Houston Trinity News

Friends,

I had an interesting discussion with my two oldest grandchildren this past week. (They are eight and nine) We had taken them to a county park that has a large playground include zip lines. We spent an hour or so on the playground and were getting ready to leave when our grandson came to us upset that someone had pushed him off the zip line and he had fallen in a puddle of water. He was soaked. His shirt was wet; his pants were wet. His shoes were wet. We loaded up the car and headed to get him some dry clothes so we could continue enjoying our day together. 

 In the car we discussed what had happened. Our granddaughter suggested to our grandson that he should have shoved the other boy back. That prompted me to ask the question "how do we treat other people?" My grandson answered that "We should treat other people like we want to be treated." I told him that I was proud of him because that is what we should do. But his next words made me realize he didn't understand what he was saying. His next words were "he treated me by pushing me so I can treat him the same way by pushing him." This led to an extended conversation of which unfortunately I can say I was not able to make him (or my granddaughter) understand that they were not interpreting the meaning correctly. 

 I haven't given up my quest of making them understand the true meaning, but I ran out of time that day. The more I thought about that conversation the more I realized that there are more than just my grandchildren that don't understand what Jesus was teaching us. In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12) 

 Jesus isn't telling us to do to others what they do to us. He wasn't saying treat others the way they treat you. That is vengeance. That is retribution. That is retaliation. He is saying think about how you want to be treated then treat others the same way. That is love. That is mercy. That is kindness. The golden rule is not "he who has the gold rules". The golden rule says follow the law of Jesus to love others and to reflect the love of your Savior to everyone you meet. Treating others the way you want to be treated is remembering the grace and peace poured on you and sharing it with others. 

 Our God is a God of love, grace and mercy. Our Savior is not vengeful. No-one likes to get shoved down. No-one likes to get pushed into a puddle of water. But pushing back is not what we are told to do as followers of Christ. As hard as it may be, we must be the instruments of change in this world by standing strong in the face of adversity and loving those who hate us. There is no better time to give this careful thought than this first week of Advent as we wait for our Savior.

God bless you. See you Sunday

Scripture Reading 

 1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ ” 

 4 Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 

 7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

 11“I baptize you with b water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with c the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 

 Matthew 3:1-12 (NRSV)