Isaiah 58:9-14, Psalm86, Luke 5:27-32
I’ve been keeping up on the Winter Olympics in the pages of my local paper and I have been amazed at the amount of bad press that has been generated. It doesn’t seem to matter that so much human desire, energy and planning has gone into this world class event. Some interests seem to be focused more on the things that are going wrong; from the weather, to the organization to the performance of individual athletes.
It strikes a note that we find in our readings today. Jesus heals a tax collector who has been paralyzed and goes to have a meal with him in celebration. The naysayers ask, “Why are you eating with Tax Collectors and Sinners?” Isaiah speaks to the people and says, “Stop pointing your finger and speaking of evil.”, in other words, quite playing the blame game.
It seems to be human nature to look at what is going wrong before enjoying what is going right. Perhaps its part of a survival mechanism that serves to always keep us on alert. Never-the-less both Isaiah and Jesus remind us that we need to get beyond that attitude if we are going to come to experience the joy that God has in store for us.
“Why not eat with sinners?” Jesus asks, after all these are the very ones that he came to be with in the first place. Isaiah describes some of the most beautiful images that God want to provide; watered gardens, flowing waters that never fail, a nation of many generations. The catch is we cannot begin to experience the goodness that has already given us, let alone the gifts that are promised, unless we are able to stop focusing on what is going wrong.
I am not dismissing suffering. The world is full of pain and suffering, there is no denying that. But even in the midst of that evil, whether it is natural or man made, good things take place. Selfless acts are offered, humanity continues in the midst of chaos. It is in times like these especially the hopeful words of Isaiah most need to be heard.
Try to see today from a positive point of view, what good do you see taking place?
When you find yourself in a bad situation ask yourself; “What can be done?” instead of “Who can I blame?”
