02/13/05

Going Out on a Limb

Isaiah 6:1-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11

I get a kick out of watching squirrels frolicking together, especially in the wintertime on the snow. Squirrels really are quite smart - there are very few bird feeders they can't figure out how to get seeds out of - they're quite social animals, and they're positively daring in their flying exploits. A number of years ago a former parishioner passed on an article to me on squirrels that fits our topic for today, and I'd like to share it with you.

"I looked up and saw a squirrel jump from one high tree to another. He appeared to be aiming for a limb so far out of reach that the leap looked like suicide. He missed, but landed, safe and unconcerned, on a branch several feet lower. Then he climbed to his goal, and all was well. "An old man sitting on the park bench said, 'Funny, I've seen hundreds of 'em jump like that, especially when there are dogs around and they can't come to the ground. A lot of 'em miss, but I've never seen any get hurt in trying.' Then he chuckled, 'I guess they've got to risk it if they don't want to spend their life in one tree.' I thought, 'A squirrel takes chances - have I less nerve than a squirrel?' Since then, whenever I have to choose between risking a new venture or hanging back, I hear the old man on the park bench saying, 'They've got to risk it if they don't want to spend their life in one tree.' So, I've jumped again and again. And in jumping I've learned why the squirrels so often do it; it's fun!" (i)

Life can get rather dull and boring just sitting in one tree, and indeed anything that's important in life requires risk, going out on a limb, and at times, jumping off into the unknown. But as the squirrels know, that's how you get out of the tree you're in, and it can be fun. Responding to God's call is sometimes like this. It's risky; it requires going out on a limb and taking a leap of faith. Those we commissioned today took such a leap of faith when they each agreed to undergo 50 hours of training to become Stephen Ministers. I think they'd all say in retrospect that it was a leap worth taking, and now they are ready to share their expertise, their caring, and their compassion with those in need. If you think you might like to have a Stephen Minister help you get through a difficult time, please speak to Eloise, Bev, or myself (or to Lee, Janice, or Roger).

Responding to God's call is the theme of both our Hebrew Bible and Gospel lessons today. Isaiah has a vision of the omnipotent God in the splendor of the temple. He reacts by sensing his own uncleanness and unworthiness. "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips ..." The Lord, through the cleansing of the burning coal touching his mouth, overcomes Isaiah's guilty feelings, and the prophet responds, "Here am I; send me!"

Simon Peter has been having trouble catching fish, but when Jesus suggests going out into deeper waters, Peter reluctantly agrees. He and his men row out and drop their nets once again. They're exhausted - they've been going at this all night, and with no success. Imagine their surprise, their utter amazement, when the nets are pulled in bulging with fish. Peter's reaction is interesting. Up to this point, while listening to Jesus teach the crowds, nothing has connected. Now suddenly he is aware of Jesus' holiness ... and his own sinfulness. "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" he says, echoing Isaiah. But Simon Peter's sense of unworthiness is overcome by Jesus' calm, reassuring words, and by his promise that Peter will soon be catching bigger fish than those in the sea. Likewise, our Stephen Ministers know that they are not perfect, but they also know that the gifts they have and the skills they've attained are God-given, and anything they can accomplish in their ministries will be by God's grace. So too, for all of us.

Spiritual growth occurs only after we realize our shortcomings, confess our sins, and accept God's acceptance and forgiveness of us. I have found Paul's words in First Corinthians helpful when I've had a hard time accepting or forgiving myself. Paul knew he'd done a terrible wrong by persecuting the early Christians. But he accepted God's reconciliation, God's redemption through Christ by stating, "By the grace of God, I am what I am." These are humbling, yet self-affirming words.

The hardest thing about going out on a limb, whether in responding to God's call or whatever, is overcoming our fears that either the limb will break, or that we'll lose our grip and fall off. All of us like to be in control - of our situations, of our emotions, of our destiny. Being out of control is an uncomfortable feeling. If God calls and beckons us to climb out onto that limb, we want to make absolutely sure that it's safe before we venture out. We want to be sure we're in control. So, we wait for the perfect moment. "No, can't do that today, Lord. It's going to snow," or whatever. "No, I'd better wait until I've taken just one more course, or read just one more book, or done just one more thing." Or, we use our own sinfulness as an excuse. "God, you know what a sinner I am. I'm definitely not worthy to serve you in this way." Of course we're not worthy, but God calls us to serve anyway, whether the moment or ourselves is perfect or not.

We need to be more like Peter. He and his men are tired. They've worked all night, and nada. It seems hopeless. But when Jesus says, "Try over there," without hardly missing a beat, Peter replies, "Okay, Lord, whatever you say." Here is someone prepared to go out on a limb, to take a risk, to take a leap of faith. Even when confronted with his own sinfulness, he obeys the voice of the one who beckons, receives his words of assurance, and responds by following him. He has no idea what's ahead, but by responding in faith, Peter discovers a new vision for life that shatters his old ways of seeing the world and his role in it. He finds a new identity and a new purpose in life, and we can also.

Going out on a limb requires more than a willingness to risk. It also entails being open to God's will, and being open to what God may have in mind for us. And this may be a lot different than what we had originally planned. Peter starts out catching fish and ends up catching people. If we are open and obedient to God's call, God can take our abilities and refocus them, can take our talents and use them in different ways.

I want to share with you a bit more about what our Stephen Ministers will be doing, because I think what is happening to them is a good illustration of what can happen to any of us when we are open to God's will and open to God's ways. In addition to the 50 hours of training they have each received, they will also attend twice-a-month supervision sessions, and of course will accept assignments of care receivers and care for them faithfully. What kind of situations will they be involved in? Let me just mention a few. In a disciplined, trained, and organized manner, our Stephen Ministers will care: for people who are grieving; for those who have to make hard decisions; for those whose spouses won't seek help and those whose spouses need all their help; for people before and after surgery, before and after marriage, and before, during, and after divorce. They'll care for those who will recover soon, for those with chronic problems, and for those who teeter painfully between health and illness. They'll show God's love to those who are dying and to those who are going through new birth experiences of many kinds. (ii) Our Stephen Ministers will do all this and much more with compassion, empathy and complete confidentiality.

What is our role in all this? Very important, we can pray for our Stephen Ministers and their care receivers. Ministry is hard work, at times frustrating, at times discouraging. The assurance of our prayers will help keep them going. We can tell our Stephen Ministers how much their hard work means to us, and how much we appreciate their efforts. We can go out on a limb ourselves and consider becoming a Stephen Minister. I'm sure we will be offering the training again in the future. Some of us may accept the care of a Stephen Minister. Others of us can be sources of referral, watching for people in need, and suggesting a Stephen Minister's care. (iii)

This is an important day in the life of Pilgrim Church, when a significant new ministry has been launched. May we all look back upon this day years from now and have good feelings about this ministry, this new way we are seeking to live as Jesus taught. And wherever we are in our individual lives, may each of us take the risk of going out on a limb and relying upon God's grace. Amen.

The Pilgrim Church of Duxbury
Rev. Kenneth C. Landall

i Oscar Schesgall, "Once There Was a Squirrel" (excerpted).
ii Stephen Ministry materials, in S-6 file.
iii Ibid.