June 8 & 9, 2002
Matthew 10: 18-36
“Nitty Gritty …Meet Who I Have Become!”
There is a wonderful story contained in Robert Fulghum’s book entitled “Uh-oh”. The story is about a young elementary school student named Norman. Norman’s teacher announced that the school play for the years was going to be “Cinderella.” Many children were very interested in becoming the leading parts of the handsome prince and Cinderella. However, Norman was a quiet youngster. Fulghum relates that Norman wasn’t shy or bashful, he just didn’t do a lot of talking. Fulghum says, “Talking about nothing was a waste of time for Norman; he talked only when he had something to say. Norman had a mind of his own and was perfectly comfortable being himself.” All the real parts and some made up parts had already been given to the rest of the children in the class. Norman’s teacher said, “Norman, I’m afraid all the main parts have been taken for Cinderella I’m sure we can find an extra part for you. What character would you like to be?” Norman’s immediate response was, “I want to be the pig.” “Pig?” the teacher replied, “But there is no pig in Cinderella.” Norman replied, “There is now!”
Mike Yaconelli describes the rest of the story from Robert Fulghum’s book like this. “Norman designed his own costume-paper cup for a nose and pink long underwear with a pipe cleaner tail. Norman’s pig followed Cinderella wherever she went and became a mirror of the action on stage. If Cinderella was happy, the pig was happy; if Cinderella was sad, the pig was sad. One look at Norman and you knew the emotion of the moment. Fulghum writes, “At the end of the play when the handsome prince placed the glass slipper on Cinderella’s foot and the couple hugged and ran off happily together, Norman went wild with joy, dancing around on his hind legs and broke his silence by barking. The presentation at a teacher’s conference was a smash hit. At the curtain call, guess who received a standing ovation? Of course, Norman the barking pig. Who was after all the REAL Cinderella story. The script limited Norman. There is no pig in Cinderella.
Well the script did not include Jesus. The religious leaders of the day had already written the script that described the Messiah. A Messiah does not disregard his reputation, befriend riff-raff or hang-out with or in places where questionable people are. The Messiah does not break rules, he does not question their leadership, threaten their religious practice or act irresponsibly. What does Jesus have to say? Well, this Messiah does!”
That is why the Good-News is the Good-News. We are an equal opportunity faith. The door is open wide to everyone. There are plenty of scripts written by an abundance of playwrights in the church who are all too ready to announce that that there is no part in the Christianity play for those who wear earrings, have a tattoo, drink wine, have too many questions, look weird, aren’t baptized, have pink hair, have had an abortion, are gay, liberal or conservative.
But Ahh-Haa, Jesus wrote a script that found parts for those who don’t have parts. Jesus invited every Norman he could find he called sleazy businessmen, a terrorist (that’s what a zealot was at that time) dock workers, a bullying tax collector, psychotics, successful, rich and even the over privileged elite of the society. (Yaconelli, p76) Jesus made a place for everyone who had no place.
But it seems today that we are often out of step even with the script that Jesus wrote for us. Who or what do we become when we become a believer…a Christian? Strikingly, when we read the tenth chapter of Matthew we get a picture of a believer that causes a few internal dilemmas. When you hear how Jesus describes what occurs when our Nitty Gritty meets who we have become, a little turmoil may arise. Listen to a quick synopsis of the script that Jesus writes. He talks about arrest, betrayal, hidden things being revealed, whispered things being shouted from the roof tops. He speaks of swords, destruction and even death. After all this is the same guy who spoke these words, “If anyone would come after me, they must first deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.” What characterized Christianity from the first years after the death of Jesus up till today is an oddness. Christianity has always been a home for people who are out of step, unfashionable, unconventional. Peter describes us in scripture as “strangers and aliens.” Folks we are an odd lot. We dip you in water to wash away sins. We don’t even use a good pre-soak, soap or wash cycle. We put you straight into the rinse cycle. We commemorate our Savior by symbols of his broken body and shed blood. We were accused in the early centuries after the death of Jesus as practicing cannibalistic rites, it sure sounds like it. We have plenty of people who preach and teach that the bread and wine/grape juice actually become the flesh and blood of Jesus… ACTUALLY BECOME.
We teach that you are indwelt by the Spirit of this dead Savior. He says that in our scripture passage. That picture rivals the best episode of “Twilight Zone” or the movie, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” When our Nitty Gritty meets who we have become we realize that if all Christianity is like me then churches are not glistening cathedrals filled exclusively with beautiful Cinderellas, churches are noisy rollicking mad-houses filled with yelping, dancing barking pigs who follow the real Cinderella wherever he goes. Churches are not only awe inspiring, they are odd inspiring attracting an earthy assortment of Jesus followers. The stained glass is extraordinary, but also covered with fingerprints and dust. Dirt from the fields is scattered on the glistening marble sanctuary floors. There may be the smell of incense but it is mingled with the fragrance of sweaty, common place, nitty gritty disciples. (Yaconelli, p.77)
Think about Jesus a bit. We already know that he did not follow the script written for him by the religious leaders. He didn’t follow the script written for him by many of his followers, we are told in John chapter 6 verse 66 that from that time “many people turned away, because his sayings were too harsh. The very folks who watched him grow up, his own townspeople were ready to throw him over a cliff. The scripts of His disciples weren’t followed by Jesus. Judas wanted a conqueror, Peter had to be rebuked when he disagreed with Jesus’ timetable and course. The sons of Thunder, James and John, wanted a nepotistic bent to Jesus. Their script had Jesus doling out power and authority not sacrifice and service.
