They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace.
A few years ago, I found a great Ted Talk (linked here: https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks/reading-list?referrer=playlist-574) about how to inspire people. The speaker had mapped out great speeches from the past including “Four score and 20 years ago”, and “I have a dream”, as well as more modern day speakers like Steve Jobs. She noted a pattern that looked a city skyline. There was a baseline or street level, and then a small building. Then the street level, and a taller building. Then street level and an even taller building. The pattern ended with a really tall building. These effective speakers talked about how things are today, imperfect or even crummy. Then described a world where things could be better. Then contrasted that with today. Then got people even more amped up with a clearer or more magnificent vision of how things could be. And so on. After describing the best future, they ended with a call to action. It left the hearer with a clear vision of what could be, if they took a particular action. It also left them with a clear and stark contrast of where they’d be if they did nothing. Jeremiah is doing this, although so far, he’s spending more time at the street level, rather than outlining a vision of what could be.
That leaves us with needing to fill in some of the gaps, some of the grandeur of what could be. It’s in Jeremiah’s words, you just have to hunt. This morning’s commentary is from Thomas Merton, who focuses on the bit about saying we have peace, when we really don’t. Merton was a modern day revered contemplative monk. And even he struggled with seeking peace, but taking action that would not bring peace. He says that he “put himself in God’s hands and take myself out again”. At the end he prays, “Jesus, I put myself in Your hands. I rest in Your wisdom, which has arranged all things for me. I promise to stop jumping out of Your arms to try and walk on my own feet, forgetting that I am no longer on the ground, or near it!” All of this stems from the idea that he prays for Peace! Peace! but cannot find it, just like the people Jeremiah is speaking to.
Reading Jeremiah’s words, I did not jump to a place of imagining me in Jesus’ hands. Instead I got stuck at street level, worrying about the dire way things are. I know that God is the ultimate answer, and that I don’t need to figure out how to get things to a better place, and yet….
We humans are short-sighted and need quick and easy answers. We’re losing the ability to stick with a problem long enough, and think about it creatively enough to come to resolution. I’m reminded of TV shows that ended with “to be continued”. What do you mean, the world can’t be nicely resolved in 60 minutes? It’s only gotten worse, with people needing things in Tik-Tok length videos or 132 character Twitterable statements.
God can absolutely bring us to clarity and whatever the next step is, without our help. And it seems like we are called by that same God to help bring other myopic humans along. That could be with speaking in ways that clearly spell out what is versus what could be, or it could be in actions that show God’s love in the world in little ways. Bringing food to hungry neighbors, or making music that brings people closer to God,
This morning, I’m thinking about how to spend more time thinking about God’s kingdom come, and about how my words and actions can bring others along.
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