Norris Burkes has written a wonderful column again. Sometimes, we must do things.
He tells of a time when he was asked to baptize a newborn who was not expected to live. His answer, at the time:
“Oh no,” I protested with certain orthodoxy. “I couldn’t possibly baptize a baby. I’m a Baptist, and we don’t baptize babies.”
Chaplain Little said it simply didn’t matter what I believed. The only thing that mattered was what the family believed.
Interrupting our exchange, Vickie quickly said she’d go. “Just tell me what to do.”
And with the briefest of instructions, the supervisor sent Vickie on her way, but not before fixing me with a “we’ll-talk-about-this later” stare.
Years later, I’ve processed the incident enough to know each one of the answers represent some real-life theology.
Dave said, “I can’t.”
I said, “I won’t.”
Yet Vickie’s concluded, “With God’s help, I must.”
Our responses had similarities to those given in the parable Jesus told of the Good Samaritan. He told the story in response to a question posed about what one needed to do to get to heaven…
The baptism happened more than 17 years ago, and today, there are still situations when I want to say “I won’t” or “I can’t,” but Vickie’s classroom witness that day continues to help me strive toward the goal of saying, “With God’s help, I must.”
You can read other columns of his at his website, linked to my site. Burkes is a civilian hospital chaplain and an Air National Guard chaplain.
This was very insightful to me.
How many times in life do we find these same responses. They are universals. Thankfully, not every circumstance is life and death.
It reminds me of another of Jesus’ sayings:
Matthew
28 ¶ But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first.
It helps me to know we don’t have to have a perfect attitude in order to do the right thing. It’s a good thing too!
More recently there was an example of an adoptive father destroying a carved jade Buddha that his newly adopted Chinese son had received. The parent felt justified, thinking the carving was heathen. It felt more like legalism than Christianity or love to me. Could he not have treated his son as if he were the hurt man in the parable of the Samaritan? Surely his son was hurting, and he only contributed to it.
Karin
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