Remain Calm and Share Your Bananas
Mark 10:17-31
This past Tuesday USA Today reported the following story:
“Most people start their day with a cup of coffee, a shower, a good stretch. Beth Akins rolls over, grabs her IPhone and fires up Shake & Spell, her favorite IPhone app game.
"I usually play before I even get out of bed," says Akins, 54, of Louisville, who says a day without Shake & Spell leaves her with feelings of withdrawal. "I play every day."
“Apps is short for computer maker Apple's applications, and it refers to the scores of games and services that IPhone or iPod touch owners can download and interact with. There are 85,000 different apps for Akins and the other 50 million users around the world.” [1]
- Jesus said "Go, sell your Iphone and your Blackberries - everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
The Boston Globe reported this story this past week:
“Police said a Boston man and woman, upset with getting an order of small french fries instead of large, were charged for throwing money and cones at McDonald's cashiers. The couple pleaded not guilty Wednesday to assault charges in Quincy District Court.
According to police, the woman became enraged after getting the wrong size fries at a Quincy McDonald's. Police said she exchanged words with a cashier then threw her spare change at her, hitting her in the face. Police said 33-year-old man then picked up two-foot tall cones from the mopped floor and hurled it at employees, cutting one employee's nose. [2]
- Jesus said "Go, let go of your anger– all that you store up inside of you – give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Nikos Pilavios that tells this story;
The scene is in the backyard of an old house. In the middle of the yard is a simple bench. Two men, a father and his son, are sitting together on a bench. They are silent. The son is reading a newspaper, turned slightly away from his dad. His father is sitting in the middle of the bench, looking ahead, hands in lap. The silence continues.
A bird lands in a nearby bush. Dad looks at the bird; his son continues reading the paper.
"What is that?" asks dad.
The son looks up. "A sparrow," he replies, and continues reading the paper.
A little later, the bird lands on the lawn in front of dad. Dad sits up, looking at the bird.
"What is that?" asks dad.
"I just told you, father, a sparrow," replies the son, with a little annoyance.
They sit in silence. The dad sees the bird again, and asks, "What is that?"
His son becomes very angry, drops his paper and yells, "A SPARROW, A SPARROW, S - P - A - R - R - O - W!! (spelling it). WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? I TOLD YOU SO MANY TIMES, IT’S A SPARROW!!!
His dad stands up and turns away. "Where are you going?" asks the son. His dad does not speak, but motions with his hand for his son to stay there. Dad goes into the house.
The son remains sitting on the bench, somewhat slumped over, looking glum. Dad returns, sits in the middle of the bench right beside his son. He has a book. He opens the book, flips through a few pages, and hands the book to his son. He does not say anything, but pulls his son’s hand up, indicating his son should hold the book. Dad taps a place in the book, and says, "Loud."
The son reads:
"Today, my youngest son, who a few days ago, turned 3, was sitting with me at the park, when a sparrow sat in front of me. My son asked me 21 times what it was and I answered 21 times that it was a sparrow. I hugged him every single time he asked me the same question, again and again, without getting mad, feeling affection for my innocent little boy."
Dad nods. He remembers what happened many years before. There is a pause. Then the son extends his arm around dad, holds him and kisses him on the side of his head, many times. He continues to hold his dad. The words he read have re-awakened the admiration, the appreciation and the love he feels for his dad. [3]
- Jesus said "Go, let go of your impatience, indifference, and your need to be right. As matter of fact - Jesus tells us to let go of all that we hold on tightly too - all that interferes with our ability to fully follow God. Give to the poor, and we will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Our text this morning is a story about an encounter with Jesus and it is a wakeup call to let go of all that the world says is important, to loosen our grip and reach out with hands that are open and willing to give and to receive. Eugene Peterson translates this passage in Mark by saying that the man “was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.”
We do walk through life with hands that are so tightly clinched that we can’t open them to fully embrace a loving Savior. It is difficult to love and to hug and to help one another when our hands are clenched and our fists are tight.
A man comes up to Jesus and asks Jesus the question that is on all of our minds. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus tells him to follow the commandments and the man responds that he had done since he was young.
Then Jesus looked at him – and loved him. Isn’t that great? In an encounter with Jesus we find one who fully knows us, looks at us, understands our heart and loves us. We don’t have to pretend with Jesus and we can’t hide from him. He knows who we are, what we think, what we hold on to and he loves us. A measure of comfort. Then a challenge; Jesus then tells the man to go and sell all that he has, give to the poor, and then return to follow him.
A measure of comfort.
A moment for mission.
There was something that only Jesus could see within that man’s heart and whatever it was it was preventing him from fully giving himself to God. In the man case it was his wealth – and he must have been holding on for dear life – because he left grieving and deeply sad. We don’t know what the man decided to do. We are left to speculate about whether he held on or let go.
What would you do if you had an encounter with a loving Jesus who gently told you to let go and give to the poor?
What do you hold on to with clenched fists? Think.
What is caught up so tightly in your clenched fists that you can’t reach out to be embraced by Jesus Christ, or embrace others in his name?
We hold to much more than money and Ipods and gadgets. We hold on to bad memories, hurt feelings, anger, and fear. Certain traditions or to certain ways of doing things. We hold on to our need to criticize and analyze other’s imperfections. We hold grudges. We hold on to our own self importance and the need to be right.
And while you are thinking of those things – remember now that Jesus is looking within you and loves you. Jesus loves us when we are struggling so remain calm, full of faith and trust in his love.
It is hard to let go of things. Jesus said that it was extremely difficult but he also said that nothing was impossible for God. So let go of whatever item, hurt, grudge or fear you are holding on to today.
Remain calm and trust that Jesus is with you.
However Jesus also issues a challenge. Go and help the poor. There is a place for comfort but we live in a needy world and that is always the challenge in our walk as disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. We are to share, help by extending our open hands by feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, helping the poor, visiting the sick, the elderly and those in prison. “Whatever we do for the least of these children – we do for Jesus Christ.” (Matthew 25:40)
We can’t do that with clenched hands – and so we open our hands, we relax in the deep, all encompassing love of God and we use those hands to further God’s Kingdom here on earth.
We share.
Annie Lamott tells a story about a time that she was doing a book tour and her anxiety was getting the best of her. She was holding on tight to many things. She was in San Diego and saw a sign for the Zoo with a picture of Koko the gorilla on it, and over the picture it said "Mantra for the American Jungle: Remain calm and share your bananas."
Remain calm and share your bananas
Remain calm – because in our confusion and worries and conundrums -Jesus looks at us and loves us. Remain calm.
Share your bananas. Let go of that which has an unhealthy hold on your heart and mind. Let go by sharing, helping the poor and following Jesus.
Remain calm and share your bananas.
This week, as we seek to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, who promises to walk with us wherever we go, may we remain calm grounded in his love and share our bananas with those who are without.
Amen.
Rev. Deborah J. Blanchard
|
