Arrogance humbled by 'the gays'.

Matthew 18:1-9

            Arrogance is a peculiar thing. We can be convinced of so much and the world has believed some astounding things, sworn by them and killed for them. One could argue that we were mere infant humans, immature, unable to understand anything. We have gone from cowering cavemen who discovered fire and believed in the God's of fire, rain, sun and moon. We now know there is one God however perceived and who is witnessed by her creations and all of her created world.

      I suppose it was human hubris and arrogance that wants us to think we have all the answers, we know all the right people, have the ultimate this or that and we are experts at everything worth knowing. Yet I see all the time things that go unlearned on myriad subjects. The value of life, the value of love, respect and equality are things some people never learn, some learn at 5 and some learn at 50. We are all on our own journey and we take different paths.

        The problem for humanity and us as individuals is when we swear to what we think we know or that what little we know is more than it is. Have you ever heard someone expound on a restaurant, a car, a church or anything and they will say "you have to try this" or "this is the absolute best. (fill in the blank)." The same is true in religions, faith and respect. We cannot assume we know thee way. Not even the almighty Roman Catholic church that proclaims they are the one true church has all the answers.  Perhaps more than anything it is their human arrogance that has gotten them in so much trouble these last years.

        There are two expressions that I  think say a great deal about knowledge. One is "the more you know, the more you realize what you don't know". The other is cute statement I learned in high school, "knowing what, one knows not, is in a sense omniscience". 

         The arrogance of some in the religious community when they speak so knowingly that being gay means a certain act or that our lives are immoral. I would suggest they spend the day with me, see me at prayer at 3:15 am or at work or walking the grounds of the hospital at lunch or at a prayer meeting in the evening, taking out the trash, watering the plants or having a pleasant dinner at home or babysitting one of our grandchildren. Then, come and tell me what an immoral life I lead. If you insist on peeking into my bedroom I would suggest peeking in your own first or some of the countless straight couples or couples 'living in sin'. What are they doing? Does it even matter?  Who invented bondage, adultery, divorce, incest and all the rest? It wasn't the gay crowd I assure you. Perhaps we should be less arrogant about such matters and work hard to love, understand and just realize how much we really do not know about ourselves,  others and God's world. We might discover some truly beautiful things, be filled with awe and be totally humbled in the face of God and our brothers and sisters, no matter who they are.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling-blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling-block comes!

‘If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire.