Bust it wide open

Matthew 13:54-58

           I love where I work, you may know that already. It is a statistical outlier for a government facility. Our work is collaborative and there is a culture of always striving to do better. A news flash came across my desk just yesterday that an independent health care monitor rated us as 96, our highest rating ever even though we have been #1 in the nation for years. How do we do this?

          The answer is in today's scripture passage. When we have a problem or an issue at work we get everyone together, every discipline from doctors, nursing, pharmacy, housekeeping and maintenance to discuss, brainstorm and try to come up with a solution. Sometimes this is in an actual meeting, it could be over coffee or in something much more in depth such as 'deep dive', a phrase that has gotten more and more attention. The goal is to find a solution but to see all the parts of the equation and not minimize anything or anyone. Not minimizing anyone, that to me is the key. You never know who will have the answer. Higher eduction does not always equate with wisdom or street smarts. Our head of housekeeping himself is somewhat of a zen master. His wisdom and centeredness contributes greatly in  attitude as well as hands on solutions. No one is minimized. 

         The converse is prevalent elsewhere. When there is a problem, someone gets blamed. You have a gathering of the 'greatest minds' or those perceived to be so by title or degree. I can't tell you how often that kind of meeting misses the mark wildly.

          It is the lowly carpenter, the local 'boy' that is preaching in the synagogue and astounding everyone. People are having trouble believing what they are hearing. Isn't this Mary's son? He a freek'n carpenter! What gives?

          How often are we presented with people or situations which we make snap judgements about. We dismiss someone because they are a women, black, gay, poor. We'd invite someone of Asian descent int a group if we thought math was involved.  Perhaps we'd invite someone we thought is Jewish if we were looking at cost savings.

       This all comes down to assumptions and worse, bigotry and arrogance. We are not open to the possibilities in others and so as a consequence we often fail to see the possibilities in ourselves and for ourselves. 

         If a carpenter can change the world and save it, what other assumptions should we be looking to bust wide open?

He came to his home town and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?’ And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honour except in their own country and in their own house.’ And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.