a glimpse in the mirror

It occurred to me today

As I was wandering through the Gospels

Hoping to run into God

(I need a little help with my Easter sermon)

That Jesus, when he taught,

always tried to get the people he was talking to

To look at themselves, not others

With every teaching he challenged people to look at themselves

With every parable he told he asked people to put themselves in the story

It was never, “who do you think the prodigals are, who are the older brothers?  Which of your

friends, your enemies, your family, your neighbors?”

It was

“Which one are you?”

Perhaps this is where the religion that claims to follow the way of Jesus

Goes wrong

We tend, all too often, to make it about others

Not ourselves

We use the word “you” a lot

When we are called to use the word “I”

“You are a sinner” is much easier to say

It seems

“Than I am a sinner”

“You are wrong”, much easier

Than “I am wrong”

This is why, when I preach, I use “we” a lot

Because we are all in this together

We are sinners, we need help, we need love, we need forgiveness

I am part of “we”

I am not part of “you”  (at least I don’t think so, except for that darn spiritual bond)

It often occurs to me, as I write sermons, that I am really just preaching to myself

And allowing others to listen in

Hoping it will be helpful to them as well

So here is an idea

Let us, as we seek to follow Jesus

As we study his teachings,

And look at his life

Always remember that the person who is being spoken to

Is the one we see in the mirror

When it comes to challenging, and seeking change

When it comes to doing the hard work of metanoia (repentence)

That is where we have to start

And perhaps

That is where we have to end