Goodness me, it’s been quite some time since we all gathered round the table. In fact — we all last gathered together officially round that table last month on July 29th. Do you remember it? We gathered and we prayed as we do. And then we began to check in with each other by offering our answer to what it means and looks like to be laborers in God’s harvest (giving examples of labor and of harvest). We did not all quite agree (this happens when we are talking with more than just ourselves!) as we had some different interpretations…And yet, unless memory fails me (it can) we did seem to agree that the harvest is people, and that laboring looks like loving and being faithful to how God is calling us to be.
And of course after this we pivoted to scripture, looking at 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1.
23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
11 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
We listened to Paul inviting us into the perspective that the fullness of creation belongs to God and we have freedom to give thanks and enjoy all that God has made. However, we are encouraged to use our freedom to build up others & community — to use our freedom to help others, and to be aware of what their needs might be — seeking always to be helpful and not harmful. And (where we read) Paul ends in offering a different invitation — to imitate Paul as Paul imitates Christ, putting what he has written into action — moving from the idea of a thing to the action of it. Paul of course leads us to what the homework assignment has been over these past weeks, to be like Christ — to imitate Christ — because as great and faithful as Paul was (and this goes for any believer!) we are called to be like Christ! So — the homework is both simple and the most challenging thing ever….be like Christ.
One person mentioned, “WWJD” (what would Jesus do) and another mentioned that Jesus did overturn tables (righteous indignation)…Christ also is the One who took time to talk with God, the One who looked at those caught in sin and did not throw stones, the One who healed with his hands and with his spit!, the One who wept over the death of a friend, the One who showed patience even when knowing he was talking to those who would betray & desert him, the One who while the Son of God still shows us he can be taught too by the faith of one he calls by a derogatory name (check out: Matthew 15:21-28). So let us humbly seek to be like Christ in all we do.
In Christ ~
Rev. Sabrina Slater