Thought for the week: In difficult situations, we must grasp the nettle
The instructions Jesus gave His disciples at the beginning of their shared ministry are awesome (St Luke 9: 1 - 9). "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money – not even an extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there . . !"
And out they went and did such a job preaching and healing that the evil King Herod said: "John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?" And he tried to see Him.
Herod must have been scared silly! He absolutely knew that John the Baptist was dead. He’d ordered it, seen the head on the plate and everything. There was nothing more that could ha’ve been done to ensure that John would not trouble him and his reign any further. Yet others were saying that John had come back to life.
In churches, we often try and deal with thorny and difficult issues. The role of young people (or, where are the young people?), hearing, and responding to, the voices of children, safeguarding, lack of volunteers, an organist who is no longer able to keep up with the congregation. We have to meet these issues head on. We must deal with these issues with grace, humility - and finality. Making a half-hearted attempt to resolve them and breathing a sigh of relief that “it’s done” risks them coming back to haunt us and causing more hurt and disruption further down the line.
When responding to difficult situations we need to grasp the nettle and pull it up to make sure we get the roots. We need to note that Jesus used a lot of gardening metaphors. Let us not be half-hearted in what we do. Let us be honest, forthright and seek God’s help.
Of course, I’m not suggesting we serve up the organist’s head on a platter. Or, at least, only as a last resort. I have found one prayer is a useful compass - God grant me the courage to change the things I can; the serenity to accept the things I can’t; And the wisdom to know the difference. Amen