What Jesus wants when he saves you, is you. What Jesus wants when he redeems you, is you. What Jesus wants when he sends you into the “fields ripe unto harvest,” is you!” He wants all you color, texture, variety. What you become is not the same but more of you…better…stronger. When I look back at 20 some years of ministry I am struck by the constant progression of people through my office who have bought into a fake script that has made them believe that what they are isn’t good enough to use. And, what they are and what they imagine they are supposed to be, according to the church script, is like this person or the same as that person when in fact, Jesus affirms our different-ness. Jesus doesn’t make us the same. What we see in Jesus’ interaction with people throughout the gospels is a picture of one who takes each disciple, his particular giftedness and then enhances it, smoothing over the blemishes, filling in the holes but never requiring that John be like Peter or James be like Matthew. It would appear as if he cherished their differences.
Sameness is the cemetery where our distinctiveness is buried, where life, passion and joy are snuffed out. In the sea of sameness no one has an identity. Jesus tells us in this remarkable description of what we are to become in Matthew chapter ten is that we do have an identity. We are aliens, strangers in a foreign land, different and yes even odd. That oddness however is a gift from God that sits dormant until God’s Spirit gives it life and shape. God made us in our uniqueness and in His image! It is difficult in a culture of sameness to be different. The sophisticated culture of Jesus day didn’t like someone who doesn’t follow the script and the sophisticated culture of today doesn’t like aliens and rejects. Most people wouldn’t choose you or me but Jesus did. Jesus chose each of us for the express purpose of making “all things work together for good.” We often use that verse to describe just events and happenings but it describes how people work together too. Perhaps, Jesus would have gotten along quite nicely if he had chosen the twelve ruling members of the Jewish Council or twelve priests. But he didn’t he chose twelve misfits, twelve uneducated, twelve riff-raff all very different, each distinct and odd in their own way. With them he was able to turn the world on it’s head. He has chosen us to do the same and when you stare in the mirror and wonder why you can’t be like him or her and why you struggle so to be different then you are then you must realize that Jesus chose you. And, Jesus doesn’t want you to get better by being like or acting like someone else, he wants to make a better you. And, if the truth be known, God is still working on that guy or gal over there that you think has it all together. Jesus chose you. He came to seek and to save, he stands at the door and knocks. He wants you, just as you are. We don’t sing the song Just as Joan is… or Amazing Grace how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like Pete. Jesus chose you.
In a book written by Daniel Taylor entitled, “Letters to My Children,” Daniel tells a story from his sixth grade year in school. They were being taught to dance and the teacher lined the boys up at the door to choose their partners. One girl, Mary was always chosen last. When Mary was very little she had an illness that caused one of her arms to draw up and one leg didn’t move so well. Daniel says that she wasn’t pretty or smart and was rather homely. The teacher’s assistant went to Daniel’s church and one day she pulled Dan aside and told him that the next time they had dancing that she wanted Daniel to pick Mary. Dan’s teacher told him that it was what Jesus would have done and deep inside he knew she was right. Dan says that all he hoped for was that he was last in line next time so that he had to pick Mary by default. But, when the next dance day arrived Dan was first in line. He writes, “The faces of the girls turned toward me, some smiling. I looked at Mary and saw that she was only half-turned to the back of the room. (She knew no one would pick her first.) Mr. Jenkins said, “Okay Dan, chose a partner.”
I remember feeling very far away. I heard my voice say, “I choose Mary.”
Never was reluctant virtue been so rewarded. I still see her faced undimmed in my memory. She lifted her head and on her face, reddened with pleasure and surprise and embarrassment all at once, was the most genuine look of delight and pride that I have ever seen, before or since. It was so pure that I had to look away because I knew I did not deserve it.
Mary came and took my arm, as we had been instructed, and she walked beside me, bad leg and all, just like a princess…
Mary is my age now, I never saw her after that year. I don’t know what her life’s been like or what she’s doing. But I would like to think she has fond memories of at least one day in sixth grade.
I know I do.
There was nothing Mary could do. She was chosen and she was chosen first. Jesus chose each of us, first, while we were still sinners Christ loved us and died for us. We are chosen. All heaven applauded Mary, barking pigs in Cinderella plays and every one of you who decided to call yourselves Christians. When you are tempted to say or hear someone else say, “Christians don’t act or look or sound like that!” Remember the correct response. Your Nitty Gritty has met Jesus. Your Nitty Gritty has been chosen by Jesus. And since you have become a Christian by virtue of his choice, the proper response is “Well, they do now.” Let us pray.
