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Green Blades Preaching Roundtable

21st Sunday after Pentecost

Year B
October 13, 2024
Tamela K. Walhof

Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
Psalm 90:12-17
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31

If you know me, you know that I like to dig into the meaning of words. Thus, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I’d like to start with a couple of words, so that we can better understand this week’s scripture passages.

 

One of the most revelatory discoveries of my life was learning that the words justice and righteousness are not separate words in many languages. The Spanish word ‘justicia,’ looks a lot like the English word ‘justice.’ But it kept showing up in my Spanish Bible in places I knew my English language Bible translated as righteousness. In Hebrew, the words ‘tsedekah’ (f) / ‘tsedek’ (m) refer both to justice and righteousness. I’ve since learned that the Greek ‘dikaiosune’ (used in the New Testament) does as well.

 

In fact, whether using tsedekah, dikaiosune, justicia, justice, or righteousness, it’s all about ‘right relationship’ – right relationship with God, right relationship between people, (and communities or nations), and right relationship among and between all that God has created. When Jesus was asked, “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment?,” he super-sized it with love – Love God and Love your neighbor. He went on to say, “On these two commands hang all the law and the prophets” – which, of course, holds true when you evaluate much of what is in the Old Testament.

 

This has important implications! It means that as part of our relationship with God we must care for others, both individually and as communities. In a world where true right relationship is practiced, there shouldn’t be hunger, oppression, exploitation, unfair wages, violence, or any form of injustice. Likewise, our stewardship of creation isn’t just a matter not trashing the earth but should be deep commitment to work for that which is needed so that all creatures and all creation have what is needed for rich abundant life. Clean water and clean air are part of it. So is soil that has the microbes and nutrients it needs to grow healthy plants. While the plants and soil need our collective protection, they also provide protection back to us and to all living things by purifying the water and the air, pulling pollutants out of the soil and even the atmosphere. Wow! That’s powerful!

 

There is also another word in the bible that means ‘justice.’ That word in Hebrew is ‘mishpat.’ I’ve always assumed that ‘mishpat’ and ‘tsedek/tsedekah’ meant basically the same thing since they often occur together. However, a couple of weeks ago, I heard someone refer to it as ‘judgment.’ So, I decided to further explore the meaning. That seemed particularly important since both ‘mishpat’ and ‘tsedekah’ occur in our Amos passage this week. And in reading the Amos 5 and Hebrews 4 passages, it certainly looks like judgement is part of the discussion.

 

After a two-week deep dive, I now understand ‘mishpat’ to be ‘ruling justly.’ Of course, judgement is included in that, but so is lawmaking, and implementing laws. To think of it only as punishment diminishes it’s meaning. Now it makes sense that the words tend to show up together, since discussion of ruling justly should always be in the context of the bigger goal of right relationship (‘tsedekah/tsedek’).

 

A little aside here – How did I not know that distinction?! I have a Master’s degree in Public Policy Analysis, consider myself a bit of a ‘lay armchair theologian,’ and have worked in faith-based justice advocacy (and the promotion of right relationship) for most of my adult life. In fact, I was barely four years old when I got my first real introduction into the concept and language of justice (and love). That’s when my mom had to explain the Civil Rights movement to me after a neighbor kid said in the meanest voice I’d ever heard that he and his sister were never going to play with me again “because your family is n***** – lovers.’’ Yes, he used the ‘N’ word.

 

Okay. Thanks for humoring me and putting up with my appalled gasp at that deficiency in my knowledge.  Now let’s dig into the lectionary lessons.

 

Throughout the whole book of Amos, the prophet is calling the people and nation to account for both turning justice (mishpat) into a bitter herb and subverting right relationship or right living (tsedekah). In our passage this week, Amos condemns them not just for neglecting those who are poor but actively harming and exploiting poor people. They are not ruling justly (mishpat) as they charge those at the bottom unjust taxes, in the process taking away food grain people need to live. Bribes are commonplace. Meanwhile those in charge at the top are living it up in fancy houses with nice vineyards. They aren’t working to lift-up those at the bottom and have tossed aside God’s call to right relationship through fairness (tsedekah). They hate those that speak the truth in public and call upon them to rule justly (at the gate/in the public square).  Many who recognize and see the injustice keep quiet because it seems dangerous to speak up.

 

There are consequences to both ruling unjustly and failing to seek right, just, fair relationships as Amos points out forcefully and graphically. However, if they seek right relationship with God and with those around them, if they repent of actively doing injustice, and repent for not seeking the well-being of all, there could be hope for them.

 

In Hebrews 4, the writer points out that nothing is hidden from God. The image of a sword that can cut right through us makes the point in an uncomfortable but descriptive manner. On the outside, it may look like we are doing right and living justly but God knows our heart. We are wise to remember that as the writer talks of inevitable justice and judgement because we don’t measure up to what we are supposed to be and do. We mess up all the time – it’s our nature! But we can also remember that there is grace. Jesus, as human was tempted, suffered brutally, and understands the challenge we face. Jesus, faultless because he could do no wrong, heals us and puts relationships right by dying and more importantly rising, conquering sin, death, and all that is distorted and wrong.

