2024-03-24 A Meditation on Shifts

“10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:10-13 ESV)

Duality, states of mind, and prospects for moving into the future: if nothing else is certain, one this is, which is that the coping mechanisms and copacetic getting by, are always ours to own, even if the front-office decisions are not. We may have rich years and lean years. We may have progressive careers and futile years. And in many things our personal scale or sense of measurement, too easily delves into traditional concepts of works-righteousness or of holy concern, consideration, meek duty unto the saints. And this is all good stuff until it hides, as Jesus’ anointing caused consternation at the lack of time for the poor, the more astonishing and radical Gospel.

That is, everyone whether feeling good about themselves or patting themselves on the back or even in family time meet corporate board meeting time, can make this “Care for the poor” a prime objective (good) which becomes a prime measuring rod (bad). On some level we are in need of mercy even and especially in the midst of so many good deeds. On some level those parroted good deeds cannot heal our soul in and of themselves. On some level, then, we are prime for a change-of-heart, for a conversion, for a come-to-Jesus moment. And it will be okay. Everything will be okay.

That is, the working man or woman’s peace is the working man or woman’s foremost Forgiveness and Blessedness even apart from manifest litanies of good deeds or accomplishments. The peace we all need talks of a scarier notion than simply caring for the dispossessed and for the unfortunate. We care, amidst translation of that care to a deeper contrition: it isn’t our prerogative to be masters of the good works. It isn’t our duty to boast on the career front. Something qualifies us to have that pastoral inclination or good sense, that can be found even if working in the world of accumulating finances or knowledge or prowess or brand loyalties. All these things are Christian. All these things help us to see the coping aspect of our evolved state. We may not be the ones today to choose how our tomorrows will look, but we can be sure our Gospel is near-at-hand, prior to deciding to sacrifice so much for the sake of a good deed. It is a Gospel that measures not a man or woman’s wealth or lack thereof, but rather their spiritual wealth, the rich man who nonetheless can listen, can bless, can appropriate, can manage and be dutiful unto their station (temporary at times) in life. The man or woman of more meager circumstances who ceases to labor after “fixing things” except simply the fix-it-up of acceptance, of being ministerial in whatever humble and simple ways called upon: all take a trust fall. All have little hoarded or accumulated to equate with peace and solemn existence. That is, we all are today grateful for a certain litany of good causes and circumstances beyond anything we’ve stored up for ourselves. We all of us are cheered for the morrow by the evolved coping mechanisms of the today. We can mourn time lost, but this is only insofar as we cease to be existential in outlook. Where am I… today? What frames my thinking… today? Can I shift this way and that with gracious ease, or do I get into modes impossible to break out of without good expenditure of time? Yet our labors become our cheerful hobbies. Our solemn words become our health-meter. Our downtime is time spent excitedly jotting down ideas for the next laboring time. In all these things there is a fundamentally religious bar none, lively fruits of that surety: the more you discover your own addiction or reliance on good works, the more rare but softly remembered is the litany of Grace. Almost a joke. Almost a wishful thinking. But in fact no laughing matter, no distant remove, but Today’s Call and firm base case unmoved.