If you’ve ever heard the country singer Rodney Atkins, you may recognize the song “Watching You” which is a sort of tale about how a father realizes that his young son has started to follow in his footsteps. If you haven’t heard the song, it is actually a very interesting story. A young dad drives around with his son, and recognizes that his son has picked up on some bad habits of his. In asking where his son learned these bad habits, the son responds “I’ve been watching you, dad!” and continues to elaborate on how much he has been watching and observing his dad in everything he does. The dad later on, prays, and as he tucks his son in at night, again watches his son- and asks where he learned how to pray like that- again the son tells the dad that he has been watching. The song ends with a beautiful recollection- the son tells his dad that he will always know what to do because he has been watching him so carefully.
The song, though it really isn’t meant to be theological in any way, reflects a reality of how we learn and grow. We can learn a good amount on our own, to be fair, and yet, it is so much a part of our human nature to grow and to challenge ourselves by watching the greatness of others- especially those who are the closest to us.
Yet, I think this can actually lead us to a dangerous question- can we be more like God our Father? Are we supposed to take it upon ourselves to somehow grow into individuals who are becoming more and more like God every day or is that something that is too far removed from our ability and from our grasp? Perhaps we have had different thoughts on this possibility in the past- and maybe we have become somewhat mired on our experiences throughout our lives- but is it still nonetheless what our God is calling us to? Is this still something we can strive to attain?
The first reading this morning is taken from the book of Leviticus. This book, one of the first five in the Bible, is the book that was written for the Israelite nation after their liberation from Egypt. As a whole, it works to lay out the law of God in some detail. There are prohibitions, commands, and all sorts of rules that are contained in the course of the book, and yet there is still an underlying person that says all of these things: God Himself. At the beginning of this passage, we are told that Moses is commissioned and sent out to speak to the whole Israelite community. What is the very first thing that he is told to go out and say? “Be holy for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.” This, at the very outset, seems to be a tall order. Be holy- as God is holy. How is this supposed to happen? What might that look like?
The Lord further elaborates through Moses, “You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart. Do not incur sin. Take no revenge, cherish no grudge. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” So, really, the Lord gives out a fairly distinct list of things, and they are interconnected to some degree- and they all do share that same theme of holiness- and they are trying to get the one who hears them closer to that ideal. Yet, even with all of those prohibitions and different things, perhaps the best summary is found at the end- love your neighbor as yourself. This continues to push that very same idea, though- to be more like God, especially in holiness!
The second reading is a continuation of the first letter to the Corinthians that we have been following for a number of weeks. You may have recognized that the theme largely follows on the one from last week- seeking after a true wisdom, and putting aside the worldly wisdom that others may try to offer. However, Paul qualifies it in a special way at the outset- he asks a very simple question: Do you not know that you are the temple of God- and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Again, it may not seem related, and yet it is still pointing at the need that we have for a wisdom that is beyond this world- and so we have to remove from ourselves the proud sort of wisdom that we might have when we are doing well by worldly standards. Further, if one possesses true wisdom, they will not boast as others may- but they will rather see that all belongs to God. Thus, that same wisdom from last week is only to be found in God and in becoming a temple of God’s spirit.
Finally, we arrive at the Gospel according to Matthew, which also continues from last week. Last week we heard several commands of the law- and how Jesus not only upholds them, but even challenges His disciples to live them out in a fuller way. He continues this same track this week, and continues to illustrate how He is challenging them to live out the law of God in an even fuller way. He begins “you have heard that it was said An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Then there is that hinge phrase: “But I say to you.” He says that there should be no resistance to one who is evil. Turn the other cheek. If one wants to go to law- give them more than what they ask you for.
He goes even further, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Why? God makes the sun rise on the bad and the good and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Why just love those who love you? Why greet those who greet you- what is unusual about that? Even the tax collectors and the pagans do the exact same! This final phrase, though, really caps off what Jesus is saying: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
But, wait a second. Just be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. Does Jesus have any idea who He is talking to? Doesn’t He realize just how difficult that is? Can’t He see that we are struggling here already as it is?
Well, yes He can. And that is the very reason He says these things.
If we think about the three passages we have this morning, we are given three different levels. The Gospel offers us the perspective to “Be perfect.” This is truly a remarkable calling- and one that is likely very difficult to attain on its own- at least I think I am quite a far way away from it! A lot of the things that go into that are very difficult. What about being holy, though? Now, that may seem that it is a little more attainable. However, if we look at the way that Leviticus is telling us that we need to be holy as God is holy, perhaps it too seems that it is a bit out of reach, at least right here in our present state.
That leaves us with one final option then, and that is given to us by Saint Paul: Be a temple of the Spirit. Now, this too is a high calling, to be certain, and yet, we have already been commissioned as those temples. Yet, the work is not done. So often we let things get in the way and clutter the temple- perhaps these are worldly things- such as a worldly wisdom, or perhaps it is something altogether different. Maybe we are bent on hatred for someone that has done us wrong. Maybe we are struggling with revenge and grudges in our hearts. Maybe we are going through difficult times- and we are dealing with evil people, or perhaps with evil, maybe those who persecute us or what we stand for. Do we take joy in when they fall- or become bitter when they do well? All of these things have no place in a temple- and that is where our work might lie- in trying to continue to renovate and repair the temple that we have within our hearts. If we have grudges, if we have resentment, if we have revenge that all take up parts of our hearts- then we find ourselves in all sorts of need of repair!
And this is perhaps the most opportune time for us to ask a question- where do we need to renew our commitment to be like God? What virtue do we need or what vice can we live without in our attempts to live out our faith and be more like God our Father? This Lent is a perfect time for us to commit ourselves to perhaps finding one or even two things that we wish were more like God, and then committing ourselves to working on alleviating those things!
Rodney Atkins might’ve discovered just how much his son was watching him- and what a responsibility that was. It is now up to each one of us- let us take up God our Father’s example, so that we can be His temples, we can grow to be more holy, and then perhaps, even reach perfection.
