SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 3:7-18
REFLECTION
Are you feeling bruised by life? Living through a pandemic is hard enough, but when you add the conflicts over masking, social distancing and vaccinations, it gets overwhelming. And that’s before we even begin to address racial conflict, public shootings, the struggle to get billionaires to pay taxes, and the fights over climate science. With all of this and more going on in our world it can begin to look like kindness has abandoned us. And we all feel the anxiety and grief of watching human beings destroy one another.
On a personal level, lockdowns have been tough on relationships. For many of us being locked in limited space, even with people we love dearly, has increasing the frequency and intensity of misunderstandings and fights.
When we find ourselves in circumstances that leave us feeling vulnerable and unsafe, the longing for kindness in our souls becomes desperate. When it seems like we see anger and antagonism at every turn, one kind word brings overwhelming relief and can leave us in a flood of emotion. And this is all the proof we need that we all long for simple kindness in our lives and in our world. Isn’t it strange, in the face of this longing, that we have come to view kindness as weakness? We have a complicated relationship with kindness because we doubt that it can really address the threats we face. When evangelical Christians see no conflict between their faith and supporting a man like Donald Trump, kindness seems naïve. When religious terrorism is a constant source of danger, kindness feels irresponsible. And when our attempts at compassion are met with suspicion and anger, kindness begins to appear foolish and misguided.
Yet our longing refuses to be silenced. Our souls yearn for a society where civility, consideration, and care are the norm rather than the exception. We long for kindness so much that any kind of confrontation, however gently and thoughtfully done, feels belligerent. And so we avoid conflict at all costs and we tolerate unkind, rude, and bullying behaviour that we should be standing against. It’s all so emotionally exhausting and so stressful.
John the Baptiser’s preaching should give us some measure of comfort as we navigate our kindness-challenged world. The first words John spoke to the people seeking baptism seem anything but kind: “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?” (Luke 3:7). Yet when the people responded to his message and asked what they should do, his response was all about kindness. They were to share their food and clothing with those who didn’t have enough and do their jobs fairly and kindly.
The messenger who came before the Christ made kindness the centre of his message. So why start with a rather harsh insult? Perhaps it was because John could see that the people had become mesmerised by their ancestry and religious arrogance. They were God’s chosen people. They had Abraham, God’s friend, as their ancestor. They were the children of the covenants of Moses and David. They were in with God. The sense of entitlement and privilege that this gave them—especially the religious leaders and wealthy aristocrats—was destructive. It marginalised women, the poor, the sick, and the so-called ‘unclean’ people like lepers and those possessed by demons (as they understood it). John knew that he had to shock them out of their complacency and make them face their brokenness and injustice. And so he challenged them. Strongly. As an act of fierce kindness.
Of course this kind of confrontational kindness isn’t always appropriate. In our highly polarised world it probably wouldn’t have the same positive impact that it had on John’s listeners. It’s more likely to entrench people in their polarised positions and bring out their worst, most aggressive reactions. Which doesn’t mean we can’t confront at all. It just means that we need to do so gently and sensitively.
If we are to find our way through the polarisation and division in our world, we cannot do it by adopting the same strategies as those who perpetuate and profit off the current dysfunction. We can only do it by beginning to live what we long for. This is a fundamental principle of the Gospel—we live as if we are already experiencing the fully manifested reality of God’s Reign. And it is in this alternative way of being that we find not just kindness, but the joy of being more deeply connected with others and of helping bring a little more joy into angry and depressed places in our world.
To live with kindness is to live as embodiments of the values and priorities of God’s reign of love. It is to refuse to be dictated to by the divisive, polarising values of the hate-mongers. And it is to commit to intentionally viewing all others with respect, dignity, and compassion, as Christ did. It is to reject any notion that our faith entitles us to special power, privilege, or exemptions from what serves the common good. We cannot claim to be following Christ if we choose our own freedom over the health and welfare of others.
We long for kindness. And the beginning of seeing that longing fulfilled is to hear the message of John and recognise that the Christ he proclaimed is a kind Messiah. We find kindness by being kind, by copying the kindness of Jesus, not just in action but in attitude. Because as we share kindness, including being kind to ourselves, we will find ourselves being drawn to other people of kindness. And together, our small contributions of kindness expand and multiply and raise the kindness quotient in our world.
As the actor Morgan Freeman once said, “How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.”
RESPONDING
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION
We can’t thank you enough for your unfailing kindness in our lives,
and we recognise all those who reflect that kindness in our relationships.
We are grateful for the ability to see you in the people around us.
There have been challenges that have pushed us to our limits,
and it’s so easy to respond from a place of tiredness.
But we are grateful for the ability to respond with kindness;
we see the difference that kindness makes in our world.
We hope to reflect this kindness to everyone we encounter.
For the strength to be kind in every situation
and with every person we encounter;
We ask for a gentle reminder, God,
and the awareness to respond in love.
For those who are so broken that kindness is beyond their capacity,
May we respond with patience
and offer the healing that your love brings.
For places of deep and destructive polarisation,
where the gaps between us grow wider and ever more hurtful,
May we be open to seeing other perspectives
and notice the person who is dearly loved by you.
For our world to grow ever more kind and connected,
May we start this journey by living out your Reign of Love
in every way we can, for as long as we can.
Amen.
RESPONSE RITUAL
The Third Advent Candle is lit:
As we light this candle we express our longing for kindness
And we cling to the joy we find in Christ.
As the people gaze at the flames, they may be invited to close their eyes and think about those
who have been kind to them and who have brought them joy in the last while. And then to
consider what they can do to express appreciation to these people. Finally they may want to think
about one thing they can do to carry kindness with them into their corner of the world.
INTEGRATING
BENEDICTION
Word of blessing:
May our hearts and lives be opened more and more to the joy of Christ so that we may become
kinder toward all those around us.
Greeting one another:
May God’s kindness and joy be with us and be shared among us always. Amen.
SENDING RITUAL
The people are invited to pause before they leave and think of what they can do this week to
connect with what brings them joy and to express kindness more intentionally. After a few
moments of silence, the people are sent out with the following encouragement:
Go in the joy of Christ and share kindness wherever and with whomever you can.
Used with permission from (An Advent and Christmas Guide for Community Worship from sacredise.com) Written by John van de Laar with Jenine Pretorius
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