[This is part 4 of our summer series on apostleship. The series is loosely based on the lectionary.]
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Disciples, Apostles, and Saints!
One of the hardest things about being a good person is that sometimes people can’t tell. We’re doing good things for people and they don’t notice. Or worse: think you’re doing something wrong!
“What??? No way! I did this thing for you! How dare you think I am the bad one here!”
Of course, we do understand that we don’t get to control how other people see us. But we sure do get mad about it anyway.
Part of the challenge of doing good in the world as we are called to do is that, while we can control our own behavior, we can’t control how others behave. Let alone how they perceive our behavior. We just don’t. Even if it is infuriating.
Control over things, people, life: these are things Jesus constantly rejects. Even as people try to give him that very power! He rejects the idea of control. Over life and death and livelihoods and economics and armies and all of the things. He lets go of the temptation to power.
He does the work instead. He shows up. And he invites us to do the same.
With love,
Drew