July 3, 2005

Declaration of Dependence

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
1 John 3:18-24
John 15:1-8

As we gather here on this weekend when we celebrate the anniversary of our nation's birth, it is appropriate to pay homage to one of its foundation stones, the Declaration of Independence, a masterful and courageous document, that has epitomized a basic philosophy of American life for over 200 years, a standard of rugged individualism that characterizes the American soul. As a nation we have often prided ourselves on our independence, our self-sufficiency, and our ability to go it alone. But of course, as the world has become more and more complex in these two hundred plus years, we've had to learn and accept that as a nation such independence and self-sufficiency is more and more a thing of the past. Yet, the rugged individualism of our founding forebears has been passed on to succeeding generations of Americans, and even today in our personal lives, most of us prize the feelings of independence and self-sufficiency we get for example, in owning our own homes, or in being able to have a say in where we work, or being free to worship as we wish. These are our cherished and hard-won freedoms, "unalienable rights ... of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Though many of us are probably not Horatio Alger types, we like to think that we are in control of our own destinies. As the poet, William Ernest Henly so eloquently put it: "It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll; I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." (i)

From the moment of birth, through infancy, childhood, and adolescence, we struggle to free ourselves from a dependency on our parents to an independence that usually comes with maturity. But, though it may go against the grain, such an attitude or philosophy is a complete denial of our biblical faith. If we take our Christian faith seriously, we must declare our dependence as forthrightly as the signers of that great document declared their independence. When we mature in our faith - and I'm sure most of us are still in process, still growing into Christ, still growing in our faith - when we reach a higher level of Christian maturity, then we recognize that a feeling of absolute dependence is not something to be ashamed of, avoided, or resisted, but that dependence is the essence of faith.

Our dependence on others may be so obvious that we take it for granted. Literally everything in our homes, whether conveniences like appliances, televisions, or air-conditioners, or necessities like indoor plumbing, electricity, or clothes to wear - all are provided by or are the result of hundreds of thousands of strangers plying their skills and technical knowledge.

We tend to idolize individualism, particularly when seen in heroic endeavors, often believing that the hero acted totally independent. We think of Columbus, for example, alone with his three little ships in the middle of the vast uncharted ocean. But Columbus was hardly alone. Ideas, techniques, and experiences of others impacted what he did and where he went. He was indebted to the inventor of the compass, without which he never would have made it as far as he did. He was indebted to sailors before him who developed sailing techniques that he utilized. He was indebted to the craftsmen who built his solid ships. He was indebted to the royalty of Spain for providing funding for his wild and crazy scheme of finding a "new world." So also we are indebted to many who have passed before us in previous generations, as well as many who are contemporaries, but who we will never know personally.

In a way, I think, it's easier to feel dependent on preceding generations or on those we don't even know, than it is to feel dependent on those with whom we have closer relationships. Our pride seems to get in the way when we're dealing with friends or family. But just as we have to rely on strangers to provide necessary services and products, so we also rely on our friends and loved ones. We human beings are social animals; we have a basic need to be in close relationships, in community with others. Scientific studies have noted that illness and death rates are higher in those who do not form close personal relationships than in those who do. Besides the psychological needs there is also a biological basis for deep human relationships - they're good for our health. As Barbra Streisand sang many years ago, we are "people who need people."

When it is true to its calling, the church consists of people who need people. Ideally it's a place where people care about people. It is a community where the gifts of each person are recognized and celebrated, and used for the good of the entire body in the work of transformation. (ii) Each of us, while hungering and searching for self-identity, also long for community. The church that is alive and awake knows that there can be no important changes in the lives of people unless there is community, and if the church does not provide this, people will search for it elsewhere.

The final dimension of our dependence, and the one most essential to Christian wholeness, is the spiritual dimension. Our scriptures today refer to our human need for community, and our dependence on others for our sustenance. "Two are better than one," says Ecclesiastes, "... for if they fall, one will pick up the other." We do need others, we are dependent on our neighbor to help us up when we've fallen, when we're down physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. The spiritual dimension of this inter-relatedness with other persons is our dependence upon the sustaining presence of God; we believe that the "everlasting arms" of God will lift us up when we need it. There's an assurance, a certainty, that if we have faith, God will be with us to help us, guide us, comfort us, in all the difficult as well as joyful experiences we have. Jesus walks with us in all our journeys of life, especially in the tough times, as the "Footprints in the Sand" piece that we all know attests. There is only one set of footprints when we carries us.

A short comic diversion, but it does tie-in. Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven, and at the Pearly Gates he's met by St. Peter, who says to him, "Well, Forrest, it's certainly good to see you. We've heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though, that because of the overcrowding here, we're now giving an entrance exam to everyone. The test is short, but you've got to pass it before you can get into Heaven." Forrest responds, "It shor is good to be here, Mr. St. Peter, but nobody ever tolt me about no entrance exam. Shor hope the test ain't too hard; life was a big enough test as it was." "Yes, I know," says St. Peter, "but the test is only three questions. First, what two days of the week begin with the letter T? Second, how many seconds are there in a year? And third, what is God's first name?"

Forrest is given twenty four hours to think over the questions. He returns the next day. St. Peters says, "Well, Forrest, have you come up with the answers to my questions? "Yes, sir. The answer to the first one, which two days in the week begin with the letter T, shucks, that was easy. That'd be Today and Tomorrow." St. Peter says, "Well, that's not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I didn't specify, so okay, I'll give you credit for that one. How about the next one?" "How many seconds in a year? Now that one was harder. But I thunk and I thunk, and I guess the only answer can be twelve." Astounded, St. Peter says, "Twelve?! How in Heaven's name did you come up with twelve seconds in a year?" "Shucks, there's gotta be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd ..." "Hold it," interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you're going with this. Okay, not what I had in mind, but I'll give you credit. Let's go with the final question: what is God's first name?"

"That was the easiest," replies Forrest. "It's Andy." "Andy?! Okay, I can understand how you came up with the first two, but how in the world did you come up with Andy as the first name of God?" "Shucks, I learnt it from the church song," says Forrest. "Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am his own ..." Needless to say, Forrest Gump gets into Heaven. (iii)

In the Gospel lesson Jesus, the one who walks with us and talks with us, refers to himself as the true vine. The vine is a common symbol for Israel in the Hebrew Bible, representing the fruitfulness of the chosen people under the guidance of God, the vinegrower or gardener. However, because of their unfaithfulness, they have degenerated into a wild unproductive vine, as the prophets often lament. According to John, Christ has become the true vine, and individual Christians, the branches. Only when the branches "abide in the vine" will we Christians be able to bear fruit, for apart from Christ we can do nothing.

Those of us who are great on talking the talk, but not so good at walking the walk, or those who enjoy the benefits of Christian fellowship without taking on any of the responsibilities or work of the church, or those who hear the message but don't choose to follow it, because they have other more important things to do, or for whatever reason, all these are like the branches that have not stayed close to the vine; there's a good chance they will be unproductive. Even those branches that abide in the vine need constant care from the vinegrower, who continually prunes and tends the branches so they'll bear good fruit. So also does the Holy Spirit work in our lives, giving value to our good deeds and transforming them into fruitful love in action. We the branches are dependent upon Christ, the vine, and we cannot live fully and productively without the vine. (iv)

Our American way of life, as wonderful as it is for those of us who are able to reap the benefits, has tended to encourage the attitudes of isolationism, self-centeredness, and selfishness, detrimental to others and out of sync with the present-day world. I believe we are dependent creatures, or better, interdependent ones, individually and as a nation. We need others just as they need us. We don't have to give up our individuality, but we do have to recognize that no one is an island, to paraphrase John Dunne. Each of us is part of the mainland, whether that be defined as a family unit, a church community, a nation, or human society. We are like members of an orchestra, each having our own unique, beautiful sound, which if played in concert with one another results in harmony, but if played without regard to the others can result in chaotic discord.

We are a people who need people; we are branches that need the true vine, Jesus Christ. I pray that we will not choose the false freedoms of over-reliance on ourselves, self-sufficiency, self-independence, false freedoms that lead to unproductiveness and eventually death. I pray that we will choose instead to be in community with others, recognizing our interconnectedness with one another and with the One who sustains us all. May we choose life and the transforming freedom that are ours as God's children, loved and cared for by the divine gardener, who enables us to better love and care for one another. May this be our declaration of dependence. Amen.

The Pilgrim Church of Duxbury
Rev. Kenneth C. Landall

i William E. Henley, "Invictus."
ii Elizabeth O'Connor, "Our Many Selves," p. 107.
iii from an email, 6/10/05.
iv Pulpit Resource Supplement, 5/13/79.