My poor God. My poor, poor God.
I recently read the story of a young man who was African American. When he turned twenty-three years old, he won the Heavyweight championship in boxing. He was the youngest man to win the title, and he held it – undefeated – for twelve years until his retirement in 1948. The man’s name was Joe Louis.
After he retired, Joe purchased a five-hundred acre farm using some of his winnings. He decided to go out on his own land and to inspect it. He cam upon a small cabin in a secluded part of the land. He approached the front door and knocked, and there was an old white man living in the house. The man was rude to Joe and Joe asked him if anything was wrong. The man replied (using derogatory language) that an African-American man had purchased the farm and that he was angry that he would be forced to move on by someone who he considered inferior to him…
Joe did not waste this opportunity. He replied, “Yes! That's why I'm here. I have a message for you from the new owner. He sent me to tell you that you're welcome to stay here for the rest of your life. He also said that you’ll never be bothered, and that there won’t be any rent.”
And I have been reflecting on that moment of mercy…
“But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you...And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them...But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.’” (Luke 6:27-38).
You see, true mercy is not just giving away the bit that you have left over, but giving away all the rest of it. True mercy is being able to give until there is nothing left to give. It is giving without counting the cost. And it is giving – not to the nice and polite souls who say thanks very much and aren’t you wonderful! It is giving to the people like the old white man who were rude and unkind. It is giving when people are flawed and not perfect.
For that is how God gives. For He gives to me, and I am rude and unkind and flawed and imperfect. And today it occurs to me how terrible it is for me to expect that of my God. Ater all, I give a bit from what I have left over – I give the rest – and I berate my God for giving me everything from His entire Heart even to the last drop of sweat and blood and water from His Body, just because I am not quite satisfied with that…
My poor God. My poor, poor God.
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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