d \u00a0That feels like a
\ntask we are particularly called to right now, when all the forms of
\nhospitality we’re used to have suddenly become moot. \u00a0What does it
\nlook like now? \u00a0How can we practice it? \u00a0How do we experience it?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cBless
\nyour enemies, no cursing under your breath.\u201d \u00a0Oh that we might all
\nbecome people really able to do that. \u00a0It is true that praying good
\nfor our enemies, blessing them, changes them and us. \u00a0Sometimes we
\nhave to be careful about how we say it \u2013 its not real to say \u201cMay
\nevery blessing fall on the person who annoys me most in the world.\u201d
\n but its usually real to say \u201cmay the person who annoys me most AND
\nI manage to be more civil today.\u201d \u00a0And transformation happens \u2013
\nparticularly when we work hard enough that we don’t leave a piece of
\nourselves behind muttering nasties. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

We
\nhave another piece of God caring about how we are with one another:
\n\u201cLaugh with your happy friends when they are happy; share tears
\nwhen they’re down. \u00a0God along with each other; don’t be stuck \u2013 up.
\n Make friends with nobodies; don’t
\nbe the great somebody.\u201d \u00a0We are to be with those we love \u2013 and
\nshare lives with them. \u00a0What helps neighbors and families to share
\ntears and laughter today? \u00a0It takes more intentionality to be
\n\u201cpresent\u201d with people right now, and it has always been
\nchallenging for many of us not run away at the first show of emotion
\n(especially grief
\nand anger.) \u00a0Also,
\nit is to try to be \u201cTHE GREAT SOMEBODY\u201d – but we already know
\nwe’re supposed to try to play second fiddle.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cDon’t
\nhit back, discover beauty in everyone.\u201d \u00a0You know, I have found,
\nespecially over that when I let God show me what God loves about a
\nperson, the beauty of the person is really visible. \u00a0There is
\nstunning beauty in everyone. \u00a0Mary
\nLou Kownacki says, \u201cThere isn\u2019t anyone you couldn\u2019t love once
\nyou\u2019ve heard their story.\u201d \u00a0I buy it. \u00a0Of
\ncourse, it takes some serious work to let go of my own annoyances and
\ndo so \u2013 but there is beauty in EVERYONE. \u00a0\u201cIf you’ve got it in
\nyou, get along with everybody.\u201d \u00a0I love how this is phrased. \u00a0It
\nacknowledges that it won’t work for all people. \u00a0Particularly because
\ngetting along with some people means giving up who you are \u2013 and
\nthat’s not the point. \u00a0But WHEN ITS POSSIBLE, for WHOM its possible,
\nget along with everybody. \u00a0Its a worthy goal!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cDon’t
\ninsist on getting even; that’s not for you to do.
\nI’ll do the judging’ says God, ‘I’ll take care of it.\u201d \u00a0I
\nlike this translation way better than the NRSV \ud83d\ude42 \u00a0It is in any case
\na good reminder that the world is God’s, and justice is God’s, and
\nour goal is to do the blessing of our enemies, not the seeking of
\nretribution. \u00a0I also like that it acknowledges our DESIRE to get
\neven, which is honest, without making space for us to act which is
\nmoral.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\u201cOur
\nScriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that
\nperson lunch, or if he’s thirsty get him a drink. \u00a0Your generosity
\nwill surprise him with goodness. \u00a0Don’t let evil get the best of you:
\nget the best of evil by doing good.\u201d
\n It is so true that evil never overcomes evil, just like hate never
\ndrives out
\nhate, and violence doesn’t bring peace.
\nPeace brings peace. \u00a0Goodness brings goodness. <\/b>Love
\nbrings love. \u00a0Love and goodness and peace transform evil. \u00a0I hope
\nyou’ve all seen it. \u00a0I’ve seen it time and time again, particularly
\nin faith community. \u00a0People who are afraid of being hurt come to camp
\nor church with a chip on their shoulder, ready to pounce at the first
\nperson they see. \u00a0With gentle love for a few days or weeks or years,
\na sweeter and gentler person emerges, ready to soak in the goodness
\nand affirmation. \u00a0People change more when you welcome them for who
\nthey are and what they do well than when you disparage what they do
\nwrong. \u00a0People change a lot \u2013 and you change a lot \u2013 when you
\nhave lunch with your \u201cenemy.\u201d \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Romans
\n12 teaches us a lot about how to be \u2013 how to be human, how to be
\nGodly, how to follow the way of Jesus. \u00a0May we live our lives guided
\nby it. \u00a0Amen.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Questions
\nfor Reflection<\/b><\/p>\n

\nHow
\ndo these instructions seem to you? \u00a0Do they feel like useful
\nguidance? \u00a0Do they feel different from or similar to the 10
\ncommandments or the greatest commandments?<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nWhich
\npiece strikes you the strongest?<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nWhat
\npart is hardest for you?<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nWhere
\ndo you hope to be able to do better?<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nWhat
\nDOES it mean to \u201clove from the center of who you are\u201d and how can
\nyou do so more fully? \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1<\/a>\u00a0 I
\n\tfixed one word, FYI.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rev. Sara E. Baron <\/p>\n

First United Methodist Church of Schenectady <\/p>\n

603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305 <\/p>\n

Pronouns: she\/her\/hers <\/p>\n

http:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/<\/a> <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FUMCSchenectady<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My normal preaching style is to argue with the text, but I can’t do it with this one. \u00a0Romans 12 … Continue reading \u201cLife\u201d based on Romans 12:9-21<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[34,38,28,39,33,1925,1543,1924,1926,57],"class_list":["post-4592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-fumc-schenectady","tag-progressive-christianity","tag-rev-sara-e-baron","tag-thinking-church","tag-umc","tag-good-advice","tag-paul","tag-practice-playing-second-fiddle","tag-romans","tag-sorry-about-the-umc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4592"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4592\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}