So we’ve lived through the time of ill-will and conflict that led up to the recent referendum, and persisted through the ensuing fallout. We’ve seen our country divided against itself, with resentment on both sides.
We’ve seen the recent incidents in Nice, in Turkey, in Baghdad, in Dallas and Baton Rouge, in Jeddah and Medina. And elsewhere.
And in the midst of all that, I started to think about what I might say at a meeting I’m going to tonight.
I’ve been thinking about what I’ll be saying for about a week and a half now. And I found in the lectionary readings for the Sunday before last, in Luke 1:25-37, setting the context for the story of the Good Samaritan, a teacher of the Law asking how to receive eternal life. And as a partial response to the question, he says “love your neighbour as yourself”, a reference to Leviticus 19.
So I looked it up, and I read the law he was talking about. In Leviticus 19:17-18, it says “Do not bear a grudge against others, but settle your differences with them, so that you will not commit a sin because of them. Do not take revenge on others or continue to hate them, but love your neighbours as you love yourself. I am the Lord.”
Those two verses from Leviticus are in the middle of a whole section which, in the translation we use here, is entitled “Laws of Holiness and Justice“.
And then this week, in Psalm 15, we had a catalogue of ways to do what the Lord requires. The psalmist talks about “those who obey God in everything and always do what is right, whose words are true and sincere and who do not slander others.” He says “they always do what they promise no matter how much it may cost.” And he goes on to say “whoever does these things will always be secure“.
So I’m now newly resolved, as I participate in post-referendum planning in my business life, and post-referendum discussions in my social life, not to bear a grudge against others or slander them, to keep my words true and sincere, to do what I promise no matter what the cost, and to love my neighbour as myself.
Keeping hold of that resolution isn’t easy given the tone of some of those discussions, so let’s call it a work in progress.
I hope others are doing the same.
