Something Better?

I do not know for certain whether the tendency comes from the culture or from the nature of the contemporary church. Perhaps it is not universal at all, but part of my, admittedly, limited experience. It certainly seems to be true, however.

People do not sign up. They do not commit. They do not attach their names to projects or programs or events. Only at the last minute do people seems to be willing to state their devotion to x, y, or z. It seems as though people hold out until the last possible minute to commit, seeming to expect something better to come along and claim their attention.

So it was, I imagine, in the Gospel parable from this past Sunday. The king had invited certain people to the wedding banquet of his son, but they refused the invitation. Worse, they made light of it, thinking that other things in their lives were more important, more attractive, more fun or more meaningful. They rejected the king's invitation. They abused the king's servants. The king was enraged and caused the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem at the culmination of the Roman/Jewish war in 70 c.e. Others were invited. They came, but some were unprepared for what the banquet required. So, many are called but few are chosen.

The more I study and learn, and the more I wrestle with God's will for humankind, the more I am convinced that authentic spirituality invites us simply to go out of our way for the sake of others. It is the highest of heavenly virtues. It is at the core of the Christ ethic and speaks of the motivation that lies behind the archetype of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection. Every religion has at its core the simple act of sacrificing self for the benefit of others.

If self-sacrificing service is at the core of our religion, and I firmly believe that it is, then one might assume that the best that the church has to offer is the opportunity to engage in and embody that service. There is nothing better. There is no greater good, no superior service, no more meaningful use of time, energy, talent of wealth.

One would expect therefore that opportunities to participate in self-sacrificing service ministry and mission would be the most important, most exciting, most meaningful opportunities that we have to offer. But people still seem to be waiting for something better to come along.

I wonder for what we wait? What do we expect to come along that is superior to the self-sacrificial service opportunities that we offer?

To find an answer, I look in my assessment mirror and find there...myself.

 Ah. That.

The sole reason for waiting to commit to opportunities for self-sacrificing service is the self that wants anything but to sacrifice. Of course I wait for something to come along that better suits me, my self, I. I avoid the self-sacrificing service if I can better serve myself with something more self-serving. Tautology much there, Plato?

Of course we are tempted to wait to see whether or not something more self-serving might come along before we commit to an opportunity for self-sacrifice. I wonder, though, how we market the notion that opportunities to embody self-sacrifice are preferable to the best of self-service? If we could sell that notion, if we could just convince one another of its merits, sign-ups would be immediate and commitment would be sure and certain.

Until then, alas, people will be people. Sorry, king. Can't come to your banquet. I've got a mani/pedi scheduled at 5:00.