He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:3-5
Yesterday was ‘Harmony Day’ – a day to celebrate the successful integration of migrants into our country and communities. A day to recognise that nearly 50% of Australians were born overseas or have a parent who was, to celebrate that in the last 70 years more than seven and a half million migrants have made Australia home. It’s a day when we proclaim, ‘Everyone belongs’.
How ironic, then, that lurking in the shadows of the ‘Harmony Day’ glow was the news story of the week – the racial taunt by a spectator on NRL and Rabbitoh’s star Greg Inglis. We may pride ourselves on our high rate of multiculturalism (only behind Switzerland and Luxembourg) and yet disharmony and exclusion are daily realities for many. Yesterday I sat with an Filipino woman at a Cultural Diversity workshop who has lived in Australia since the age of 8. Eighty percent of her life has been lived in this country. Two days ago, a random person walked up to her in a shopping centre on the Central Coast, pulled a face and changed the shape of her eyes and told her to ‘Go home where she belonged.’ In this woman’s own words, “My head tells me to just brush it off as an ignorant comment, but even after 32 years in this country, it breaks you down. It wounds your spirit.”
I wonder…we may not spruik racist slurs overtly but what messages do we subtly send to others in our homes, communities and churches that echoes, “You don’t belong here?’ How do we devalue people by assigning them worth simply because of the colour of their skin, what they look like or do? How do we unintentionally exclude people by our own unwillingness to extend a hand of welcome or open up our home for hospitality? How often do we remain silent and fail to call out those who make jokes that generalise or denigrate others based on where they come from or what language they speak?
Over 2000 years ago, Jesus experienced what it was like to be on the receiving end of taunts and rejection; to be despised and told that ‘you don’t belong here’. He was stripped, vilified, beaten and ridiculed. He was led from the city as an outsider to a cross where he was dehumanised and shamed. But here’s the thing. Jesus allowed his spirit to be crushed. He intentionally bore your shame. He willingly gave up his life on the cross so that you could experience real harmony and full inclusion. On the first ‘Harmony Day’ Jesus declared from the cross that there is nothing in all creation that will ever separate you again from his love. He has done everything, so that you can belong to him forever. That’s worth celebrating every day.
To Ponder: In what ways are my words, actions and behaviours valuing or devaluing the others around me today?
Lord Jesus, as you have freely opened up your arms on the cross to welcome me into your home forever, help me to open my arms and my home to embrace people with your inclusive love. Amen.
More From 'Simply Living'
The right measure of Tint
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Over the past couple of months, we have been living through a kitchen renovation. As part of that renovation, doorways have been removed and the curved archways that date the home have been squared up and replastered ready for a coat of paint. A few weeks ago, I decided to prime the gyprock and repaint the walls using the leftover paint that was still stored in the garage from repair work that happened when the ceiling caved in during a storm (that’s another story)! I checked the colour. I looked at the label. Hogsbristle Half Strength. I was ready to go. I cut in the edges, rolled the walls where it was needed to blend into the existing paintwork and waited for the first coat to dry. An hour or so later, I went to admire my handiwork and discovered two different colours on the wall. The freshly painted walls were darker than the existing walls. I rechecked the label and it was definitely half strength. But a visit to my local paint centre confirmed that while the label said one thing, the contents of the tin were actually another - full strength Hogsbristle! A slight change in the measure of tint added to the paint made all the difference to how it looked on the wall. It was obvious to everyone who saw it.
It got me thinking about our lives as Christians. So often, we want to blend into the world around us. We don’t want to stand out, be noticed, or draw attention to ourselves. What often happens is that the contents of our lives are different from the label we bear. Christ wants the label and the contents to match. Rather than trying to blend in, Christ wants us to be different; to be part of his transforming work in the world. Just as adding tint to a tin of paint changes the whole colour, a life that is tinted with Christ, will be transformed. Christ in you, changes you. Christ in you colours you. Christ in you is noticeable! A tint of the crucified, risen and ascended Christ reduces the darkness of the world around you. A tint of his love in you, transforms the feel of every room you enter. A tint of his mercy and grace in you, poured out on the lives of others will be evident for the whole world to see. Christ wants what is on the label, his life in you, to bring a totally new look to every room and space that he uses you in. Christ in you, is the right measure of tint in every situation!
How has the tint of Christ transformed your life and how can you let it permeate more and more of your life?
Lord Jesus, more of you and less of me. Add the right measure of tint to my life that as you pour me out in the world, it may be visibly noticeable and bring light and life to every place. Amen.
