God's Love is Bigger - June 10
Today’s Scripture: AM Psalm [70], 71; PM Psalm 74; Ecclus. 44:19-45:5; 2 Cor. 12:1-10; Luke 19:28-40
One of my favorite movies is the 1985 Steven Spielberg classic, the Goonies. The movie is about a group of young kids who are worried that their friendship is about to be broken up due to some financial challenges and the development of their neighborhood. This band of misfits calls themselves “the Goonies.” They find an ancient treasure map that belonged to a legendary 17th century pirate in the attic of one of their homes and they begin this quest for treasure believing it will solve their parents’ financial troubles. While they are out searching for this treasure, there is also a family of escaped convicts who discover that the Goonies are on to something rich and profound, and the quest for hidden treasure becomes as much about fleeing the grasp of the dangerous Fratelli family as it is about wealth.
The plot thickens when the Fratellis catch up with one of the members of the Goonies, a young man named “Chunk” who becomes the source of revelation for the family. There is this hilarious scene when the Fratellis have captured Chunk and they are demanding information when one of the criminals, says, “I want you to spill your guts and tell us everything!” Having overheard Chunk talk about the treasure, he wants information about how to get all the gold and jewels, but instead, Chunk begins running through a litany of all the things he has ever done that are wrong. He shares about cheating on an exam in third grade, stealing his uncle’s toupee in fourth grade and gluing it on his face, and then the infamous movie theater scene. I’ll spare you the details, but it’s gross and really funny (to middle school boys and sometimes moderately immature priests).
When Chunk is confessing to the Fratellis, one of the criminals has his arm around him, smiling, nodding, and he says, “Ma, I’m really starting to like this guy!” It’s meant as a joke, but there is a moment of a shared identity. Both Chunk and the Fratelli have done some horrible things in life. There is only one difference, and it makes all the difference in the world: Chunk regrets his actions and wants to live differently.
We are sinners, saved by the love of God. We should not boast of the things we have done or accomplished. I think most of us get that. But there is an interesting twist that Paul shares with the community in Corinth. Paul shares that we should instead boast of our weaknesses so that the glory of God may truly be revealed in our lives. I’d even go as far as to be able to be living examples of all the things that we have done and left undone, the wrongs that have been committed in our name, and yet God’s love still redeems us. This highlights how truly revolutionary God’s love really is.
I think we worry a lot about naming the things that we have done and left undone. We have a hard time admitting when we have not done our best or we deny our role in fundamentally sinful structures and systems. We are threatened when faced with the reality that we (or the society we live in) are as far from perfect as we have ever been. Our world is still broken (and will continue to be until the full realization of Christ).
Maybe we don’t need to boast about all the things we have done that are wrong, but we should be honest about it, and not ashamed. The Good News is that it is ok. God’s love is so much bigger and redeems it all. The only thing necessary is not wanting to go back to those ways. Chunk had it figured out and I’m hoping to follow his example.
- John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: What things do you regret from your past? Are there things that you wish you had not done? What does it mean to you that Christ’s love is bigger than your biggest mistake?
Daily Challenge: Write down three things you have done that you are ashamed of and scared for others to know. You don’t have to share with anyone but consider even writing as a way of acknowledging what we have done and remember that God’s love is bigger.