Two hundred thirty-four years ago, a group of men were gathered together. A group that consisted of lawyers, architects, military men, a doctor, a Presbyterian minister, an inventor,
statesmen, plantation owners, a judge and others. They were gathered with the
intent of answering the question of the relationship between Great Britain and the colonies.
They fought and argued for weeks as they sought to do what was best for this fragile land.
And in the end, what they
found to be best was Independence. After years of suffering unfair taxes and
no representation within the British Parliament, they found that they had no rights as it currently stood. They didn’t have the right to question or pursue their own interests.
They had to follow and obey, even what they were expected to do went against their very fiber. Thankfully, those great minds gathered and decided to make a stand for what they felt was right. And although this day just marks the beginning of the battle, it signifies a people who were afraid but
still did the right thing.
We also think about those
who are gathered in Minneapolis for General Assembly this week. Who are giving
of their time to discuss, debate and decide on some of the major issues facing the Presbyterian Church today. Everything from our stance on the current wars, how best to approach Christian education, standards for
ordination, the introduction of a possible new confession or two to our confessional statements. This group gathered has already voted on a new moderator, an elder from National Capitol Presbytery named
Cynthia Bolbach, with six candidates, it took four ballots to reach this decision.
In both of these gatherings,
the people there were and are present to represent the people. They were there
to listen and hear the will of the people. One delegate of the continental congress
was quoted asking, whether his role there was to follow the people or to vote his own conscience. It is a question all leaders
must ask themselves, what their intentions are, to follow the will of the people, even if they believe the people to be wrong,
or to follow their own hearts or agendas without listening to the people. As
we remember also the life of Senator Byrd at this time, we know that as a leader he listened to the people, for he was one
of the people, representing the state he loved for over five decades.
Along with listening to
the people, we pray that our leaders are also lead by the spirit. And for our
part in that we need to remember to pray for our leaders; and to let our voices be heard, so they have the support they need
as they make decisions. Our first scripture today talks about what we reap is
what we sow. That if our intentions are only for our own benefit, we will receive
nothing, but if what we do is done for the glory of God, we will gather much. “Do
not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow
to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from
the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap
at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity,
let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.”
This mandate isn’t
just for politicians, but for each of us. This is our guide, for our actions
and our hearts to lead us, not to be led by our wants, but to share with others from our love. To guide and encourage others
to be a beacon of light; a respite in times of trouble, to be the voice of reason when needed.
Our second scripture deals
with a man named Naaman, a man who from all accounts was a good man, did his best for himself and country. He had earned the respect of the King and all he wanted was to be healed from the leprosy that plagued
him and caused him great pain. One day a servant girl, who was in no position
at all to have a voice, spoke up, she was the voice of God, a very quiet witness to the glory and power of the one true God. She spoke and said, go to the land of Israel and there a prophet of the Lord will
heal you.
And Naaman without questioning
went to his King and shared this information with him, and the King sent a letter to the King of Israel and said please help. Eventually the prophet Elisha got word of what was being said and sent word to Naaman
to come to him. And Naaman went to Elisha, no questions asked, he just went. He got there and Elisha sent out instructions without coming to greet him.
Naaman took such great
offense at this he wasn’t open to the words of the prophet, which were to go and wash in the Jordan 7 times and he would
be made clean. Naaman was so outraged that Elisha wouldn’t come out that
he resented the instructions he was given, and refused to follow. Naaman had
asked for help, listened to a slave girl, pleaded with a king who pleaded with a king, all to be made clean, and now that
he had an opportunity to be healed from this ailment that he had lived with for so long, he didn’t want to hear it. He let his own ideas of how he should have been welcomed trump his actions so that
he couldn’t hear the words of God.
He couldn’t just
accept what he was told to do, after he so openly followed others advice to get there, now what was being asked just seemed
pointless to him. Why couldn’t he have just washed in some other river,
why did it have to be the Jordan? He basically throws a tantrum, after getting
an opportunity to be healed, all he can think about was how he wasn’t greeted by the prophet and why wasn’t another
river good enough.
