Community Do's
Matthew 7: 13-14
Juicy Living
October 15
Sark begins her book Living Juicy with the following definition: “Living juicy is: Jumping for joy on the inside! In the midst of our daily lives, we must find the JUICE to nourish our creative souls. If we rush around, never look closely, or practice self denial, we will begin to feel dry and cracked, for the lack of sweet, wild moments that elevate us, and those around us. The name for this is living juicy.” I think that Sark paraphrased what Matthew is saying this morning.
Our culture, just as Matthew's, just as Jesus' all are defined with a certain set of expectations and requirements. And the requirements of the popular culture have never been the requirements or expectations of the Jesus movement. Being card carrying members of the culture is not the same thing as being a card carrying member of the Jesus movement. In fact, it's not even about having the card for the movement. Because, any church, deacon, pastor can produce a card. Any person can carry a card. Carrying a card requires nothing of you. This Jesus movement requires not that we say we are, but we live that we are these people. It's a matter of being and consequently then a matter of doing. We are to be known as these Jesus movement people because we choose to live juicy. We choose to dive in. We choose to take the non popular path and do a totally different thing. We choose to love instead of hate. We choose to forgive instead of hold a grudge. We choose to throw off judgment and welcome anyone who comes to the door. We choose to see neighbors instead of enemies or strangers. Will this make us friends? Matthew reminds us today, no. It will make you targets.
In fact, the word translated here in English as the “hard” road, in Greek is actually the word for “constricted or pressed upon” It derives from a verb meaning press. This verb occurs frequently with oppress, afflict or distress. It is possible that Matthew's first readers understood the statement as reminding them that the Christian way involves persecution, misunderstanding, and rejection. Those who strive to “do right” instead of a lowest common denominator morality must not expect to receive popular acclaim.
This movement isn't about being popular. And, when you find yourself in line with the popularity of the day, I wonder about which God we're serving? For this God has never had a popular agenda. It's one where we actually take time to delve into what our Creator is asking us to be. Not what our parents need us to be. Not what our bosses tell us to be. Not what our neighbors think we are. Not what our friends know us as. God asks us to become who we've been Created to be. We are called to live into our juicy selves. We are asked repeatedly in the Scriptures to celebrate and love our beautiful created selves. To fall in love with the people that we are. For once we know who we are, the path to reflecting that out into the world becomes a bit easier.
If we do not know who we are, the first challenge we get, we will be thrown into turmoil. And, oftentimes, to not lose ground, to not cause a scene, to not disappoint our families, we do whatever it takes to stop the turmoil, stop the scene, instead of figuring out, who we are and why it's rubbing. For, if we knew, even if it was a difficult decision, we are able to stand strong and firm, alone. It doesn't feel particularly great. However, it reinforces that God place within, giving us the courage to step again. It's what allows us to make it through navigating this difficult, retaliatory, oppressive road of knowing ourselves as God knows us.
We spend an inordinate amount of time trying to anesthetize ourselves because we're feeling cracked and dry in our living. We love to eat, drink and be merry. We love to relax with a few opiates. We love to lose ourselves in TV and Film. We would rather text message than talk to the people we're physically with. But, none of this reveals who we are. None of this reassures us in the dark night of the soul. In fact, I believe, that too much of this anesthesia quickens our fear and panic during the dark nights of the soul. When we have done the work to know our Created self, we have so much to work with, lean on, live this narrow path that the easy path. The anesthetized path is seen for what it is: dry, brittle, empty, cracked.
When we are the people who know we are Created in the image of God. When we are the people who know it so well we proclaim it. When we can get up in the morning and thank God for the breath in our lungs. Then, meet ourselves in the medicine cabinet mirror thanking God for this being. As a consequence our actions will change. We will be so loving of our being we will radiate that love. We will work to build bridges out of a juicy existence instead of building walls to keep others away. We will be able to see our neighbors as family, relatives, loved ones instead of enemies. We will be able to choose creation over consumption. We will be able to choose to be.
Jesus spent a lot of time, going off to pray. He'd hang out and then go off to pray. He wasn't doing this to be Orthodox. For, he was throwing off orthodoxy. He didn't condemn orthodoxy, he just felt called to a different kind of being. Instead of focusing on purity and holiness, ritual and sacrifice he decided to focus on being. On living what God asked. On buying into this new kind of kindom instead of living as a member of the empire. And, when the world got to be too much. When he felt cracked and dry. When he was empty. He went off by himself. Sometimes he went home. He went to reconnect. He went to get juiced. We use up our energy in the doing. We use up our juice in the doing. In order to have a movement accumulate motion it takes repeated time of going back to the source. Jesus spent a lot of time praying. Praying to reconnect with his Creator. Praying to be nourished and fed by his source. This elevates us into a new plane of acceptance and peace. It allows us to receive a blessing from the Source of Life. What a healing balm on the soul this is. It's better than any anesthetic. Because we can feel it.
The easy way is wide. It is the way everyone goes. But, it doesn't take long to figure out it's empty, dry, cracked. This narrow way. This way of juicy living. It is a connected living. It is a way of give and take. It is a way of being. It is a way of being within and being without. It may make others so nervous and uncomfortable with you, particularly those of the easy way, because they can not see through you. But it is the way of strength, courage and light.
Let us pray. Let us pray that we choose to live. Let us pray that we live juicy. Let us pray that we know our very being. Let us pray that we are reflections of the Creator of all being the source of love and light and signs that a new kindom can come. Amen.