Priming the Engine
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
One of the blessings of the COVID-19 isolation time is that many people have found time to do projects around the home that have remained undone for a long time. For me, that was fixing the half-a dozen mowers/brushcutters given to me, that were taking up too much space up in my garage. I just hadn’t found the time needed to fix them and move them on.
Small engines can be temperamental at the best of times. When they haven’t been used in a while, they can be downright frustrating. You pull and pull and pull and it gives you nothing. Sometimes you might get a brief sign of life but then all you end up with is a sore arm. It doesn’t matter how many times you pull the start cord, berate or kick the machine, it will not roar into life. But on a lot of small engines, they have a little button called a primer bulb. When you press it down, usually three times, it draws fuel from the tank into the carburettor to give a bit extra petrol to enable combustion and kickstart the engine so that it can roar into life.
It’s this action of priming the engine that comes to mind as we try and get life kickstarted again. It was like Covid-19 suddenly starved the engine of our lives of fuel and we came to a sudden halt. Now after a couple of months of being stuck in the garage, we are ready to get out and get the engines running again. But kickstarting the engine can sometimes be hard. Maybe you have settled into a different routine with your time - working from home, curling up on the couch with a remote in the hand – and there is a reluctance to go back to the way things were? Perhaps, you are being cautious and the wisdom you share is simply because deep down you are afraid something might happen and you’ll get sick? Or that no sooner than you restart and build some momentum, that your life will shutdown again? Business’, charities, churches and individuals are facing those very issues all across the globe at this present time.
One of the mowers in my garage had been sitting for so long without use, that the fuel had caramelised in the carburettor bowl. It simply would not start. But a good clean out of the fuel system, new fuel and three pushes on the primer bulb, and the mower roared into life. Could God be using this time to prime the engine of your heart so that you are ready to serve and love in a new way? Could God be letting you rest for a while; transitioning and cleansing your life in order to launch you out into the world, where the lawn has grown long in this time of uncertainty? Get ready, for there is work to be done, a harvest to be reaped and there is no engine that God cannot fix and get going again. Your primer bulb may just about to be pushed in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, your starter cord pulled, and your life about to ignite with a power that will get you moving. Are you ready? A brand new day is here, the garage door is lifting up, and God has chosen you to be a part of bringing new life to the world.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, ignite my life with power and love that I may go and complete the work you have prepared for me to do. Amen.
On fire
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:3-4
“Nation on fire”. “Fire…fire…fire…night of terror…” “Violence erupts…” “Global anger grows…” “Anger still burns on the ground…” These are the headlines that we have woken up to each day over the last week in response to the death of George Floyd in the U.S.A. The impact has been widespread and worldwide. We have witnessed both the refining and destructive properties of fire as we have seen people on fire for justice and reform on the one hand, but with retribution and violence on the other. We have heard words of healing and peace that unite and bring together and careless words that have opened wounds, inflicted hurt and caused division.
Globally, there is simmering tension between countries, nationally, there is a divide between States and Territories over how to navigate the Coronavirus pandemic and now on top of that we have a recession to deal with. We are living in a world that is full of deep and painful hurt, repressed and expressed anger, silent and voiced suffering.
Against this backdrop, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples at the first Pentecost takes on renewed significance. On fire with the Holy Spirit, the Church was filled with courage and boldness to speak truth into a world of hurt, anger and suffering. Aflame with the Holy Spirit, the disciples were pushed out of the confines of their four walls to do life with all cultures and proclaim the good news of a crucified Saviour who loves us equally and draws us together in unity. Empowered by the Spirit who gives wisdom and understanding, believers were able to present the Gospel in a way that the hearers could connect with and desire in their own lives. Fuelled by the Spirit, the early Christians came alongside and advocated for those marginalised, in need, and experiencing injustice, to reveal a God who cares, is present and acts with justice to restore and reconcile the world to himself. On fire with the Holy Spirit, the Church became a witness to the power of love that alone can transform the ugliness of the human heart into something that is beautiful and brings joy and delight to the world.
More than ever, the world needs a Church that is on fire with the Holy Spirit; aflame with passion, fuelled with love, and burning with conviction and a desire to proclaim the truth of a God who alone brings life and peace and gives hope and certainty. Will you let him set you on fire for the sake of the world he passionately loves?
Come Holy Spirit, set me on fire that I may move with passion for your Kingdom purposes and be a part of your transforming work that brings healing, reconciliation, peace, justice, truth, forgiveness and unity in this world. Amen.