Wednesday, May 18, 2022

“You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.” (John 15:16, The Message Bible)

                 Now batting for the Mississauga Twins, #33, Will “The Thrill” Soble!

                Allow a little grandfatherly bragging, please. After being assessed for Little League Baseball House League, our 9 year old grandson, William, was instead chosen to move over to the Select Team. This means that he has the added ability and talent to play ball at a “higher” level for his age group. He got three hits in his first game. It also means extra work for his parents as there is a bit of travel involved and they will have to figure out how to work out family schedules. Nevertheless, it is recognition of William’s love, talent and skill levels for baseball. I just hope he enjoys the summer and the friends he will make on his team.

                But he has inspired me to reflect on the text above from John’s Gospel. Jesus was speaking to his disciples, the chosen twelve, and explaining what it meant to be chosen to be on his team, so to speak. They are a part of significant venture – to embody the Love of Christ in the world. They need to trust his Love and hold fast to Love’s hold on them, like a branch to a vine. The team’s goal is radically simple and singular: “Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you.” (John 15:12, The Message Bible)

                It cannot be stressed enough that Jesus does the choosing, not you, not me, not the Church, not other Christians, not the Pastor, not the Deacon’s Board,  not the Association, not the Convention,  and certainly not the World at large.

Jesus chooses. He doesn’t really need our help; probably wishes we wouldn’t.

Sad to say, many Christians act as if they choose Jesus to be on their team and not the other way around.  Although there is an element that we do make a choice or a decision for Jesus, again it is Jesus’ call upon our lives first that we accept.  But many think that they chose Jesus to be on their particular team and therefore since they are in charge, it gives them the right to discriminate who gets to be on their team and, more so, who cannot play on “our” team.

When we think we get to choose the Jesus we want, we use it as an excuse to exclude, ban, prohibit, reject and dismiss so-called, “lesser” qualified people. Despite our church signs which say “All are welcome”, all are not welcome. We claim that we have got Jesus on our side and it’s our choice to say who makes the team or not, who gets to "fellowship" with us or not.

We all can remember from our childhoods when it was time to choose up sides for a game. All the good players were taken first. Eventually it would get down to one or two kids who were deemed not very good at the game, and they were, sometimes mean-spiritedly, reluctantly and awkwardly chosen. Nobody really wanted them on their side. Did it ever make us consider how they must have felt?

Jesus has eliminated that stolen responsibility when it comes to who can or who cannot become part of his Work. We don’t get a say, or state a preference, or make the choice, or make the  selections. Jesus chooses.

Jesus chooses; thank goodness. His criteria are radically different than yours or mine.  He turns our stringent conditions for inclusion upside down; the last shall be first and first last. He is far more inclusive, tolerant, loving, accepting. He sees the inner heart, spirit and soul. He alone is the One who sees a person’s true worth. It’s not about race, colour, sexuality, gender, age, nationality but whether we have the same capacity to love others – all others - as Jesus demonstrated and, in fact, commands. “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” (John 13: 34 -35, The Message Bible)

It means servanthood, compassion, unreserved commitment to the work of God’s Love. Everyone has a part and a place in the line-up if they are committed to that Love. Otherwise, frankly, go sit on the bench!

“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.” (1 Peter 2: 9 -10, The Message bible)

Batter up!

 Dale