Luke 6:43-49
Today we’ve come to the end of this year’s season of Epiphany. This is the last time we’ll light the lanterns on our altar which have guided us since Advent, helping us find our way in the world. Epiphany is the season of seeing clearly, of recognizing what matters and naming it out loud. In this season Christians say to the world, “In the teachings of Jesus we find light for everyone.” Many of us were taught that Jesus is the only way to truth and goodness, and many of us have learned enough about the many religions of the world to know that’s not true. There were a whole lot of Christians last month testifying to the ND legislature that it was unwise to name Jesus King of the state. We have much more respect for freedom of religion than that. (And besides, we’re pretty sure that “King of the State” isn’t really a thing.)
We can be in favor of freedom of religion and at the same time say out loud that Jesus’ teachings are one good way for people to live. The values we find in Jesus’ stories are true values for all of life. There is light in them, whether or not we claim that as the only light. There is truth in the ways that Jesus encourages us to live with one another and relate to our communities, our government and the world.
Today’s teaching has Jesus explaining to us that the values we put at the heart of our living matter. A good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. What’s inside a person comes out for better or for worse. Most of us have days when our good side shows up and at least moments when the bad side wakes up. When we’re tired or hungry or disappointed or hurt, every one of us has the potential for saying mean things, thinking mean thoughts, lashing out in ways we regret. That very human reality isn’t what Jesus means when he talks about bad fruit. You can have a bad day and not be a bad person. Part of becoming an adult is learning how to go back and ask for forgiveness, make amends, learn from mistakes, do better the next time.
There’s a difference between having a bad moment that contradicts our usual values and adopting the kind of priorities that cause lasting harm in the world. Jesus talks about the difference in values and beliefs with his parable of the houses. When you build a house, you want to do the work to build on solid ground – deep footings, strong foundations, built to endure. It’s easier to just level off the sand and slap up the walls.
But that kind of structure isn’t going to withstand a flood or a hurricane or an earthquake? If you want something that lasts, you have to build it well.
We’re living in a moment in time when we’re confronted every day with choices about what our values will be. What world view will we adopt that describes how we see other people and how we build community? What will we teach our children and grandchildren? How will we do business? What rules will we live by? It’s pretty easy to spend lots of energy describing what’s broken. We can point fingers and say, “not that or that.” The most egregious “not that’s” are playing over and over on TV right now, so we can’t possibly forget. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need another list of what’s broken right now. So let’s build a stronger list of what’s good and true. I’ll start, and you can help me finish…
TRUTH – If we’re going to build a strong foundation of character, truth is a good beginning. We revere George Washington who is rumored to have said at an early age, “I cannot tell a lie.” We can commit to finding facts and sticking with them. Are there shades of opinion in complicated situations? Of course! That’s why conversation is important, so we can discover what is most true and explore nuance. It’s tricky to fact-check ourselves before we pass information along, but we can do it. When we commit to truth, we have a foundation for trust among us.
RESPECT – Strong communities grow when we respect each other. When I think of the biblical stories of Jesus interacting with others, respect is always present. He respected people others overlooked, like the beggar beside the road or the woman from another country. He respected religious leaders, even when he disagreed with them or challenged them to change their minds about something. He respected the potential in everyone he met, believing that they had value and something to contribute to the whole. Respect connects us with other people. It asks us to stop a minute before we make snap judgments and invite a stranger to share their story. It reminds us that every person has expertise about something, everyone has overcome one hardship or another, everyone has gifts to share. We can treat people with respect, and we can insist that so long as we’re present, others will do the same.
LOVE – In every situation one question serves as a guideline for decision making: What would love do? Of course there many circumstances to consider: finances, time, preferences. But there’s only one bottom line…What would love do? We will often encounter people making decisions for other reasons, but we’re not other people. We can choose love.
Now it’s your turn. What other bedrock values guide your living? What matters most to you?
When we are firm in our intention to live by our values, we bear good fruit. Strong values make for strong community. It makes a difference in our own lives and in the world around us. First we decide for ourselves, and we help each other stick to that decision when the going gets hard. We’re in this together.
Because we are living in this moment in time in this place, we have the ability to influence others. Some of us are calling or writing legislators. Some are meeting in solidarity with friends who commit to justice. Some are just a quiet presence about town. I have one friend who’s an expert at gently saying to someone, “Help me understand why you think that way?” Sometimes that kind of conversation begins to change a mind.
You are probably familiar with the concept of grounding. It’s the feeling you get when it’s finally warm enough to stay outside a while and put your feet on the ground and your heart in nature. It’s a solid kind of feeling that gives us hope that there’s something right in the world. Grounding is the deep breath you take before you speak, while you’re rejecting the first three things that pop into your mind and finding a gentler response. Grounding is finding strength to say “yes” to a hard ask because you know there will be strength to back you up; and it’s finding strength to say “no” when that’s a better answer. Grounding comes from practicing your values over and over until they become not your second nature but your first response. It’s good fruit. Jesus lived a grounded life, and with his example, we can too. Strong foundations, good fruit, joyful lives.