Infinite Justice

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Money, Wealth, and the resulting Power: apparently Jesus understood that these were and are the hardest things for us. Nearly one-third of Jesus’ teachings and parables speak about the relationship of faith to money and the use of wealth. One third! So, this must be important, probably because—when it comes down to it—people reveal the real depths of their faith and their sense of duty or morality when it involves their livelihood, their safety, or their money. These are the hardest and difficult decisions we have to make.

Speaking of difficult: today we have this gospel story from St. Luke! In this parable you’ve got a rich business owner. He suspects his financial manager of either wasting—or more likely, pilfering his funds …stealing.

So, the owner says, “Come Monday, I want you to hand over the books …along with you resignation form.”

Immediately, this financial manager begins calling the business owner’s clients, those with large debts to the company. To some of them he says, “Tell ya what, there’s no way you’ll be able to make good on that. Let’s take off 20%!” To another he says, “I’ll cut that in half for you!”

And while they’re thanking him for his great generosity, he adds, “Sure, no problem. But hey, you know, we oughta think about going into business together; let’s do lunch tomorrow to talk about it!”

The business owner catches wind of what his financial advisor has done. Does he get angry? Well, I don’t know. It’s possible that, come Monday, he still wants the man’s resignation. But he commends him first—for his shrewdness, for creating this safety net.

Now, understand, this was not a lesson in good business ethics. Jesus was not commending the dishonesty of this financial manager. The lesson in today’s parable wasn’t about the manager’s honesty or dishonesty.

Instead, Jesus was asking, “If this dishonest manager knows how to plan ahead, and act on his selfish concerns (when the concern is tomorrow’s paycheck), then how shrewd, committed, clever and active should the children of light be when it comes to their faith, when the issue is our relationship with God? Are we committed to be zealous in our faith, to be wisely generous with what God has given and gives through us, to seek creative ways to express his generosity, …even when challenged by the world around us …even when the violence of the world challenges our Christian morality?

The “children of light,” that’s us. We struggle between serving selfish desires and our desire to truly serve God. Our commitments should be expressing God’s generosity, his incredible forgiveness, and his unqualified acceptance. But, so often, it spills out of us with mediocrity. His generosity is filtered by our stinginess. His forgiveness is hampered by our grudge-holding. And his acceptance is tainted by our qualified demands. So, Jesus was asking, “Are you serious about my faith, or not. Can you act faithfully, even when it’s hardest?”

Look at how seriously some will take politics, volunteering hours for phone calls, door-knocking and street corner sign waving. Now, ask them to take the time to invite their neighbors to join them in church.

Or, how about the incredible zeal we see at the Mariners’ games? Or the huge—and yes, completely appropriate and wonderful—expressions of patriotism this past week and a half? As some would say when they look at children, “If only we could harness half that energy!” If only we could harness it for religious expression!

You know, I saw much of this kind of expression of love and generosity this past week and a half, from Christians, and others. Incredible and inspiring people and actions! And I pray that we can hold onto this spirit when we’re called to act on it as things get even harder, and the people get harder to love.

Religious expression: that is: applied religious ethics. This goes beyond evangelical door-knocking, obviously. Christian ethics is about how we conduct ourselves in business, how we use our wealth and power. It is how we conduct ourselves in the military, or how we speak about war and our enemies.

To say anything like: “God may have mercy on you, but we won’t!” is a bold declaration of working against the will of God. Such statements condemn the speaker.

We, especially we Christians who put the teachings of Christ first, do not and cannot support the idea of doing “whatever it takes to get the job done.” We Christians must be careful with our words, and we must ask others to be careful with their words, weapons and power. Just because it sounds tough and punishing, does not make it “justice.”

And—if it’s “infinite justice” that we’re looking for—we must be infinitely careful and infinitely patient, because “infinite justice” comes from only one being: God. I am a bit nervous about this, because I wonder what most people think “justice” looks like. I’ve a feeling that our general sense of “justice” may not look like God’s. Reaching for God’s infinite justice means a dramatic difference in the way we tend to conduct everything. Biblically speaking, for instance, God’s justice doesn’t end in “revenge.”

Instead, God’s justice calls us to the difficult goals of making sure all children get fed, all widows get cared for, all the grieving get comforted, all the aliens and strangers are safe and cared for wherever they are, that all prisoners of war are healthy, fed and cared for, …that terror is not answered by horrendous terror—but only as much, or as little, force is necessary to end their terrorism and their oppression of others.

