You Want Me To Do What?

The Japanese people are the most polite people I have ever met. This is woven into the fabric of their culture in so many ways, ways I can only imagine at this point since we arrived here in Okinawa only six hours ago.

Here is an example from the flight from Tokyo to Okinawa. As the flight attendants started to do the safety briefing ( you know the one about exits, oxygen masks and life jacket’s) they gave us the gentle bow or respect. They turned and in unison bowed to those of us who had entered their airplane. In that moment I felt very respected, important, honored.

I know it is part of their job. I did some things when the boss told me to that were different from my inclinations. The Army consistently told me to show up much earlier that I ever wanted to! We called it “zero dark thirty.” It always seemed earlier than any rational human being would show up. But I would be there, along with a few of my closest new friends.

We often do things in life that seem to us out of place.

Jesus was talking to His disciples one day He told them to do something very unusual. In Matthew five He was giving them insight into the extent of the reach of the Gospel into the human heart and will. Or as they say in the South, He started meddling.

Retribution isn’t the answer. Neither was justice. “38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’” Justice is nice. Retribution might even feed some deep part of us that gets hungry when justice seems slow.

But Jesus tells them to stop resisting the evil person’s actions.

“39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”

I can hear those listening say, “You want me to do what?” “This is crazy. They will take advantage of us.” “No way I’m doing that! I have my dignity to consider. I have my rights.”

Our enemies, Satan, sin and selfishness, want us to hold onto our dignity, our property and our time.But that is the lie. We don’t deserve respect, being the confirmed sinners that we are. The things we have aren’t ours to keep, since heaven is our new home. And our time is not our own, we were bought with a price.

As followers of Jesus we must live as Jesus did. “42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”

Yikes, this is hard! No it is impossible. We might be able to do it once or twice, but to do it consistently and with the right attitude, that is another story. And that is what I see as I encounter the Japanese people. They didn’t have to bow, but they did. They know from seeing Western values and culture that life doesn’t consist in the bows given or received. And yet they continue to bow. Even as we walked through the airport. Every time an encounter with another person started, there was the bow.

How can I bring this bow into my heart and mind? How can I prefer the other person ahead of myself? 

Respect

Mark 12:6-8

      The most valuable thing most people have is their children. I know kids aren’t things, but you get my point. It costs over a quarter million dollars to raise a child to age eighteen and this doesn’t include college! So if you have four children, and you could get someone else to foot the bill, you could be a millionaire!

      But even beyond the monetary costs, children are valuable. I some cultures, children have the responsibility to take care of aging parents. They provide the labor for the family farm, or other business.

      We used to eat at a wonderful Chinese restaurant when we lived in Columbus, Georgia. What I found cute was the fact that a small child was often playing behind the cashier’s counter. Many times family owned businesses, especially restaurants, had the small children somewhere on the premises. The only way to make money was to avoid babysitting costs. So, the restaurant became the second home to the children.

      Think about the time and energy put into raising children. If only you could be paid to do the raising. Some countries that need children pay their residents to have them. They need children because they need tax payers. They need people to replace themselves. But in many of these countries parents are choosing to delay having children, or in some instances choosing to only have one child, thus not even replacing themselves in the society.

      And the cost I have outlined quickly don’t even begin to factor infertility treatments and the cost of abortion. The USA is in financial troubles because we killed almost 55 million babies since abortion became legal here in this country. Dead taxpayers, scientists, construction workers, teachers, artists, chefs, consumers. That is a pretty great drain on any society. No wonder Social Security ran out of money!

      The owner has sent his trusted employees to collect the rent that is due him. None of his attempts have worked. He is getting desperate. He thinks perhaps his last chance will work. He sends his son, his precious only son.

      But the character of the renter has not changed. He wouldn’t pay the rent previously, so he has no intention of paying it now. His tolerance for violence has increased. He has already killed at least once, so another killing is not an issue. He has ‘gotten away’ with his delays before, so perhaps this time he can finish the collection process once and for all. He’ll just kill the owners son, the one who will own everything in the future. If he is successful, he thinks the land will be his. The owner won’t bother to try to collect anymore.

      This is the opposite of integrity. When someone won’t honor their word, their commitments, their contracts, society falls apart. Trust in other people is what makes societies function. When there isn’t trust, oppression is the only way for a society to continue.

      Do we want oppression to keep our society intact? Wouldn’t it be better for all of us if righteousness reigned, people keep the rules, wrongdoing was punished swiftly and fairly? How are you at keeping your commitments?