Someone very wise once told me that there was nothing we can’t do if we really want it badly enough. He said that there was always enough time, energy and money for what was truly important. No matter how tired I was, how broke, or how busy, I could muster my reserves. I, naturally, was skeptical, but even I had to admit, that if someone came by with two tickets and a backstage pass to meet ABBA live and in person, even if I had just given birth to my first baby, I would probably find the energy to jump on a plane to England to attend their new virtual reality concert next month. I might not do it for Prince, Michael Jackson, Elvis or even the Beetles, but ABBA? I have to admit I would dig up all my record albums, jump on a plane and get them to autograph every single one.
ABBA was the music of my teens, and with John Denver, provided many memories of happiness, dancing and joy. Which is what teen age life is supposed to be about. Finding out what is most important in life is, of course, more than just rock concerts and dancing queens. But the music we like, the heroes we looked up to in our teenage years, can point to our core values.
Our scriptures this morning can be seen through the lens of looking at core values. James and John Zebedee were squabbling for the best seats of power once Jesus dethroned Herod and took his place in the castle and Temple. They wanted to be the ones whispering into his ear when people came to the foot of the throne and petitioned for Jesus to solve their problems. The two brothers were stuck in a traditional idea of change, that society could only transform through a violent take over, a coup. They thought about politics first and theology second.
I like the definition of politics I recently stumbled on, “Politics is when people choose their words and actions based on how they want others to react rather than based on what they really think.” James and John wanted Jesus to treat them as better than the others. “We want you to grant our request. See to it!” Pretty pushy. We also see politics in 1 Kings reading of the two women arguing over a baby. One described herself as a loyal citizen, pointing to the other as the evil doer. Solomon played politics with the women too, manipulating them to reveal which one really cared about the baby. Note that the passage does not say which woman was the one who cared the most, the one claiming to be the loyal subject or the one first accused. One subtle nuance to this story is that the women were living in a household without a man as patriarch to arbitrate, and to witness. Women were not allowed to be witnesses, only men. So there was no one Solomon could turn to whose testimony would hold up in the court. Solomon had to think outside the box to solve the problem. Solomon tricked them into showing their true intentions, their real values. One wanted equality and fairness seeing the baby as an object to fight over. And if both babies were dead, equality would have been re-established. The other simply wanted her baby to live and was willing to sacrifice her right to the baby to guarantee its safety. When a sword is hovering over something we cherish, our values come to the forefront very quickly.
That’s a good time to look at our values and really examine them, see if they are aligned with the Gospel, or can be tweaked to be lived out in healthier ways. Having a clear focus on why we do what we do is something we need to do intentionally. So many people talk about the importance of putting first things first, knowing why we do what we do. Whether it’s Steven Covey’s Seven Habits, Barack Obama’s campaign on hope, Martin Luther King’s dream, Mother Theresa’s ministry, Gandhi’s march for salt, Greta Thunberg sailing to North America, all great people with clear purposes and a focus that they continually remind themselves of. Movies like “City Slicker” or “Bucket List” or “Last Holiday” tell stories of people who clarify their values when faced with the equivalent of a sword threatening to cut a baby in half.
There are times when our values need to be challenged, re-evaluated, and shaken up. What we believed in as teen-agers can seem shallow now. If I had a choice between an Abba Concert and eliminating Global Warming when I was a teen, I would probably have chosen ABBA. Now, as much as it would be hard, I would let go my craving for hedonism in exchange for saving the whole world.
Jesus clarified the values he expected from his followers. They were to serve and to avoid politics, not to bully or grab power. There was to be no competition amongst them, no hierarchy, and definitely no politics. No arguing over who gets the baby. Keep the big picture in mind.
What’s your big picture? My values that are important to me are being part of a thriving congregation that practices radical hospitality and is a safe, trustworthy space for all who want to learn more about this radical way of thinking. I also value spirituality, being connected with something bigger than myself, a big dream, a purpose, an intention to be a healing presence in the world. And I value creativity, whether it’s through drama, scrapbooking, music, dance or art.
Our congregation picked out inspiration, empowerment and engagement, which are amazing words to guide us. They help remind us that we are to be servants to one another and also the world. We are to work together to build a better, more loving world. That is needed today as much as it was 5 years ago, 100 years ago and in the times of Jesus and Solomon. Thanks be to God for the scriptures that remind us who we are and how we live out God’s purpose in this world. Amen.
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