Recently I was in Michigan for a conference, and I rented a car so that I could drive to my friends’ homes and stay with them instead of staying in a hotel. While I’m glad I made those arrangements, in the moment I realized that I had forgotten how fast Michiganders drive.
Yikes.
I was white-knuckling it in a “mid-size” (small) rental car in commuter traffic. Did some deep breathing and reminded myself that I did not have to keep pace with the folks who passed me at warp speed.
One of the reasons I love living in small town Iowa is that I don’t have to merge onto freeways. I hate merging. When I went to seminary in St. Paul for several years, I stayed with my sister in downtown Minneapolis every night. To get to her apartment via the freeways, I would have to merge five times within a mile.
Nope. I took the first exit to downtown and put up with the traffic lights rather than doing the merge dance. Someone once told me that when merging I should look for the spaces instead of the cars, which helps, but still.
When I had to merge on the trip from Grand Rapids to Holland during especially heavy traffic one day, I prayed out loud, “OK, Lord, you’re going to have to help me here!” Not quite “Jesus, take the wheel,” but almost. I have no control over all those other drivers. Who knows which ones consider commuter traffic a competitive sport?
It occurs to me that navigating our relationships with other people with a variety of political stances is a bit like merging in traffic. We find ourselves heading in the same direction, presumably toward what we variously consider a fair and peaceful society.
I often marvel at what a cooperative venture it is to obey the rules of the road and not veer into oncoming lanes, to pass safely, and do the parking lot shuffle after a big event for example. The rules, both written and unwritten, keep us from playing “bumper cars” or descending into road rage most of the time. We have to cooperate to keep our highways safe. We also have to cooperate to maintain our democracy.
On December 7 I sang in the last of three holiday concerts. We concluded each one with Dan Forrest’s beautiful setting of Howard Thurman’s “The Work of Christmas.” It is a calling from the “godfather of the civil rights movement” to do the work that Jesus invites us to do, the kingdom work of finding the lost, healing the broken, feeding the hungry, making peace among peoples, and making music in the heart.
I am among those who was deeply disappointed in the outcome of the national election. It is hard for some of us not to despair about what might be ahead. How can I get along with the people who voted the other way? This is a question for all of us, really. How can we maintain a society of justice and compassion when our congress is so divided and a great number of us do not support our president’s policies?
My conviction on the day after the election and every day since has been to do my part in my corner of the world. My life’s mission is to follow in what Johnny Sears described as Jesus’ way: to be open to what life has to offer and be faithful to what love requires. I can love, every day here. I can teach my grandchildren to love. I can preach and teach and talk about God’s deep, eternal love for each of us and thus be a source of healing for others. To do “the work of Christmas” as I am called and able to do.
Hence my motivation for leading an online study in January on Greg Boyles’ latest book: Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times. Several people have already signed up to discuss the book with me. If you are interested in joining the group, see the information below, get connected as soon as possible and start reading the book. We will discuss the first two chapters in our first session. So you will have to wedge some reading into your holiday schedule before January 5.
Perhaps participating in this endeavor will help you determine what your “work of Christmas” is to do as you move forward. Sessions will be held over Zoom on Sunday evenings, January 5-26 at 6:00-7:30 Central Standard time. Please contact me at dsmechler@gmail.com to be included. Purchase the book online here or wherever you buy your books. Be sure to read the first two chapters before January 5, but please do join the Zoom even if you fall behind. I hope to see you in January!
saint sinner seeker 