The word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
The crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’
Luke 3: 2–3, 10–11
Share.
As you can imagine, this word figures prominently in that lovely little book, Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. It is at the cornerstone of our school’s ethos, the foundation of Christian ethics.
It is defined by the conviction that we owe God an un-repayable debt of gratitude and so ought to spend our lives in service to others. It is based in the assumption that what we “have” is not really ours but is really a gift, on loan from the Maker of All That Is.
This can be a hard thing to swallow for those of us that work hard for our living, who feel that what we have earned is ours by right. Any economist or social scientist will tell you that laws respecting ownership are fundamental for any functioning society.
But if we are indeed the Easter People we profess to be, then our role model, our God, is one who gave up quite literally everything for the love of others.
Or did he? Recall his words to Pilate who couldn’t believe this guy was meekly accepting his fate “My kingdom is not from this world.” Jesus knew as John knew, that the stuff of this world is not what matters. In fact, what stuff is for, like the bread and wine that Jesus shared with his disciples at the last supper, is for what it points to, how sharing it changes us and changes others, building up the kingdom of God. Easter assures us that Christ gave up was nothing compared to the victory he won.
Generosity shifts our perspective about the stuff of our lives from that which defines us (and thereby limits us) to that which can expand us, if we can just give it away.
What Kingdom are we from?
-The Reverend Gary Taylor, Meditation
Lord, grant us the courage and trust to share with those who need it, finding you in simple acts of generosity, following in the footsteps of Christ. Amen.
Musical Reflection
