I’m not that good …

I don’t always do the right thing. I wish I did, but I have to admit, there are times when I just can’t be bothered.

A while back I took my dog for a walk along a trail, and I came across a bag of dog poop. I assumed that someone had picked up after their dog, and then had inadvertently dropped it whilst they continued their walk. Then I came across another bag. Then another. I picked them all up, and by the time I came off the trail I had about fourteen bags of dog poop, from various other dogs. Fortunately I had a large plastic bag with me, and I put them all in the one bag and dropped it into the trash can.

There was some confusing thinking happening here: clearly certain dog owners thought they were doing the right thing by putting their dogs’ poop into a plastic bag, but then they left it there on the ground. Actually not always on the ground – I did see a bag that someone had tossed up among the branches of a tree. Why they failed to carry the poop to the nearest trash can was beyond me. But I did the right thing that day – I picked up after a lot of lazy dog owners. Now that I have realised that poop in the bag on the ground was probably not an accident, I stopped taking any notice of it. It’s not my responsibility. But what would be the right thing to do?

Today I saw just one bag at the entrance of the short trail I was walking my dog on. When it was still there on my return journey I stopped and picked it up, and carried it to the dumpster, just fifty yards or so away. I think it was dropped accidently.

What should a Christian do in this situation? Such a silly question, or is it?

Pickleball is a very popular sport where I live, and wherever I go to play I find several other people who are also keen to play. This means that I often have to take a break between games. On one such occasion another lady accused me of jumping the queue. She was mistaken, and I ignored her at first. She wouldn’t leave me alone, however, and continued to falsely accuse me. Eventually I could ignore her no longer, and I turned and said to her: “I have not ….. jumped the queue.” I swore at her. I’m not sure who was more shocked, me or her.

I knew I had to apologise for my outburst, but with wisdom I waited until she was about to leave. I rushed over and said that I was sorry for swearing at her and that I shouldn’t have done it. Then I quickly moved away from her, as she made use of the opportunity to have another go at me. At least I got that bit right, but it would have been better if I had never sworn at her in the first place. I mean good Christians don’t swear, do they?

When I was younger some of my friends were very helpful, and would inform me when I did something that real Christians wouldn’t do. Maybe you have received some helpful corrections too:

“Real Christians wouldn’t do that.”

Or, “real Christians would do such and such.”

So very helpful. Well, not really. But now that I’m older that doesn’t happen anymore. I think it’s a bit like the story of the woman caught in adultery, where, when Jesus starts writing on the ground, it’s the older people who leave first. Us older folks are more aware of our own inadequacies, and many of us are less likely to accuse others when we know that we have failed in that area too. Or maybe I just have nicer friends now.

But then there’s Jesus. Yes, there’s Jesus. We can read in Mark’s gospel how some were giving false testimony against Jesus, and the high priest wanted Jesus to respond. Mark 14.61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. And then he confesses to being the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One, even though he knew it would not help his situation saying that. They condemned him, they spat at him, they struck him, they mocked him. And he didn’t respond. The chief priests accused him of many things. Mark 15:5 But Jesus made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

Jesus suffered so much, and he neither swore at anyone nor even tried to defend himself. As we approach Easter time, it would be a good thing to take time to meditate on the crucifixion of Jesus, and the resurrection.

And I love that verse in Hebrews where we are told that Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before him – and what was that joy? I believe it was the joy of welcoming you and I into the family. Personally I don’t think I was worth what Jesus went through – but I believe he disagrees. He wanted me in the family. He wanted you in the family. We’re not that good, we’re really not – but he wanted us, he wants us. Take time to let that sink in.