Thursday, December 15, 2011

As I pored over my assigned Scripture passages for this meditation, my husband peered over my shoulder and commented, “Hmm.  Those don’t seem very Christmas-y.”  Well, no, not exactly.  I was having a fair amount of trouble trying to make a connection, thematically or personally, between the violence and gore in the various Psalms, and the strange vision of Zechariah and the wise and foolish maidens of Matthew’s parable. And as for Revelation, well, it made the most sense to me but mainly succeeded in embedding Handel’s “Worthy is the Lamb” in my subconscious for several days.

I tried using my English major brain to approach the Scripture critically and my librarian brain to put it all in a logical order.  And then, in the other room, a fight broke out.  About Legos.  And my Mommy brain took over.  After making sure that no one was bleeding, and no one in fact was going to stop playing with his brother for the rest of his life, I went back and read all of the passages once more.  The lines that suddenly stood out for me called to mind the clichés that parents use and evidently have used since the beginning of time.  You know, the things you hated to hear from your own Mom and Dad and vowed never to say to your own kids?    The ones I had just used on my own sons? 

“Do the right thing.”  Every parent wants their child to make choices based on the tenets of respect, love and kindness.  Zechariah 4:6 says “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”  This reflects the second half of Psalm 33, in which God is described looking down on all humankind from heaven.  The psalmist informs us that God as our Father doesn’t care who’s got the stronger army or better horses (or the most Legos); all we need is to put our hope and trust in the Lord and He will be “our help and shield.”  

“Show some appreciation.” In Psalm 50 God expresses anger at the wicked and suggests that rather than elaborate sacrifices to prove one’s worth, “Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me; to those who go the right way – I will show the salvation of God.” 

“Be prepared.”  Matthew concludes his story of the wise and foolish maidens by reminding us to “keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”  Always have oil in your lamps, make sure your gas tank is half full, pack a snack and wear clean socks.  I spend every weekday morning spouting these kinds of admonitions – “do you have your homework?”  “You need gloves today!”  “Don’t forget, you’re riding the bus home.”  In the bigger picture, Matthew’s warning to keep awake serves to prepare us not only for life’s daily journey, but the journey ahead.  “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this” – open to those who are prepared.  

“Because I’m your parent and I said so.”  And so the Psalms, though still kind of scary, suddenly seemed very reassuring, like the feeling you get when you’ve done something you know is going to make your parents mad but you are comforted in knowing they love you anyway. Zechariah’s vision and Matthew’s parable became like my father’s stories that don’t seem to have any relevance until suddenly they do. God is always watching.  He has high expectations, but He’s on our side, and by our side. He will help us prepare for the everyday, and for the ever after, if only we will listen.

(As for Revelation, well, the Messiah beats “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” any day.)

(Leigh Russell King)