November 21, 2021
St. John’s United Church of Christ, Union, Illinois
Psalm 100; Matthew 6:25-34[1]
One of the things we are really good at, especially
Americans, is expressing our independence. It is, after all, the foundation of
our nation, and we celebrate Independence Day every July 4th. We
celebrate when a child is potty trained, when they go off to their first day of
school, their first job, and their first home. The automobile is one of the
most powerful symbols of independence, giving us the feeling that we can go
anywhere, do anything! We love to cheer on a record-breaking athlete. And we
love stories of people who go it alone, surmount all the odds, and come out on
top.
So, when we hear the words of this Psalm, as cheerful and
joyous as they are, we have a hard time relating to being called sheep. “We are
God’s people, and the sheep of God’s pasture.” Sheep are kind of dumb. They’d
walk off the edge of a cliff if no one stopped them. They’re scared by the
smallest thing, and mostly stand around making “Baa, baa” noises. Sheep are
dependent, not independent. “I’m no sheep,” we tell ourselves.
But, some of the time, we need to be more sheep-like. We
need to acknowledge our dependence. We need to recognize how we depend on our
families and neighbors all the time. We need to check in with the shepherd. We
need to rest in green pastures and drink from still waters. There’s a time and
a place for the solo act. But there’s also a time to remember that “It is God who
made us, and to God we belong; we are God’s people, and the sheep of God’s
pasture.” We don’t stay in the sheep-fold forever. We’re not trapped, deprived
of our freedoms. We only gather here to worship for an hour a week. But it is
an hour that we need, deep within our souls.
Thanksgiving Day is coming. Our whole nation will stop, for
a day, our march toward individual achievement, and acknowledge our dependence.
We will remember the spirit of the Pilgrims, who set aside a day to be thankful
for God’s support. Those early settlers made seven times more graves than huts.
They could not account for their survival as anything other than divine grace. They
were dependent—and proud of it—dependent on God, on one another, and on the
kindness of their neighbors.
One of the reasons we struggle to recognize our dependence
is that too often we get let down. We don’t feel like we can rely on others.
People are fallible, fickle, and forgetful. We get wrapped up in our own thoughts
and feelings and fail to notice what is going on with the people around us. We’re
too rushed to stop and notice how we’re affecting those around us. We don’t
live up to our promises. And when people fail us, fail to live up to what we
expect of them, we fall back on independent thinking. You can’t trust
anyone. If you want something done, better do it yourself.
I do this all the time. I’d almost rather just do the things
myself than ask for help. I’d rather just get the lawn mowed now than teach my
kids how to do it, and accept that it won’t get finished as quickly or as well.
I’d rather drive around the block than admit I’m lost or that I missed a turn
and need help getting back on track. And I get so angry with myself when I let
someone else down.
I can’t do it all by myself. I need others to help me. I
depend on others to help me, just as they depend on me. It helps to say to
myself, I need help with this. And it helps to know that others want to
help me. It feels good to help other people. Who am I do deprive someone else
of the opportunity to be helpful? If I focus too much on my independence, I neglect
those who depend on me. Instead, I must remember that I am dependent on others,
and try to show them that I appreciate what they do for me. I could stand to be
more thankful.
There are some things that are reliable, and trustworthy. I
know that I can rely on God to care, to notice, and to help me when I need it.
God clothes the grass of the field; how much more will God care for me? God feeds
the birds of the air; am I not of more value than they? I am precious, crafted
in God’s image, loved as a parent loves a child. So are you; and, if God loves
you, you can depend on God.
As we gather around our tables this Thursday, I hope that we
will all be able to stop for a moment and give thanks that we are dependent
beings. We are dependent on our families and friends. We are dependent on our
neighbors. We are dependent on our soldiers, our healthcare professionals, our
police, fire-fighters, and first-responders. We are dependent on people we may
never see who keep the electricity on, the water flowing, the garbage taken
away, the streets paved, and the shelved stocked. We are dependent on God for
life, love, hope, strength, and all that we need.
I hope that we won’t stop giving thanks simply because
Thanksgiving is over and Black Friday has come. I challenge you to acknowledge
more often just how dependent you are, and to give thanks for all those on whom
you can depend. Walk in thankfulness. Breathe in gratitude. Bless those around
you for all that they do to support you, whether you think you need it or
not. Amen.
[1] The
scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard
Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of
the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Edited for inclusive language.
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