The Americans do some things extremely well. The self-righteous scandal is one of them. The pulling down of leaders and the re-balancing of power. In public, under the lights, with the whole theatre of the court from the SWAT team to the perp walk.
I’m writing this as scandal hits the US presidency — and the means by which he ignored and covered up various events in his first term.It has even made it into the herald — with the reassurance that there is nothing much happening.
The ancients had a word for this. Hubris. If you rose above your station, you would be punished. The Maori have another word. Utu. This means retribution, re-balancing, and justice. It also means holding onto your grievances, and wreaking havoc on this and future generations for that which has been done before. And this is where we link back to ancient Israel, for they had a proverb about the sins of the fathers being carried down the generations, which Ezekiel exploded.
1The word of the LORD came to me: 2What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? 3As I live, says the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.
19Yet you say, “Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?” When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own.
21But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 22None of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them; for the righteousness that they have done they shall live. 23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live? 24But when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die.
25Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 26When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. 27Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord GOD. Turn, then, and live.
25Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
So how now should we act in this time?
- We should continue to pray for our leaders. This has nothing to do with them being righteous. Most politicians are not. It is about the fact that they are human, and all humans may desire justice and need mercy.
- We need to preach repentance to high and low. The Samaritan was on the outside of ancient society. He was not of the tribe, he was an interloper put in Palestine by an Imperial authority. In today;s terms, a Palestinian rescued the man going to the temple. Those who are in shunned jobs, who are unable to work, who are in poverty need help to change and find a way forward — particularly when the times are difficult, and many have had their incomes restricted. But those at the top need to also repent from their hidden sins and oppression.
- Schandenfreude is wrong. Human — we take joy when our enemies fall — but wrong. For our enemy, like us, would be damned by his actions, and like us, needs to repent.
This is where the need for justice becomes apparent. For Jesus himself said that to live you must do the law. But none of us can. So while we preach, we damn ourselves, and we need to reform ourselves. Continually. The fools and scoffers call this hypocrisy. I call it being human, and being honest.
And revenge? Leave it. It will destroy you. God will ensure there is justice. Fear that. For when our secrets are laid bare, we will be ashamed.
