God’s Work Requires More Loving, Less Grumbling

Today’s reading: Luke 19:1-10

Oh my. Today’s reading gives me yet another idea for a project I should begin. Those who know me well will cringe at that last sentence. They know as well as I that I don’t need to begin another project. My life’s cup has long been over flowing with far too many projects.

So in this case, I’ll just explain the idea here and leave it for God to take it on as He sees fit.  Here goes:

Public service advertising campaigns are almost always the work of some government, non-profit agency, business or church that has a goal of discouraging some bad habit (or encouraging a good one) in people. One of the latest that comes to mind is the messages from many groups hoping to convince drivers to stay off their cell phones.  Other PSAs over the years have discouraged smoking, encouraged healthy eating, and, of course, many churches have long submitted public appeals for more Bible reading and prayer.

Well, I’ve got an idea for a new PSA some group could run with:  let’s stop avoiding people we don’t like.

In today’s reading  Jesus greets the rich Zacchaeus warmly and accepts the man’s hospitable invitation.

Oh horrors! How dare Jesus do something so dastardly!

“All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” (Verse 17)

This reminds me of the many times I have approached potential business partners with exciting plans. The mood is always upbeat as we discuss the great possibilities, and I always have much hope.

But then the talk turns to the others who would be involved in the business, and the mood almost always turns sour. My picks are rarely suitable: they don’t have enough experience, they have poor work history, they drink to much, they’re to politically oriented (in otherwords, they don’t know when to shut up), they have too many family problems, they don’t have enough education, they don’t have enough money, they have too much money, they’re too religious, they’re not religious enough, and the list goes on.

It hardly ever matters that these people are as excited about and committed to the project as the other partners.

I’ve seen dozens of great ideas simply die because one person  just couldn’t agree to work with another person.

The PSA I’m proposing would encourage people to, like Jesus, always assume the best of those who are different from them. Store owners would be asked to look past tatoos or hair styles when deciding who should run their cash registers; political activists would be encouraged to have a friendly cup of coffee (or even a beer) occasionally with leaders from another party; Christians and atheists would be encouraged to listen attentively to what the others say about The Bible. And, again, the list goes on.

We can always find as many reasons to work, and even celebrate, with someone as we can to avoid him. So it’s about time we started doing that, I say.

Ha! I just thought of a possible hook line for this new PSA: “Stop grumbling! Start loving!”

Thanks be to God for all people. May I (and we) remember that everyone is a sinner.