It is fun being husband to my wife. I often get to tag-along to various faculty functions and conferences. (Pauline used to get so irritated with me when we’d go to church functions, and I’d forget to introduce her to various people that we met. I’d start talking, but would soon feel this nudge, and hear this, “A-hem!” “Oh, I’m sorry! Have you met my wife?” Now, when I’m at her functions, she’s learned that it’s not so easy. I’m often the one that gets to nudge her and say, “A-hem!”)

Anyway, whether she’s with me, or I’m with her, I get a kick out the usual introductions we have with people. There is the normal exchange that people have when they meet and say, “What do you do?”

The variety of responses is delightful when they find that I’m a pastor, or when they find that she’s a college teacher. Sometimes they just say, “Oh…” Sometimes, if they have some kind of connection, church will become our topic.

But with Pauline, they may ask, “What do you teach?”

And when she answers, “Philosophy,” all kinds of neat reactions can follow, like, “Oh…”

Or, sometimes they’ll say, “Ph-phil—what?”

Once in awhile, though, they know to dig a little further by asking, “Oh, and what kind of philosophy?”

Then, my “cute blonde babe” (I’m the only one who gets to call her that, by the way) answers that her specialty is philosophy of war and military ethics. (Yep, that’s my “little woman,” ol’ Blood-and-guts Kaurin!) Nearly 80-90% of the time, if we’ve made it this far into the conversation, Pauline and I know exactly what their next question will be. It’s become predictable. They ask, “Military ethics …isn’t that a contradiction in terms?”

We may go through the list of the other classes she teaches, and there will be the snicker and same question when she mentions business ethics. “Oh, and there’s another one. You meant there’s ethics in business?”

War ethics, business ethics: aren’t these contradictions in terms? Being a pastor, I get to skip all the philosophical proofs and arguments to say prophetically:

Thus sayeth the Lord thy God, “If there are any places that thou shalt bring my ethics, as my people, thou shalt bring them with you into the military, and onto the battlefield, and obviously, obviously: thou shalt be my ethical people in all business and money matters!” This the Lord thy God hath clearly spoken …numerous times!

If we cannot be ethical Christians here in these places—where it will most effect, most hurt, or most help—then we truly have not evolved beyond being a bunch of smart, but selfish, beasts. We are called to be smarter than “survival of the fittest.” We are called to work for higher goals than paychecks, or revenge, even higher goals than national pride. We are, in fact, called to seek and act for God’s infinite justice!

To finish this message: perhaps you hear me being somewhat critical of the use of some words we’ve heard recently, regarding God’s mercy, and the title of this important military mission: “Infinite Justice.” I’m a fairly patriotic guy (don’t even let that be a question here), but I always want my patriotism to be subject, held in check, and humbled by my greater calling to Christ.

I believe that seeking justice—in this war, and in our lives—is less about assuming that “God is on our side.” Seeking justice is more about searching for God’s sense of justice, and then trying to be and act on his side. That is the only way to even begin to approach something called “infinite justice.”

I would love for this to be our country’s goal. I hope it is. Believe it or not, I do believe his infinite justice will not, finally, depend on our success or failure in the next weeks or years. And yet, his justice is worth reaching for: it will mean trying to right all the wrongs that we have often taken for granted, the wrongs that we have assumed are just a part of this world’s landscape, like hunger, disease and discrimination.

But finally, and thankfully, I believe God’s infinite justice is ultimately unavoidable. God’s justice is unavoidable! And if that sounds like a threat, then you haven’t heard the gospel message.—

God’s infinite and ultimate justice sounds something like this: You and I are sinful …AND we are forgiven. You and I are hurt, grieving, sad, angry and scared …AND we have every confidence. In spite of all this that has happened, and even if all of this leads to still worse times, we remain victorious. Beyond national boundaries, we reside in the protection of God’s Kingdom—no matter what is done to us, or where you place us. We can act and persevere with kindness and love through anything and anywhere (even in the midst of battle) because we have and are assured of everything!

We—not just we U.S. citizens, but all children of the light—we are clay jars: cracked but miraculously held together. I think it’s because, through others around us, God is holding us together; he packs us together to hear that his infinite justice and ultimate salvation is coming.

We are clay jars in our clay buildings and our clay lives. We are afflicted and cracked, but we are not and will never be crushed. Something stronger is holding us together: it’s the promise of God’s infinite justice. And his infinite justice is nothing else but the expression of his infinite love! Amen.

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