The Detour That Saves Us
I have been visiting people in the hospital a lot lately, and every time I go, I’m forced to take a different path. Not withstanding the road construction in Edmonton, there are ramps, elevators, and corridors that are “being improved” in the hospitals as well. This means that doorways and stairwells have been taped off with caution tape. I will admit that for the first few days, I, like so many others, ignored the signs and took my regular route. Some people went so far as to rip down the caution tape, as there was clearly no work being done...or at least at first glance there wasn’t. I think it was on the third day that I thought to myself, 'Maybe it is time to heed these warnings.' Perhaps there is some chemical being used that could cause harm. Maybe when I get to the other side, the door will be locked this time, and then I would just have to turn around and find another route anyway. I think my reasoning for ignoring the signs at first, was that I was in a hurry. This is honestly a lame excuse, and upon reflection, I have asked myself why I feel like I am above the rules? Let this serve as my confession…
On Tuesday, as we were reading the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man for this coming Sunday’s worship, I started to reflect on warning signs. How many warning signs do I ignore in a day? When I really think about it, our bodies, our family and friends, the news, our places of work, or school, or public places give us warning signs all the time. These warning signs, bells and alarms are there for our protection. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times people ignore the fire alarm when it goes off in a building. I think we have all been desensitized because we practiced fire drills in school every year. We have practiced and know what to do, but at the same time, we tend to treat fire alarms as drills only. We are pretty cavalier when it comes to warning bells. It turns out that even red lights are ignored, but I digress. This leads me to wonder what causes us to actually listen and respond? Do we only listen when our lives are at risk? The stories in the daily news seem to tell a different story. How many people have fallen off a cliff trying to take a selfie? How many tourists on the side of the highway want to pet a bear, or an elk and are surprised when the animal charges at them?
In the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man, Jesus is reminding us that we need to pay attention to the words of God, and the words of the prophets. If we choose to ignore the warning signs, then there are consequences, and we will be held accountable. I think that many people in North America have become too comfortable, to the point where we don’t live in fear in the same way as some countries who are at war or who are living in poverty. I realize that this is not the case for people who are part of the Queer community, or people who have differing abilities or people who are oppressed. The truth of the matter is that when a person feels secure, there is very little motivation to change or heed warning signs. And sometimes people ignore the warning signs with the desire to resist hard truths. You don’t want to realize too late that the simple act of listening or heeding the warning could save your life. Ask yourself, what warning signs have you been turning a blind eye to? Is there something going on physically with you that you should go and get checked out? How is your mental health? Is it time to make an appointment with a therapist to talk about what is burdening you? Is it time to talk with God or your minister about your spiritual health? Are there things in this world that we as a community of faith should be paying attention to and doing something about before it is too late? It is important to remember how precious life is. Jesus invites us to listen deeply to the scriptures and his teachings. Jesus commands us to love one another, and not just when it is easy and convenient! I guess my warning to you this week, is this: do not take the people in your life for granted. Take a few moments right now to reach out to someone you love, or someone you think could benefit from hearing from a friend. And if you are the one that is need of some love, don’t be shy, reach out and ask for help! You don’t need to suffer in silence.
Sending love, Rev. Karen