2022-12-08 A Meditation on Incommunicative

“Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” (2 Co 2:5–11 ESV)

Probably the last thing we need, when we are just getting by, is a sophisticated guilt trip. That is, religion tempts to a kind of spooky charisma, and we need an antidote. Incommunicative, heavy, hindering and hampering, the name of Love is bandied about, when all that is happening is judgment. People judge each other. People suppose themselves to be praying under their breath, but don’t ask: are my prayers welcome? Are they relevant?

We learn from Scripture the antidote to this spooky charisma that people use to climb over one another. That is, Scripture tells us that trials will come, that not all believe. Scripture heals us of the willful incommunicative guilt-trip or murmured reminder we are on the outs. Incommunicative to a fault, it is a high calling shared only by a few, to adore the dreams of others that are shared, to Rise to the blessing, to cease to accuse or to put in a maddening strait-jacket of the community.

So, we get along fine with new friends and old, but can see that glimmer of where the whole love fest can be tempted and can go wrong. We panic around that deadening, incommunicative, “straightening out” undergone. “What are they in truth saying about me?” The answer is that instead of talking through concerns, they draw near with moving lips, proposing that they are praying for things too difficult or ineffective when put into words. That is, they overlook it is a power-play, and as such is susceptible to the same sins of the soul as any outward display of judging others.

And all this, in the midst of forward haste: a forward position, a successful encounter, a Gospel preached and shared and a blessing on the lips of the gathered. Cynical, we protest only that hug that is spooky; everything else is properly understood: gospel miracle; gospel appearance made, gospel proclaimed. Love passed around. Innocent prayers made. Humble entreaties unto the Lord on High professed. Listening and care for one another. We went in strong, but had to be steadfast not to let our guard down even for a minute.