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"For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he
deceives himself." (Gal. 6:3)
In the name of Jesus. Amen. There is a certain moralism that we have when we
expect to be treated a certain way because we think ourselves to be someone. No,
this isn't left over Paris Hilton stuff (smile). This occurs when we
believe that we should be treated differently because of who we are, who we
think we are, or what we think about ourselves.
It goes like this: "How could that person say that about me? Doesn't he know WHO
I am? How could you question THAT pastor? Don't you know WHO HE IS? Who are you
to ask that of me? How dare he speak of me that way? I'm.. I'm... (insert your
name). Don't you know me?"
There's a moralism of thinking you are someone - whether you actually are or
aren't. It's the idea that you deserve some treatment, or respect, because of
who you are, what you have achieved, or what you think you have accomplished.
When we think a pastor is above correction because of who he is - that's called a "Romanizing tendency."
It's as if we have forgotten that we are Adam's seed. It's as if Isaiah didn't call
our greatest works "used menstrual rags" before God. You think you deserve
what? You think deserve someone's respect? You think you deserve favor?
In the Church, we handle ourselves differently: "How big is your parish? What
have you published? Who do you know? Do you know (insert name here)? He's
my friend. How long have you been out in the ministry?" (smile)
It's very comical that this is the same sort of talk that happens in high school, isn't it?
"Are you with that group? Do you know him? Who are you going out with? Do you
play for them? "
Do you do this? I do. I bet if you think about it, you do too.
And all of this is, of course, is our own self-righteous moralizing and
idolatry. But, what it really is.... is slavery.
The Gospel frees us. Your sins have been answered for, paid for, by the
Son of God on the Cross. He is the very Son of God and He made Himself of no
reputation and took on the form of a slave. He didn't come to be served, to be
honored by men, but He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for you
and me.
He has freed you. He has made you truly free. You bear His name put on you
in Baptism. All things are yours in Baptism. Everything that is Christ's was
given to you at the font. Heaven is yours. In Baptism, you have been given all
things.
Which frees you up to stop the game of trying to move up in the world by who
you are, who you know, and what you do. Jesus knew that all things were His, so
He took a cloth and wrapped it around His waste and washed His disciples' feet.
He was that free.
You are that free too. He has freed you from this game of one-up-man-ship. He
has freed you to treat the next person as more important than yourself - whether
pastor, layman, mother, father, brother, sister, poor, rich, old, young, friend,
or even a stranger.
Who am I? Baptized. Who are you? You are more important than me. In the Name of
Jesus. Amen.
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of
mind let each esteem others better than himself." (Phil 2:3)
Edited on: September 06th, 2005 11:19 pm
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