This sentiment echoes in
my head, how many times have we each been in similar situations, where something that has been bothering us and taking control
of our lives through worry or fear, all of a sudden a solution appears, and we aren’t able to hear it. Perhaps we had prayed and asked God to help us, but when help appeared it wasn’t what we wanted?
Sometimes we get so caught
up in our own minds, that when we hear something that contradicts the scenario we have created for ourselves we can’t
hear it. Even if it offers the solution we have been so desperate for. We sometimes want to play God for ourselves, we want to think that we know best and that no one could possibly
understand where we are coming from better that we can ourselves. We want to
take the power and control away from God, unless God is willing to work within the box we have created.
We beg and plead for prayers
to be answered, but sometimes the answer to those prayers are not what we want to hear, sometimes the control lies in holding
on to the problem instead of letting go and letting God work. I once heard a
poem that talked about how just like children bring their broken toys to us to fix, but they watch over our shoulders and
try to help and eventually take it back and say, I’ll do it, that’s how we sometimes give things to God. We ask for help, and then want to do it ourselves, never letting God have the chance,
we need to let Go and let God.
Naaman was able to listen
to the voices of those he was supposed to be leading. Some of the men who were
with him, said to him, sir, you would have done something so much harder if it meant healing yourself, so why not listen to
these words when what you have been asked to do is so simple. Why not try. It is within these words that so much can be gathered both from our scripture and
as a way we should all live. Naaman again showed that he wasn’t superior
to those he was in power over, he listened to their words and followed their advice.
He showed humility when he realized they were right. It would have been
simple for him to just ignore them and stay cranky, but instead he allowed himself to hear others.
So he went to the Jordan
and washed 7 times as he was instructed to do so, and he was made clean; cured of the leprosy that had plagued him for so
long. It took the voices of those he didn’t need to listen to in order
to be made clean. Our Galatians text tells us, “Bear one another’s
burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who
are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test
their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads.”
As we hear from Galatians
we each our responsible for our own actions, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care about others. We are told that our actions if done solely for our own sake and not for the good of others, is not fulfilling
the law of Christ. But instead we must help others through being true to Christ’s
command to our lives. If we are following Christ, we are carrying the burdens
of others just by letting our faith lead us.
Naaman allowed himself
to trust the faith of others in order to be made clean. Our founding fathers
were able to trust their faith and the faith of the people of the colonies as they sought to build a better nation for all. The delegates in Minneapolis for general assembly are there by faith, praying constantly
that what they are deciding is what would best follow the will of God. In all
of these those involved are working from their hearts as they seek to lead in the ways that are best for the people they represent.
And it is the responsibility
of the people to be heard. Just as the slave girl went against her station to
share the hope in the prophet Elisha, we need to be willing to speak up even if what we are saying doesn’t fit in with
the norm. We need to let the small voice that is hiding in the crowd be heard
over the shouts of the crowd. We need to recognize when voices aren’t being
heard for perhaps those voices are the voice of God, speaking silently yet carrying the strength to answer prayers. It is easy to let a quiet voice get lost, especially if it goes against what we might believe, but it is
through that voice that we will truly be able to hear the voice of God. It is
our responsibility to help those voices be heard, for those in power to hear them, for those who are shouting the loudest
to hear. Just as it is the responsibility of us to be heard we need to help others
to be heard as well.
Naaman asked God for help,
and at first he didn’t listen to the answer, but with the right voices speaking out from their faith and with the right
intentions, Naaman was able to hear and obey God’s response to him. As
we go out from here today, heading to picnics or fireworks, celebrating this day of independence, let us remember that we
are to go out following Christ and helping others through the spirit of God and not for our own agenda. Let us remember to pray for those who lead us and to seek to listen and to hear God, especially when we
have asked to be heard ourselves.
