Insults Falling

 

Romans 15:1-13 (Daily Office; 8-8-21)

15 So we who are strong have a duty to bear the weaknesses of those who are not strong, rather than please ourselves. ² Each of us should please his neighbor and act for his good, thus building him up. ³ For even the Messiah did not please himself; rather, as the Tanakh says, ‘The insults of those insulting you fell on me.’ ⁴ For everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that with the encouragement of the Tanakh we might patiently hold on to our hope. (Complete Jewish Bible)

 

We, the able, are duty-bound to carry the weaknesses of the incapable, rather than please ourselves. May each of us please our neighbors with a view to their good, in order to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself, but— just as it’s written— “on me are falling the insults of those insulting you.” [Psalm 69:10(9) CJB]  For just as the writings of the past were written in order to teach us, so, through our own endurance and through the encouragement of the Tanakh, we hold on completely to our hope. (adapted from Mounce Greek Interlinear)

 

Carrying each other’s weaknesses!

I’m tired of assumptions and either-or attitudes!

I’m tired of the way we keep on claiming that because we’ve been victimized, that we then have the right to be vindictive!

I’m tired of the way we are being motivated to point fingers and blame each other!

I read this passage from Romans as saying, very clearly, that each of us is capable part of the time, and incapable part of the time. It most definitely does not intend to divide up the human race into ‘the strong’ and ‘the weak,’ or ‘the privileged’ and ‘the disadvantaged.’ It certainly doesn’t give us any justification for thinking that, just because we’ve been taken advantage of, it isn’t possible for us to take advantage of anyone else. It’s all about power. If power is important to someone, then everything becomes relative to power— and then we’re in for a struggle, either to get power, or to fight against it.

But here’s the deal: The Way of Christ lies at the very bottom of any power-structure. We are required to give up all power, and to stop even thinking in terms of power.

We have only one example to follow, but what many of us seem to be missing is the paradox that lies at the heart of the Way:

If power has no meaning for us— then power has no way to get a grip on us. If all we see, wherever we look, is just “us,” then there’s no such thing as “them.”

 

This is the Territory of Heaven.

 

A place where death is trampled down by death,

and power is stymied by weakness.

 

It’s very simple (and completely mysterious)—

 

Our whole strength is found in our weakness.

 

Our complete hope is found in our kindness.

 

Our full courage is found under all those falling insults.