So…
In my office I have a new “dummy” sign. The
sign is for me, because every once in a while, I have to be reminded to do certain
things and not put them off.
It says, “Bias for action: Just Do It!”
It turns out that a bias for action is
one of the things that distinguish great leaders from just good leaders.
Good leaders take time to think, and
then eventually act. Great leaders, think fast, act fast, and fail fast. Why?
Because while thinking slow and acting slow can save resources, it doesn’t save
the greatest resource of all, time!
And while we struggle with our dueling
parables: strike while the iron is hot, look before you leap, he who hesitates is
lost, and the rest, the world, our volunteers, and often, our opportunity for
mission is lost.
We need to act because sometimes people’s
lives are at stake and sometimes so is their eternity. We all have a finite
number of days. Acting now, as soon as is possible can make a huge difference.
And that includes when it comes to
making clear that our repentance is real, and even more than that, that our
love is real.
It turns out, at least according to John
the Baptist, that repentance has to be made tangible in a personal transformation
that leads to action.
Did you get all of that?
Repentance has to be made tangible,
real, in a personal transformation that leads to action.
Listen to what John says, “If
you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn’t have any. If you have food,
share it with someone else.” To the tax collectors he says, “Don’t make people
pay more than they owe.” And to the soldiers he says, “Don’t force people to
pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay.”
That is, make your repentance, and your
transformation real, by doing something about it. It’s the original “bias for
action: just do it!”
The other day a person stopped by my
office and shared that their kids weren’t going to get presents this year
because one parent was unemployed, and the other underemployed.
One response available to me was to commiserate,
offer to pray with them, and move on to the 99 others things I needed to do, or…
I could contact some of our amazing Deacons
who know what’s what and get some Christmas help headed in that family’s direction
right away because of a bias for action! We don’t sit on our hands and wonder
and worry, we get to it, just like Jesus did.
Wednesday night we read the scripture in
Luke where a blind beside the road heard that Jesus was going by and yelled to
him for mercy. Jesus was mobbed, busy, even overwhelmed.
But Jesus stopped and ask the man what
he wanted, what he really, really wanted. “To be able to see,” he said. And so
Jesus healed him. Right there. Right then. None of this , “get an appointment
and call me in the morning.” Just do it.
It fits with our church motto: “Making a
difference: in Jesus Name!”
We believe in action, repentance made
real.
We have recognized our sinful condition
and we have repented, turned around 180 degrees.
Now we are onto getting into the world
just like John said, and sharing our resources, helping those in need, making
sure as best we can to care for those who need our help; not sitting on our
hands waiting for an opportunity to let grace be revealed in us.
I retold the story this week of my early
days here in Otisville, when I was confronted with people who needed food, and found
myself getting a bit uncomfortable thinking they really didn’t need the help.
I remember talking to Father McHale at
Holy Name about that, and he said, “Well, I look at it this way. When the day
comes that I meet the Lord at the Pearly gates, do I want him to say, ‘Well
Charlie, now why didn’t you feed that hungry child”? Or do I want him to say, “Well
Charlie, you fed a few that didn’t really need it, didn’t you?’”
Somehow, with the second response would
come a huge smile on Jesus face and that heavenly hug we all want so bad.
John saw the people and said, “why are
you sinners here? Go and do something that makes your repentance real!”
And the Kingdom of God was revealed.
Advent was real. And then Jesus…
Amen.
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