November 1, 2020 | Worship

It feels strangely appropriate that we have the lectionary texts we do for this week as we sit within screaming distance of election day. Yeah, screaming distance. I’ll admit it, I am one-more-piece-of-election-junk-mail away from just letting a gigantic scream-into-the-void rip, probably in front of my mailbox, which is on a semi-busy street. I am one mean-spirited campaign ad interrupting my TV shows away from like, gnashing my teeth. Political advertising during election season is always irritating, but this year it is so intense and inescapable that Tuesday cannot get here soon enough.

And yet, there is also dread. Because we are in such a polarized, highly emotional, stakes-are-high state, the build up to Tuesday is almost unbearable, but the fear of what might happen after Tuesday is also emotionally all-encompassing. My friends, we are about to go through some stuff. Again.

I know, and it’s not like I need to even tell you any of this. You’ve been also checking your mailbox and watching TV and hearing radio ads written to persuasively scare the listener into voting for a candidate, proposition, or measure. You’ve also grown weary of nasty ads singling out faults in leadership and lapses in judgment. It’s hard to keep a beacon of love lit when negativity is literally permeating the airwaves around us.

And yet, as Christians, that’s the task we have before us. Wouldn’t it be great if, at baptism, we were also endowed with negativity deflectors and love amplifiers? Unfortunately, that’s not how it works, and the work of following Christ is a lot of work. Fortunately, it’s not work that is impossible, we have an entire book that teaches us to love more expansively and to care for one another more radically.

And so, with this to preface the rest of our time together, let’s boldly go into the readings for the day and see what wisdom they hold for us at this tense and historic time.

Each of the readings today focuses on leadership in some way. Though we may brush it off and say “no, not me!”, in one way or another, we each are leaders. We set examples, we interact with others in ways that can either help or harm, we lead in our homes for our families and housemates, or we lead in our communities in the choices we make when it comes to supporting local and ethical businesses, we lead when we attend a meeting or sign up for a fundraiser walk-a-thon, we lead when we extend kindness unexpectedly, and we lead when we vote. And because this church is especially involved in the community, many of us are leaders in the local fight against food scarcity, we lead when we make the decision to open the thrift shop and we lead when we enforce rules to require masks upon entry. We lead when we open our doors for worship (whenever we will be able to do that again!) and give a genuine warm welcome to any person who comes through our door, no matter who they are or where they are on life’s journey. We lead at cabinet meetings and we lead in fellowship when we draw others into our conversations. And we lead as Christ followers, which is important to keep in mind. Even though we are led by the teachings found within the Bible, there is a certain amount of implied leadership responsibility when it comes to living our lives in a way that cares deeply for others. These readings speak directly to us to ensure that we not abuse our power or behave hypocritically. So even though we will be discussing leadership and looking at the circles of leadership that are accountable to us (that’s right, our leaders must be held accountable, they serve us, we do not serve them!) we should also be reading this with a mirror in front of ourselves to make sure we don’t turn any discussion like this into a finger-pointing party while ignoring our own shortcomings.

When I first read the text from Micah this week I reacted strongly. Right out of the gate I was like “YAAAAAAASSSS MICAHHHHH!” because no one calls out injustice like the prophets, right? Micah is not just speaking to leaders, but he’s speaking specifically to other prophets, his colleagues, his peers. He is speaking to people who are in positions of power who can then misuse that power and authority. He’s calling out those who will say that everything is fine, we are fine, nothing is wrong. We have plenty of resources, plenty of food to eat, plenty of clean drinking water, so everything is fine, all is well, while others are hungry. Micah is condemning this “self-first” approach to living. Note the words “abhor justice and pervert equity.” Now, you cannot abhor justice if you aren’t aware of what is just and what is unjust. To abhor something, to actively hate something, one has to know what it is and actively work against it. Perverting equity is the same. Micah is calling out all of the truly bad leaders who know better but refuse act better, whether it’s because they will lose support, lose privileges and comforts, or because they may lose popularity. And bad leaders will use the heartache, blood, sweat, and toil of others to achieve their goals—we see that when he says, “who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wrong!” When rulers and leaders knowingly use others with intent of using them up in order to realize a dream that is not their and they will not benefit from.

These bad leaders utilize bribery and deceit, they’ll scam money out of people, and they’ll favor those with more money. And then they’ll do the most dangerous thing a person can do—they’ll do all these things while claiming God is on their side! People become so afraid to go against what has been said to be of God that  they’ll follow these prophets, these leaders.

As we continue to examine leadership, let us remember to turn the looking glass on ourselves frequently. We cannot simply point the finger without genuinely, honestly asking ourselves how we stack up against these qualities of dangerous and toxic leadership.

In Paul’s letter, we are given a view into the way leadership should behave. Paul explains that the way that he and he colleagues serve while they’re ministering to these fledgling christ following communities. He explains that they work hard the entire time as to not impose or burden the folks that are in their care. They strive to be blameless and not to create more problems than they solve so that their message and their mission is not thrown off track by their actions. They are grateful and thank the people they are serving—an important thing to remember as we lead and as we care for others so that we do not develop savior complexes or find ourselves serving others just for the praise or the pat on the back, instead of serving others because in doing so we are serving God. Humility goes a long way. The act of being among the people who Paul is ministering to is also and important way for Paul to know he is serving actual needs, and hearing what the real concerns of the people are instead of assuming he knows. As we look at our leaders and as we examine our own ways of being in the world, we should take note of who they are listening to, and who they are claiming to serve. Do they spend time with that demographic—real time to get to know the needs, desires, dreams, fears, and heartaches? How can we hold our leadership accountable to listening to the people they serve? What are our responsibilities to all people to be served with justice and equity?

And then there is our reading in Matthew. I added a few extra verses to the lection today because, 1) we are gonna skip right past them next week and I think these are powerful statements and 2) I wanted to give our reader this morning a chance to read a few of the WOE TO THE HYPOCRITES verses to read. Chris is very dramatic. I knew he could really do these verses justice. But in all seriousness, there may not be a better pericope for us to ponder and meditate on before a gigantic election.

This selection from Matthew gives us a caution issued by Jesus against making big, fancy, bold declarations of what is right while at the same time doing things to the exact opposite effect. It asks us what we are doing for show, or to be performative, and what we are doing—really doing—to follow the path of righteousness. It asks us to ask our leadership what it is they are telling others to do that they themselves will not follow. What heavy burdens are in the packs of expectations that they are setting upon the people’s backs that they themselves have no intention of carrying? What is more important to our leaders—is it a place of honor or is it equity and justice? Is it the best and most stylish garb or is it upholding the dignity of all humankind? What are our own priorities?

And in those WOE TO YOU HYPOCRITES verses, Jesus says that the corrupt leaders lock people out of Heaven, they deny entry. They go to great lengths, at great expense to convert someone, but if that person has come to the faith through corrupted pathways, then that person has not been brought into a life-affirming, loving faith, but the woe to you verses will then apply to that newly minted convert as well. I know. In what ways are we guilty of this? In what ways can we hold our leaders accountable so that they are not spreading deceit and manipulation for gain?

Whatever the outcome of Tuesday is, it is essential that we do not become complacent, that we do not become hardened, that we do not become hypocritical even when those around us are, that our hearts continue to love even though it hurts, that we continue to speak truth to power—even when, and especially when—our “people” are the ones in power. We must hold those in leadership accountable.

To close, I offer this Franciscan prayer from Common Prayer: A liturgy for ordinary radicals.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may wish for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.