The Sin of Whatever
A
teacher trying to teach self-esteem to her students stands in front of her
class and asks a question. Does anyone in here think they are dumb? She is
happy, when no one immediate stands up. However, slowly in the back of the
class one young man stands up. The teacher asks, “Mikey do you really think you're dumb?” Mikey answers “No ma’am, but
I didn’t want you to be standing up all by yourself.”
Mikey had empathy, the ability to share and understand the feelings of
others. The opposite of empathy is apathy or indifference.
Nobel
Laureate Elie Wiesel wrote: “The opposite of love is not hate. It’s
indifference. …. The opposite of faith is not heresy. It’s indifference. And, the opposite of life is not death. It’s
indifference.” Wiesel, an agnostic, was
unsure about God: but, he knew about sin.
The
greatest commandment is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind. And Love your neighbor as yourself.” Apathy or indifference
are the opposite of this commandment.
These
are the response to love as “whatever.” Indifference
is rejecting God. Apathy is turning your heart from God, from others, and
towards yourself. It’s rejecting the concern of others.
David
was King. He was guilty of indifference. David took Bathsheba, Uriah the Hittite’s
wife, and killed Uriah with the sword of the Ammonites. David did this because he could, he
was King. David's response to the Laws of God and concern for Bathsheba and Uriah
was “whatever.”
In this David realizes he has sinned against God. He begs for the mercy
of God. God forgives.
God
also forgives in the story of the sinful woman. He forgives even those with the
greatest sins; but, who is Jesus talking about in the parable?
Most
of us would say it is the sinful woman. She is identified as a sinful woman.
But, look at her heart, it was contrite. She knew she was a sinner and threw
herself at the mercy of Jesus. She showed great love. She gave her heart and
her life to Jesus.
My
argument is that the Pharisee was the greatest sinner. He followed the Law, but
he seemed to forget the greatest commandment.
The
Pharisee did not show love for Jesus, by welcoming him with a kiss, water to wash his feet, and
an anointing of oil. The Pharisee was apathetic; he had judged Jesus.
He
had done the same with the woman. The Pharisee was dedicated to the Law. He probably
walked past her daily, not even acknowledging her existence. To him, she did
not exist. And, at the same time, because of the times, because of cultural
norms, because men and women, rich and poor were held to different standards, the
Pharisee may have knew she was a sinful woman by his sins.
To
both Jesus and the woman, the attitude of the Pharisee and those in the room
was indifference. They were indifferent to love and the greatest commandment.
Only
the woman knew love and in that love the truth Paul would write about, “We are
not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.”
The
greatest sinner was Simon, the Pharisee who said in reply, "The one who's greater sin was forgiven." Simon did not realize he had the greater sin.
David
knew he was a sinner. The woman knew she was a sinner. Paul knew he was a
sinner.
The
greatest sinner was the Pharisee who was indifferent to his sin.
Look at your life. Examine your conscious with empathy
instead of apathy. Sin is not sharing the love and mercy of God. Sin is
found at indifference. Sin is not standing up with those who are alone.Sin is not
hearing the cry for dignity from the poor, the needy, the sick, and the sinful.
Now on to confession, but that's another reflection, or is it?
“Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind. And ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.”
The
sin in apathy and indifference is when we cry out from our sin with “Whatever” instead
of throwing ourselves at the feet of Jesus and asking for forgiveness and
mercy.
Y'all be good, y'all be holy and always preach the gospel by the way your live and love. Amen.
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