Sunday, July 3, 2011

What Child Am I?

John Denver wrote a song featuring children as the inspiration for new life. Some say it is his finest composition. It is called "Rhymes and Reasons".  The refrain of the song is:

So the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers.
Their laughter and their lovliness will clear a cloudy day.
Like the music of the mountains and the colors of the rainbow.
Come and stand beside us, we can find a better way.

Carrying the children motif further, the Gospel of Matthew narrates:

[Jesus says], But to what shall I compare this generation?  It is like children
sitting in the marketplace, and calling to one another,
'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn."
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say,
"He has a demon." The Son of Man came neither eating nor drinking,
and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners!"  
Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.
Matthew 11:16-19

At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of 
heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things
 from the wise and the intelligent, and have
revealed them to the infants...."
Matthew 11:25

Let the children come to me, and forbid them not,
for of such is the Kingdom [Reign] of God.
Matthew 19:14

And from the prophet Isaiah:

The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
Isaiah 11:6

What we see are different portraits of children.  Some are responsible, perceptive, and obedient to the common good, and some are immature, ignorant, and dedicated to satisfying their own pleasures.  

What makes the difference?  The immature and ignorant children only want others to dance to their tune, to respond only to their demands.  They want others to feel only what they feel, to cry only over their misfortunes.  They see only their truth.  They name call.  They deceive.  They lie.  They judge who is in and who is out on the basis of social propriety, of who caters to the wealthy and powerful.  They revel in themselves.  They glory in their positions of privilege among the powerful.  They revel in their pleasure.  Their world is about them and being secure in their specialness of superiority.  They have found themselves and celebrate the discovery.

On the otherhand, the responsible and wise children take comfort in Jesus.  They look outside themselves and embrace the character of the Christ.  There is realization that life is outside themselves. They surrender to the unity of love.  They trust because they know they are loved.  They love by openning themselves to receiving Christ's love. They lose themselves in Christ, in connection with others.  They live in trust of the promise of Christ.  They gather to listen.  They are receptive.  They consider the other.  They are attracted to the magnetism of love.  They bring diverse people together and create community. They honor differences.  Life is about relationship and making sure all have enough.

Conversation about children seems appropriate because of the political gridlock in Washington and in my own state of Minnesota.  Our state government has shut down over the governor's demand that the upper .03% of wage earners pay an increased tax so that education and health programs can be funded, and the Republican's demand that there be no more taxes, only cuts in programs.  Furthermore, August 2 looms as a dark cloud for our nation as political gridlock and ideological regidity have paralyzed our leadership, driving our nation to the precipice of default, another recession, more damage to already damaged pensions and 401(k)s, more unemployment and hardship,  as well as great damage to the rest of the world.  If we think tiny Greece could cause international chaos, just imagine what our default would cause!

I would suggest that what we have are adults acting like children.  Yet, as we can see, there are children and there are children.  What is the way through this morass?

I propose the following.  First, ask what child am I?  Let's be honest.  In reality, we are all doses of both, in varying degrees depending on what is at stake at the moment.  Confession is in order.  Second, show courage and humility to adopt the character of the wise and responsible child.  Third, listen not only to your base, but to those outside the beltway, to the whole of the country, to the needs of the common good, to the struggling, to the middle class, the unemployed and under-employed, the vulnerable.  Fourth, ask critical questions of the responsibility of the wealthy, the banking industry, and Wall Street for the benefit of all of society. One's place in society needs to be not only about satisfying your stockholders, but also caring for the stakeholders (all of us).  Fifth, each side needs to realize that their side represents only one half of the country.  Sixth, let your actions involve a balanced cutting of waste and MORE investment in job creating projects.  People create wealth by what they do through their work.  The way to the future is to have everyone work their way out of the hole we are in.  People want to work!  Worthwhile work gives hope and optimism!  Provide the projects and opportunities.  Seventh, realize that wealth does not trickle down, but spreads out through the labor of the people.  The Huffington Post reports that corporations have reaped 88% of all financial growth since the start of the recession.  Therefore, figure out how to spread the wealth around. In other words, INVEST.  Eighth, accept that ALL PEOPLE are created to live together in peace, justice, and harmony.  Accept that the lion will remain a lion and the lamb will remain a lamb. Accept that adjustments need to be made for each unique life.  Accept that each life has unique needs for their existence.  Accept that life is not about dominance, but community, caring for each other, seeing that all are protected and free.  Accept the words of the late Paul Wellstone, "We all do better when we all do better."

What child am I?  Come and stand beside us, we can find a better way.

Peace!
Ron









No comments:

Post a Comment