 

Our gospel lesson demonstrates the difference between outward law-abiding actions and the expression of what should be written in our heart, spurring us toward restorative action for justice which seeks harmony and right relationship.  

 

In Mark 10, a man runs up to Jesus, and says “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit life – eternal life. Jesus points out that only God is good, so apparently the man recognizes who Jesus is. “Keep the commandments,” says Jesus. The man is thinking about the commandments in the form of the rule of law, or the things he shouldn’t do which break the law. He hasn’t killed anyone or taken something that belongs to someone else. We can almost see him going through the list of commandments and laws in his head. Nope, all good here, declares the man.

 

What he hasn’t considered is that as children of God we are called to go beyond basic rules or laws that prevent us from doing injustice and proactively live into the spirit the law. The man was rich. Maybe he didn’t directly steal from anyone, but he probably benefited from systems that gave him an advantage. How should he strive to live into God’s vision of right relationship? What should he do that lifts others up? How should he work to level the playing field, so that others have opportunities like he had? At a minimum, others should not be at a disadvantage, and in a fair and just world they should have the same advantages.  

 

The passage says that after the man had answered, Jesus loved him. Jesus wants him in right relationship, loving God, loving others. However, it seems the man needed some help understanding what this all meant. So, Jesus put it in very concrete terms. Sell the wealth. Use it to lift others who are at a disadvantage. And follow Jesus, seeking justice and righteousness, or right relationship, in all things. Easier said than done! The man went away sad because he had great wealth.

 

How are we challenged beyond the letter of the law in our actions toward creation? How are we challenged to rule justly, seeking to create norms, values and laws that ultimately seek right, fair, harmonious, symbiotic relationships with that which God has created?

 

I felt particularly challenged in conversations with our siblings from poor, vulnerable countries when I was in Dubai last year for COP28, the International Climate Change Conference. This was particularly true with those from Africa, and small Pacific Islands. The stories pastors told about disasters followed by more disasters were moving and heart-wrenching. Faith communities aren’t just on the front lines of the climate crisis they are the front line. The efforts to make major adjustments, to adapt, and to be examples of resilience are stretching them far beyond what seminary or bible education prepared leaders to do. Churches are called upon for pastoral care and material aid in the midst of death, extreme material loss (home and all possessions), the destruction of livelihoods, and the increase of hunger. Yet, those from the churches, whether leaders or parishioners are impacted by the same loss and destruction.

 

Pastor James Bhagwan of Fiji asked those of us from wealthier countries, “Who is going to pastor me?” Yet in the Pacific Islands, he is organizing pastoral teams to walk and pray with people through crisis after crisis, and to direct them to other sources of aid and help.

 

The loss will eventually include their homelands as rapidly melting ice caps dramatically increase sea levels and encroach on small islands, and coastlines everywhere. Pastor James told us, that we (i.e. wealthier countries) need to repent and change our ways, because we are literally killing them through climate crisis. It is easy to get defensive. “Whoa. Wait. I didn’t do this to you. I’m not the problem. I try to keep a low carbon footprint.” But Pastor James emphasizes the role we have as fellow children of God, working for mishpat or just rule, and tsedekah, right harmonious relationship with fellow humans, other countries, and creation itself. “Are you going to let us come and live with you?”, he asked at one point. But then pointed out that a new homeland by itself doesn’t suffice. “What happens our culture, our customs, our ways?”

 

The types of questions Pastor James asked are at the forefront of my thoughts daily. What are we doing to hold our U.S., Minnesota, and municipal governments to account? How are we working to change economies so that they don’t rely on the fossil fuels causing the emissions that are wrapping our planet in ever thickening blankets and heat? How are we proactively lifting other people and creation? What are we doing to build good, right, just relationships? How are we restoring ecological systems, so that they can function as God intended? As Pastor James also said, “We’re not running out of time. We are out of time. The question is not, will there be a crisis. We’re living in crisis. How bad will we let it get? There is no time to waste.”

 

Finally, let us pray with the writer of Psalm 90, Teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart, Oh God. Let your work be manifest to your servants. Let the favor of you, Oh Lord our God, be upon us and prosper the work of our hands as we work for justice and righteousness throughout all creation in these perilous times. Oh prosper the work of our hands! Amen.

Tamela K. Walhof
Tamela K. Walhof
Lutheran Advocacy - Minnesota
St. Paul, MN

Tammy Walhof's passion for justice has led her to volunteer with low-income families in the U.S., work for 6 years in organizing and development in Latin America, travel to various African countries, and work in faith-based advocacy for more than two decades. Tammy’s background in public policy analysis has served her in state government, in her previous positions at Bread for the World, and as Director of Lutheran Advocacy-MN since 2014.

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