A bit harsh

Do you ever wish Jesus were a bit more polite? It sounds a bit sacrilegious, I know. The disciples thought this way on occasion. Sometimes they tried to help Jesus a bit, by informing him that he may be offending the Pharisees, for example.

In our Gospel reading this week, Jesus sounds a bit...harsh. He informs us that servants should not expect to be thanked by their masters, but rather admit their unworthiness.

Yet, it is important to interpret Jesus' words carefully. As modern Americans, we don't take naturally to the language of servants and masters, and we are inclined to expect rewards frequently.

But Jesus' culture of discipleship is refreshingly free from entanglements, mixed motives, hidden obligations, and manipulation. In contrast to many ofthose around him, his agenda was not distorted by false notes, but was clear, compassionate, truthful, kind, and good.

Jesus was not cozy with false motives, but neither was he dismissive of anyone who sought him, regardless of the reason. His invitation to join him as servants in his Kingdom of God movement ushers us into forgiveness and reconciliation, fruitfulness, collaboration, and purpose.

Polite? I don't know. Good? Beyond imagination! I look forward to exploring this more together with you on Sunday.