A few Sunday thoughts wearing my “Rev. Thomson” hat.  

We live in a day when it seems to be a virtue to stir up anger and resentment at the least form of mistreatment.  We live in a world where “do unto others before they do unto you” has become the new golden rule.  The quiet suffering through life’s hardships has been replaced by loud complaints at the unfairness of life.

I have news for you. Life is unfair and will always be so. We only gain happiness as we strive to set the example of fairness and justice, not when we complain that others don’t show those qualities to us.  Jesus lived in a world that was violent and oppressive in ways we cannot even begin to imagine.  We recoil at the actions of Islamic extremists in the Middle-East and Africa, yet such actions would not have drawn a yawn in the world occupied by ancient Rome.   It was to people in that world Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount which begins like this.

 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

You see he lays out how we might have a blessed life and nowhere in this list does it say that we gain this happiness through complaining or fighting back.  In occupied Israel there was no chance that complaints would yield political change. So Jesus said to find fulfilment in your own actions and your own righteousness because that is the only place you will find it.   Truly the only people who will find mercy consistently are those who show it to others.  They can’t find it in how others treat them, but they can find it in how they treat others.  In this Jesus could be called the first existentialist.  He knew that the only goodness we can count on is the goodness we carry with us.

There are many reasons I could raise my fist and curse the world for the unfairness of it all.  Right now I’ve been looking for full time work for three full years and find that there is little interest by universities or other employers for a middle-aged, tubby, bald, white-guy who got his Ph.D.  My 25 years in public service doesn’t seem to count for anything except to point out that I’m not young and hip.  It seems so very unfair, but what do I benefit by dwelling on that?

But, still what blessing do I get from dwelling on how unfair the world is?  How would wallowing in anger at others or in self-pity bring me happiness?   And how would anger and bitterness show others that I have found direction in my life through the words of Jesus?

You see, how we cope with the unfairness of life is the most powerful testimony to the truth of the words of Jesus.   I get my self-identity from how I deal with adversity.  That is how I define who I am.  Sure, my wife will tell you that I have had my moments of feeling sorry for myself as I prepare yet another cover letter for yet another job that I most likely will not get.   But in those moments of despair I am not blessed, I do not have the happiness that Jesus promises.   I am so very fortunate to have my loving wife who reminds me of these things and I pick myself up and look for ways to make my time productive for others (like this blog) so as to keep my self-identity and self-respect intact.

So perhaps Jesus’s words still have meaning and the peacemakers and the meek and the merciful still live blessed lives all these years later.

I think it is so.