July 19, 2009
Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco.
A storeowner was tacking a sign above his door that read “Puppies for Sale.” Such signs have a way of attracting small children, and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the storeowner’s sign.
“How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked.
The storeowner replied, “Anywhere from $30 to $50.”
The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. “I have $2.37,” he said. “Can I please look at them?”
The storeowner smiled and whistled. Out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle, followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately, the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and asked, “What’s wrong with that little dog?”
The storeowner explained that the veterinarian had examined the puppy and discovered it didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.
The boy became excited. “That’s the puppy I want to buy.”
The storeowner said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.”
The boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the man’s eyes, pointing his finger and said, “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs, and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.”
The storeowner countered, “You really don’t want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.”
To the man’s surprise, the boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big, metal brace. The boy looked up at the storeowner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and that puppy will need someone who understands!”
One of the beautiful things about our church is that people truly understand and care for others. When we share prayer concerns, we take heart in each other’s consolations and celebrations. Every Sunday, a Deacon records prayer items and share them with all the other Deacons in our church and the pastors so that we may be aware and pray for these needs during the week. Like the little boy, we care for one another because we understand what life can be like.
But when we do caring ministry, this can be both fulfilling and hazardous to our lives. On the one hand, there’s satisfaction doing that which offers significant meaning and purpose. But on the other hand, those who commit their lives to caring ministry are in danger of getting their lives out of balance. The demands of many people, the responsibilities of many duties can all add up to an excess of stress. So often caregivers are much better giving care to others than they are in caring for themselves.
Rest a While
Our Gospel lesson for today is in two sections from Mark 6 that leaves out the feeding of the five thousand. In the first passage, we see Jesus’ disciples returning from their mission to heal the sick and cast out demons and Jesus’ suggestion of a much-needed rest from their work. The second passage tells us of the growing demand for Jesus’ ministry of healing to the point that Jesus couldn’t get away from the crowds.
The disciples report back to Jesus about the success of their mission, excited about how they, too, had been able to work the miracles they had seen Jesus do. We can imagine that the disciples might have developed some ego from this newfound power. They might have felt that they have become celebrities in their own right. Maybe they wanted to keep going. They were on a roll and did not know how long it would last. Their travels had worn them out both physically and emotionally, so Jesus gives them some good advice. They need a retreat, so they take a boat to a secluded place.
However, their time away does not last long. A crowd discovered where they were going and followed them there. Jesus and his followers can only get away from the world and its problems for so long. The needs of the people are always waiting. Despite his desire for some time off, Jesus takes compassion on the crowd and begins to teach them. The people are looking for someone to guide them through life’s journey, and Jesus cannot say no.
In both parts of this week’s lesson, we find Jesus and his disciples being inundated by people in need who want to experience the miracles of the gospel firsthand. The success of Jesus’ ministry is overwhelming and finding a moment of peace is nearly impossible. They try to go into seclusion and the crowds find them. They come to a new region, and people beat them there. Before they can get started, they seem to be already behind. Caring for God’s children is more than a full-time job.
Compassion Fatigue
When I meet with other ministers and sometimes their spouses, I hear a lot about being on the verge of burnout or what some call “compassion fatigue.” Many pastors feel lonely and feel that there is not enough time to spend with their spouses and as a parent to help with the family. Many have a great sense of isolation and have no one with whom to talk. Many have not found the balance they need in ministry and living, to give and be renewed. This is the reason why you granted me a sabbatical last summer and the reason why Pastor Chris will have a three-month sabbatical this fall.
Jesus saw this in his disciples. Jesus too knew the demands of people wanting so much of him. While he and his disciples are trying to retreat and find solitude, some recognized them. Soon, five thousand people surrounded them. Although Jesus and the disciples were tired, Jesus had compassion on the people. He put his own needs second and began to teach them.
There are those teachable moments that happen, and often we do not have control over those moments arising. Our choice is to respond or not to respond. Frankly, most pastors I know will do what Jesus did, put their own needs second and enter into that teachable moment.
If we look up the word, ‘care” in the dictionary, the definition is “grief, mental pain, hence worry and anxiety, close attention, watchfulness, a liking, a regard for, a charge protection.” These definitions are not the “warm and fuzzy” images of a Care Bear! The meaning of “care,” suggests that there is some mental uneasiness over someone or something. Caring implies a weighing down on the mind such as dread, apprehension, or great responsibility. When we worry, there’s mental distress, agitation, and anxiety. Caring takes its toll on the caregiver.
To engage in caring ministry, we must not lose sight of the central message that Jesus taught and practiced, namely, love. Love is the great commandment that Jesus taught, to love God with our mind, heart, and soul, and to love our neighbor as our selves. Love leads us beyond ourselves. And love unites us to that which we love. If we love God we will love God’s creation. The love that Jesus taught provides the balance. Clearly, love begins with loving God. If we love God we will love our neighbor. Loving our neighbor is to love God. The balance comes in life with the last part of the commandment, to love ourselves as well.
