cktimes.ca Archives for The Pastoral Lens
The Pastoral Lens
Looks Can Be Deceiving
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
I went grocery shopping recently with my youngest daughter. Of course, any time you bring your kids to the grocery store you are bound to spend more than planned. I succumbed to a purchase of turkey pepperettes (the healthier version of the pepperoni kind). We also picked up a number of other items and then headed home.When we got home I called for Beth and her sister, Tori, to put the stuff away. Immediately, we all reached for the pepperettes before the rest of the groceries were put away. Tori decided it was too close to supper, so she only ate half of hers. She then went and got a small freezer bag to store the unfinished half in the refrigerator. But, as she placed it in the bag, it slid right out and on to the floor. Thinking she must have just missed the bag in her haste, she retrieved the fumbled pepperette and tried again. Same result. Upon closer examination she discovered that the freezer bag was a misfit. It had openings at both ends. In fact, all of the rest of the baggies in the package were the same. Although they looked like legitimate storage bags, each one was in fact defective.
This is a classic case of things not being what they appear. Jesus knew all about this phenomenon. In the eleventh chapter of the Book of Mark, there is an interesting incident recorded. Jesus is hungry as he approaches the city for a busy day of ministry. He sees a fig tree in full foliage from a distance. Just as his taste buds start to anticipate the savour of a good, ripe fig He discovers upon closer examination that the tree has no figs. There are plenty of leaves but no fruit. He immediately curses this phony fruit tree and it withers on the spot. What good is a fig tree if it doesn't produce any figs? What good are freezer bags that don't hold the stuff you put into them? What good is it to say that you are a Christian but live nothing like the One you claim to follow?
Integrity, righteousness, and good 'ol honesty seem to be rare commodities in the world today. We have some pastors who don't practice what they preach, some politicians who don't keep their consequences, and some corporate CEO's who falsify records to obtain unjust financial advantage. Notice that I said "some." Let's not paint all leaders with the same brush. Nevertheless, in these trying times in which we find ourselves, it is so vital to have character line up with looks. What we see and hear should be backed up by what is done. No figless fig trees, please. No bottomless baggies, either. I want the real thing and so do you. Now, let's get out there and lead by example!
