Day #2233

February 11, 2020 

Tuesday’s Thoughts on Scripture this week comes from Matthew 5:21-37 (yes, this is much longer than a “normal” Tuesday's scripture, but I find it impossible to pare this down to a single verse): [Jesus said to the disciples:] ²¹“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ ²²But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. ²³So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. ²⁶Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. ²⁷“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. ³¹“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³²But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. ³³“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ ³⁴But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.” (NRSV)

Wow!!! Where to even begin?! You have heard, but I say….you have been following the letter of the law, now I remind you of the heart of it. Relationship! Not only with the God who loves you, considers you blessed and salt and light, but relationship with one another. We, who cannot even make one hair on our head white or black (sorry Clairol and hairdressers), yet who God cares so deeply about as to count and know every one of those hairs on our head. 

So what is the heart of the law? Remembering that everything we say and everything we do has a ripple effect onto others. No one lives only for themselves. No one! And we all have potential to hurt and be hurt by someone. Jesus is helping his disciples (and us) remember, and therefore act, that as we live in community - in our homes, our schools, our work, our congregations, our friends, our family, our clubs, and wherever else - what we do to and with one another is hugely important to God, our neighbor and even our own peace of mind. 

Wow! These words are not easy to hear, or to live up to, so thank God for grace!!

Blessings. 

PS - I want to share what was written on the back of a t-shirt I saw someone wearing today: “Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.” This might be appropriate as I think about preaching on this gospel lesson Sunday. Yikes!!!