Imagine what a new mother goes through. She comes home with the new child, having endured the suffering involved in giving birth, and surely in need of rest. Unfortunately, the newborn has its own needs, which must take precedence over the mom’s. Feedings every few hours mean very little sleep. Changing diapers makes finding time for a shower nearly impossible. A fussy baby eliminates any hope for some peace and quiet. Even with a spouse to share the workload, there are still certain things that only the mother can do. She wants nothing more than a break for even a few hours. This is the reason why Pastor Lauren’s Mom’s Group is so important.
Those who answer the call to follow Jesus are expected to serve their neighbors. We are to respond to the needs of the world with compassion and grace, just as Jesus responded to the crowds. Tending to the needs of God’s children is tiring work, and it never ends.
Moments of Silence
Jesus’ concern that the disciples get some rest, along with other stories that show Jesus taking some time away, is a reassurance that we, too, need a break. We must have time to reenergize and refocus so that we might better minister to the needs of others. If we are to be God’s hands and feet, and voices, we must tend to our need for rest. After all, even God rested after creating the world.
On this occasion, Jesus is unsuccessful in finding a quiet pace, but his word to the disciples remains a good word to them and to us, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”
Jesus frequently left the crowds to be by himself. He spent time alone before making big decisions. He spent forty days in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry. He stayed up all night before choosing the twelve. When he heard that John the Baptist had died, Jesus went on retreat. Before the cross, Jesus went to Gethsemane. The disciples often woke up to find that Jesus wasn’t there. Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus went for walks. He found his way to wilderness, mountaintops, and gardens.
Most of us have a hard time being quiet. You come home from a long day. The dishes are done. You’re by yourself. It’s a perfect time to be silent, to meditate on the day’s events—what was good, what wasn’t, what you could have done differently, what you hope for tomorrow. So what do we usually do? We turn on the television.
We might not always be able to get away to a deserted place for a retreat. But we can always in the midst of our busy and noisy lives learn to appreciate the gift of silence and solitude. Silence is more than the absence of noise. Silence can be the act of listening to God. Genuine solitude is an instrument by which God leads. Hear this again, “Genuine solitude is an instrument by which God leads.”
In Peanuts, Lucy is playing softball in the outfield when a hit comes her way. The ball drops beside her, but Lucy doesn’t move to catch it. Charlie Brown rushes out to angrily ask why she didn’t catch the ball. He points out that she didn’t even have to take a step. All she needed to do was hold out her glove. Lucy answers simply, “I was having my quiet time.” We are more likely to have the emotions of Charlie Brown than the dedication of Lucy.
We fill our days with activity. We idealize rustic settings, but when we finally go to the cabin in the woods, we’re tempted to take our iPods and our smart phones so that if silence gets to be too much we can get out of it. Jesus says, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”
Caring for Self and Caring for Others
It is important to remember that when we love ourselves by taking care of ourselves, we are reminded that we are mortal, finite creatures. We have many needs that must be met to have a wholesome life. We need to take care of ourselves, love ourselves, so that in the long run we can be about the joy of loving others for a lifetime. This is clear in the account of feeding the five thousand that is cradled in the middle of these two passages. The people are hungry. Jesus is sensitive to their needs and feeds them, not only spiritual food for their souls, but food for their bodies as well.
As many of you know, I learned about maintaining a balance life by taking time to read the Bible and study the word of God every day. I try to play tennis regularly every week. I spend time in our garden, weeding and pruning and this year, we just ate our first 5 strawberries and in time some of Maureen Wong’s heirloom tomatoes. I find my solitude and silence in the garden.
One thing in particular that I am committed to is our family. They are my most significant ministry. Joy and I just returned from a few days visiting our son and his family in North Carolina. With whom will I spend the most time? With whom will I have the most influence? The answer was most obvious, my family.
While I have learned how to take much needed rest in my life as Jesus invited me to do so, I know that these things cannot be used as an excuse to run away from the world, no matter how tempting that may sound. Even when we wish we could just ignore the cries of God’s people, discipleship requires that we respond. There are people to feed, injustices to fight, and suffering to alleviate. Like Jesus, we are called to be present in the world. Like his disciples, we must spread the good news of the gospel to every corner of the world.
But as we are in the middle of our summer months, I hear Jesus calling us, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” May we rest a while even if it’s for a moment because the world is waiting for us to understand, to care, to have compassion, to bring good news.
Let us pray.
O Lord, we live in tension. We feel you calling us away into the quiet, sacred, holy and lonely spaces, and we also feel the heat and the crush of the urgent. Needs are all around, pressing us for answers, pushing us for help and pulling us for time. And yet we cannot fully engage the needs without the perspective that only you can bring from our time in silent solitude. Grant us grace, Lord, to know when to retreat and when to engage. Give us ears to hear you in the quiet and eyes to see you through the haze of urgency. Amen.