By Brent Woodard
Windermere Valley Shared Ministry
Years ago, I read a story about a guest preacher who gave a memorable sermon. He got up and began his message by saying he had three points to make. Everyone in church saw that as standard.
The preacher said his first point was that a third of the world’s population was going to bed hungry that night. Again, this was not a big deal for people in church to hear. Then the minister said, “my second point is….” That began to get people’s attention because usually it took a preacher longer to get to their second point. “My second point is,” the preacher continued, “most of you people don’t give a damn.” That got people’s attention. Then the minister said, “My third point is….” ‘What,’ the people thought, ‘the third point already? What’s going on here?’ “My third point,” the minister said, “is the real tragedy of Christianity today is that most of you care more that I said ‘damn,’ than that I said ‘a third of the world’s population is going to bed hungry tonight.’” And then the preacher sat down. That was the end of the sermon. Not bad. It’s one of the few sermons I remember.
The most common reaction I get when people learn that I am a minister is to apologize for swearing. It seems, in their minds, that’s what I care most about. I guess I’m sort of the swearing police. I very much wish it was different. I wish when people learned that I am a minister, their first thought was that I must care about social, environmental, or economic justice. Or, it would be wonderful if their first thought was ‘here is someone who is a trained, safe person to talk with.’ But no, it seems I’m primarily seen as the guy who cares about swearing. I smile to think that the life and teachings of Jesus has come down to this.
When Donald Trump gave his acceptance speech at the RNC in July, he concluded his talk by saying that he had the endorsement of Franklin Graham, a prominent figure in American conservative Christianity, and mentioned that Graham had suggested he tone down his swearing. Ugh. I wish it was different. I wish Trump needed to say that Graham criticized him about his plan to “drill, baby, drill.” I wish Trump said that Graham doesn’t want him to deport millions of people and characterize them as vermin. I wish Trump said that Graham told him he was a privileged, wealthy man who had the ability, and mindset, for covering up his sexual exploits while he made it criminal for others to have choice and resources in desperate situations. I wish Trump said that Graham isn’t happy with him supporting a gun culture while subverting affordable health care.
Jesus was very critical of the false religious leaders of his time. It is recorded that he said: “Woe to you, religious leaders, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!”
Because followers of Jesus are thought to primarily care about swearing, I wonder if even Jesus might swear.
