It seems to me that these words in Matthew 23:1-12 are as particularly significant for us today as they were 1900+ years ago. There appear to be any number of people who are demonstrating a propensity for the reprimand, “Do as I say, not as I do.” We hear from pundits, pastors, and politicians that God’s way of democracy and equal rights of all people is part of God’s plan for the world and then witness our rights as voters being more restricted every day. We hear from the pulpits of our churches that God loves us all, that Jesus died for our sins, that grace abounds while witnessing practices that vilify and condemn the lives of God’s children.
Out of fear,
2SLGBTQIA+ people are disparaged. Books and magazines that might help our young
people understand that they are not the spawn of Satan, but God’s children, are
banned from the shelves of our libraries. Even while proclaiming the grace of
God, many identifying as Christian practice programs of hate and
discrimination.
Many politicians speak of living in a world where “all are created with inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, and then inflict Jim Crow-like laws that withhold the means for those who live on the margins from ever sharing in the great American aspiration. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which includes support of not only Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) but also considers treatment of gender, religious affiliation, native language, and physical and cognitive abilities who consistently fall behind, is so threatening to many in government, that our institutions of learning are denied adequate funding and are held hostage until they drop DEI programming. And because this form of domestic terrorism is part of our legislative process, no one speaks very loudly to oppose it.
It is time to call pastors, politicians, and one another to accountability. And so, it is with my mighty mouse squeak that I, Nicodemus, pontiki Ekklesias, echo these words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew. “Listen to those who sit on seats of authority, but do not do as they do.”
As Peter (not the disciple) says, “God does not love God’s people because of who they are, what they wear, who their parents are, or what they do. God loves
God’s people
because God made them!” He continues to assure all people, “God loves us
because we are God’s! God loves us enough to die for us. God destroys death and
rises from the cosmic battle, victorious. Alive IN a relationship of vibrant,
living God-love, we are assured that God loves us and will bring us to Godself
when our pilgrimage on earth is ended. God has created us in God’s own image.
The perfection of God is not some Hellenistic, able-bodied, nonproportional parody
of the human form, nor is it limited to some Nordic Aryan blond, blue-eyed,
white-skinned body. Each of us reflects God’s image.
“God’s perfection is witnessed in the many faceted perfection of ALL of God’s creation.” It is time to stop lording it over others while protecting the wealthiest among us and those pretentious power prevaricators who populate politics. It is time to begin the work of serving today rather than focusing on condemning those persons of power, pietism, and politics in Matthew so many years ago.
God loves you! Yes, you! Live like you know that you are loved.
That’s all the squeaking roar this mouse has today.
Living in the freedom Christ gives,
Your pal,
Nicodemus
Editor, Theologian, Counsellor, Mouse
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