Matthew 10.24-39 The cost of discipleship

One of the hardest things to accept in life is that we are valuable, but we are not invaluable both as individuals and as groups. No human life has more value than another. All are equal.

In my mind, in a perfect world, every single human being makes the same hourly wage. It doesn’t matter whether you are a doctor, lawyer, tax collector, or a housekeeper. Your hourly wage is the same because all human beings have the same value. To make this possible and functional however would involve a drastic alteration in the way we view one another gift’s and talents.

First of all, we need to become a whole lot better at identifying what God created us to do. The Israelites were divided into tribes, each with a specific trade. A basic biblical scholar will be able to tell you that the Tribe of Levi were priests and musicians. That was their assignment in life. If you were born into the tribe of Levi, you were a priest. The tribe of Judah were leaders. Reuben military and defense. Simeons warriors and security like police and firefighters. Gad were ranchers. Dan lawyers, upholders of the law. Naphtali merchants. Asher agriculture. Issachar industry.

Just because you are born into a family trade however does not necessarily mean that you are good at. As was demonstrated by corrupt Levite Priests, power struggles in the tribe of Reuban, tribes fighting against each other, and a failure to utilize and balance one another’s talents. Warriors thinking they are better than farmers. Upholders of the law interpreting the law for their own advantage. In general, not valuing the skills of others as being as valid, useful, important and as valuable as one’s own caused political and social instability.

Human beings must acknowledge that the skills and talents given to individuals by God are all of equal importance to a balanced peaceful society. They must recognize and appreciate their own talent and seek to become better. What I have learned about God-given talents is they are comprised of not just something you are good at but they also bring you joy to do them.

Through leading churches I have discovered I’m good at politics but it brings me no joy so I have chosen a path that minimizes the amount of that type of politics I am required to engage in regularly. I value others peoples skills and do not seek to make myself good at everything. You were designed to do something just as I am but only through both of us doing what we were designed to do together can we grow a church.

Second, to create this perfect little world I imagine, every single human being would have to have the opportunity to pursue and be trained in whatever their talent may be. If your talent is to be a doctor, you would obviously need to have the educational expectations of such a job made available to you. If your talent is plumber or carpentry, likewise you would need the education and training available to you. If you are a writer, painter, waitress, salesclerk, garbage collector, secretary, real estate agent, whatever, you would need to be trained in whatever trade God has given you to benefit the whole of society.

Being born into a tribe didn’t make you good at what that tribe does. There’s a reason Claymation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has persisted for so long. We love the story of an elf that doesn’t want to make toys, he wants to be a dentist. An island full of toys that aren’t misfits at all they just weren’t given to the one who truly appreciates them for what they are. And Burl Ives is just plain timeless. The story of a reindeer who is only liked when he is of use to the other reindeer is not the part of the story we actively remember. We remember a misunderstood bumble and a crazy miner named Yukon Cornelius who extends kindness and compassion when he doesn’t have to.

Every human being, every talent, every profession must be equally respected. There are no “starter” jobs that people should advance from, no jobs that you work at because you couldn’t make it somewhere else. Whatever you do and love to serve others is equally important and valued. Whether you wait tables, cook, or wash dishes, you are valued. No position can function without the others including those being served. Without customers there is no one to wait on and without someone to wait on you, cook, and clean the dishes, there is no restaurant for you to dine at. All are of equal value. If you have never learned the value of a good dishwasher in a restaurant, try being that dishwasher. That is a hard job.

This system also requires honesty. What is said in the dark must be said in the light. If you aren’t willing to say it to someone in their presence, it should not be said. If it is not something that is open to discussion and learning from both parties, it should not be said. God knows our inner most thoughts and desires so God understands why we do some of the crazy things we do even better than we do.

It is always a better idea to ask someone their thought process behind what they are doing rather than just yelling at them or telling them they are wrong or that they’re an idiot. Believe me, they will respond much kinder to you and you might learn something. As bizarre as human beings are, we don’t do things without a reason. Sometimes something that seems ridiculous has a very logical reason behind it.

For instance, last night as I was cleaning off the dinner table, my guest asked me why I kept opening and closing the dishwasher every time I put a dish in it and walked away to get the next one. He failed to notice that my miniature pinscher was hovering nearby and would climb into the dishwasher and lick dishes if I didn’t close the door. Sure I could train my dog better, but who wants to do that?

We have to be willing to explore others reasoning. Learning how and why other people think they way the do requires both you and them to be open to learning about one another. We can’t hide behind masks of approval or disapproval. We have to be willing to be confrontational in Christian love. Conversations which you are not willing to have face to face will never be productive. Ignoring problems does not make them go away.

The most effective means of preventing suicide always has and always will be: talking about it. Face to face. Open an honest. Sharing our feelings, our thoughts, and our beliefs with one another in a warm, accepting, loving, nonjudgmental environment. We have to acknowledge that which is important to us. That which we care about.

This task does not come easy. Creating a perfect world where all people are equal will get a lot of pushback and anger from those who wish to perpetuate inequality. The powerful do not want to give up their power and the powerless do not want to give up their hope that one day they can be the powerful. There will be fighting. There will be casualties. The creation of a world where peace can exist will not come without a cost and it likely will not be for this generation but it can be for a generation that is to come.

To lead is not to dominate. To compliment one does not mean to insult another. Each human life is a equal value. If we can as society as a whole, learn to recognize the gifts and talents of others, encourage their refining and growth, put our own egos aside, and live as examples of how people of equal value treat one another, I believe my dream could become a reality even if it begins on a small scale. It’s not communism. It is not an attempt to put one person in charge of another. It is all people living for one common good where all people have equal value and purpose. It is a world where everyone can live being what God made them to be. It is a world where a disciple is not above the teacher nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher and the slave like the master.

All are valuable. None are invaluable. It is a radical change in culture and thought where God’s work in someone is recognized before all. It is a world where mother’s and father’s let their children grow up remembering that they are merely caretakers for a piece of God’s creation. It is a world where value is not reliant upon genetic lineage. It is a world where everyone helps everyone else carry the cross the are given working together for God’s kindom. A world where all are kin.

I like to dream impossible dreams because I worship the God of the impossible who I firmly believe knows more than I do about what is possible or not. Humanity can learn to love one another as they love themselves and as they love their God. Knowing our place in this world is the greatest peace this world has to offer.