An Easter Repentance
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 18:1-20; PM Psalm 18:21-50 ; Dan. 2:31-49; 1 John 2:18-29; Luke 3:1-14
When I was probably eight or nine years old, my mom, my sister, and I stopped at a convenience store on the way home one night. The store was filled with candy, food, and lots of fishing equipment. If my memory serves me right, I think we were in West Memphis on the other side of the Mississippi River, and a good way away from home. For some reason, I thought I needed a strike indicator, one of those red and white balls that you can push the little hook up and down that connects to the fishing line. I took one.
At some time later, probably just a few minutes after we arrived at home, I was playing with the newly procured strike indicator, and my sister, who was always just a few steps behind, spotted my new treasure. “Mom! Dad! John has a new toy! I think he stole it!”
She was right of course. And my mom threw me in the back of the car, and we speed off to head back to the store where we had visited earlier. “John, you are going in there and YOU are going to tell the man exactly what you did.” I can still remember the dread. What if I have to go to jail? Will they keep me there? How much trouble could I possibly be in?
We drove twenty-five minutes or so back to the convenience store which was plenty enough time for me to run every possible scenario through my head. We walked in, my mom sort of pushing me forward, nudging me, “John, you have to do this.” We kept walking forward.
I walked up to the counter and I looked at the man who was working there and opened my right hand. “Sir, I took this from the store earlier and I have come back to return it.” He looked at me for a while and then responded,
“I guess there is a lot we can do now, but I’m betting it was pretty hard to tell me the truth of what you had done. Why don’t we let that be your punishment?”
For many years that conversation has replayed in my mind. Having to face my fears and be held accountable for my actions has made me a better person. I have broken plenty of rules throughout my life, and from time to time, done far worse things, but stealing has never again been a part of who I am. There was also a profound hope in owning up to what I had done.
When I was reading today’s lessons, I was surprised to find them so early in the season of Easter. Why are we reading about John’s command to repent and hearing stories of John calling people a brood of vipers in the season of proclaiming God’s victory? What does bearing fruit worthy of repentance have to with Easter and resurrection?
I think too often we think that that goodness of God is some kind of act that is done on us or for us by God, something that just sort of happens. Maybe there is a kernel of truth to the randomness and unconditionality of God’s grace, but we also experience grace when we face the truth of what we have done and left undone. This is the whole point of confession in the pattern of worship (although we often skip the confession in Easter).
There is a lot of work to be done in the Kingdom these days. There always has been. I wonder how different our conversations would be if we started with ourselves? Maybe that’s where we would find new depth and meaning into the hope and life of God’s resurrection. What have we done and left undone? And to know that God’s grace can allow us to be honest and still be redeemed.
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: Are there times when you have owned what you have done where it has born new life? How so? Have you shared about these moments before?
Daily Challenge: Pick three of the most important issues to you in the world today. Now consider your own role in those issues, the things done and left undone, specifically ways you have contributed to the problem? Does considering your own role, give you a new or refined solution or way of resolving those issues?