This morning, we’re talking about humility, so I’d like to read from that introduction to this morning’s theme that I read at the beginning of worship: “The root of the word ‘human’ is the same as the word ‘humility.’ It all means literally ‘on the ground.’ …When we hear each other’s fears, anxieties, and pain, we can return to the ground of hope… that we are all experiencing the pains of being human. [We can begin] conversations [by remembering to look first at our neighbor as a person, not a position]. [This can] help us to stay human and ‘on the ground’ with one another rather than needing to come out ‘on top.’”
The disciples understood about this desire to “come out on top.” In the passage from Mark, they’d been arguing about who was the greatest, and they knew they shouldn’t be, getting really quiet when Jesus asked them about it. And then, in the next chapter, James’ and John’s mother will show up, asking that Jesus let her boys be on his right and left when he comes into his kingdom. Everyone wants to be seen as the most important.
We often want to “come out on top” as well. We want others to come over to our side of the argument, or we want to best the one whose views are on the other side. I know that sometimes I’m tempted to believe that if I could just explain my position well enough, then others would understand that my perspective is the right one and see things like I do. …I am regularly reminded that this is not how the world works, and sometimes frustrated that I can’t find the words to make others understand.
But we don’t need to stop talking or to avoid talking about politics or religion because we won’t agree. It’s ok to disagree. In the Ephesians passage, Paul “doesn’t say that unity requires agreement.”
We don’t have to agree on everything to live in unity. Remember that those disciples who were arguing about who was the greatest included Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector- the equivalent of a Trump republican and a Kamala Harris democrat. We don’t have to pretend that we agree about everything to continue in unity. We can talk about the things that we disagree on and get a clearer understanding of each other’s perspective. I’ve actually enjoyed hearing a little about what some of you believe and getting a fuller view: for example, some believe that it’s not the government’s job to help people. That we should be doing that as Christians and in other avenues of society, not through the government because the government isn’t set up that way. Others believe that we should try to help other people through every avenue possible, including the government. That there are areas where the government can and should help people who need it. We don’t have to agree on the government’s role to understand that we all believe that yes, we should be helping our neighbor.
In preparation for this morning, I watched a video from a series that Rev. Adam Hamilton did with his church Resurrection, which has multiple campuses in and surrounding Kansas City. He invited conservatives and liberals to sit down together and talk. In the video two women, one wearing blue and one wearing red, came together to discuss issues and get to know each other better. They each had people in their lives who were on the other side politically, and by meeting together they found a way to disagree respectfully. They found out that they had more in common than they had assumed. They laughed together and scheduled a time to go and get coffee later in the week.
Paul never says “that unity requires agreement. [Instead] we are to cultivate the qualities that equip us to live in unity regardless of agreement.” Paul asks us to walk in “humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” When we listen to others and see them as more than the other side of an issue, we often see what we have in common. Christ addresses this with the disciples, explaining “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Turning its head this desire to come out on top, Christ instead points to servant leadership, an excellent example of what humility can look like. Paul urges us to approach each other with humility
We don’t see things the same. But that doesn’t mean that we aren’t one body. Even as we disagree, we are part of the “one body and [connected by the] one Spirit. [We are one because there is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” Even as we prepare to vote differently starting next month, we are united in Christ.
So, as Paul says, “walk in a manner worthy of [your calling] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Have a scary conversation, and listen to someone who isn’t like you. Learn about who they are as a person, and share some of your story as well. Who knows: you might find out you’re more alike than you thought. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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