Am I Too Well Adjusted > Marble Collegiate Church

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Friday, September 21, 2007

Am I Too Well Adjusted
By webmaster @ 11:47 AM :: 349 Views :: 4 Comments :: Rev. David Lewicki

I'm a well-adjusted guy. My clothes typically match. I can carry on a conversation about the news of the day. I do a decent job of balancing my work and home life. I can tell a joke. I can use chopsticks. I say "please" and "thank you." I will hold the door for you. I bathe regularly.

All in all, I do a pretty good job of getting along in this world.

Sometimes, I think, too good.

One of my biggest fears in life is that I'll become too well-adjusted to living in the world and lose the ability to be adjusted to the Kingdom of God.

I'm especially fearful of this as it pertains to money and things. I read sections of the Scriptures like Acts 2:43-47 about the mutual sharing of the early Christian community, or Matthew 6:24 about serving two masters, and I wonder whether my "healthy adjustment" to the individualistic economic system of market capitalism has by default made me poorly adjusted to life in the Kingdom of God.

This morning, I had breakfast with a friend in Chelsea and we were having the same conversation about our fearfulness that our healthy adjustment to the world had made us numb to the call of God. When I left breakfast, to head to church, I happened by the Church of the Holy Apostles, where homeless men and women had already begun lining up around the fence outside for the daily lunch (Holy Apostles feeds 1000 people a day). I caught the eyes - and the smells - of people who are "poorly adjusted" to life in the market economy.

And all I could think of was a guy wearing camel's hair and eating locusts and crying "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!"

Repent. Will I do that? Or am I too well-adjusted for such nonsense?

Comments

By Bflood27 @ Saturday, September 22, 2007 12:27 AM

It is not difficult especially in this city, to become numb to the homeless on the train, on your corner etc. Do you stop at every person to give them money? Do you try to point them to the missions/shelters that are available? Would you end up in the poorhouse or on the stoop next to them if yougave money to each person you saw? These questions haunt me daily, and sting me when I turn my ipod up so as not to hear the begging when I walk by someone less fortunate than I. I am scolded by my conscience, and the Holy Spirit when I pass. It is so hard. I keep praying to be a better person, and to spring into action- I just have faith God will point me to the answer.

By Pamela @ Saturday, September 22, 2007 6:30 AM

In addition to financial assistance, we can help people with our prayers and our time so it's not always about giving money. Although the result may not be immediate, prayers are powerful and transforming. Helping one person at a time adds up, especially if each of us does a small part. Small things are of great importance. Each day look around and see what can be done to be helpful to someone. It doesn't have to be something grand. Remind ourselves to treat people with dignity and respect. ( living in this challenging city we can forget to do that sometimes ). Remember when we forget to do kind things, we can always begin again. We can't be hard on ourselves for being human. Jesus will remind us what we need to do.

By dlewicki @ Saturday, September 22, 2007 7:55 AM

Billy and Pamela,
Great comments. Obviously, this is an ongoing struggle. Billy, you articulate one side of it very well. You and I often feel like the "rich young ruler," who did everything else "right," but when Jesus said "you have one last thing to do: give your money away and follow me...," the poor guy couldn't do it. I do think the guilt you and I feel is lessened by doing what Pamela suggests: helping those whom God has given to us to give, BOTH by financial gifts and gifts of prayer.

Pamela, I love the spirit you bring to this question. The reality that every day--every moment, God's spirit is working in faith to help us be attentive to our sisters and brothers. You also capture the sense of peace that faith can bring--faith that God cares for us all, no matter our economic situation.

So... faith stirs us up... and faith gives us peace. How complicated this life of faith is!

By Kathy @ Tuesday, September 25, 2007 12:22 AM

Henri Nouwen, in his book "Life of the Beloved"
writes that the world is evil only if you become it's slave.

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