Author: Larry Dansky
“Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit as he left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him while he was in the desert, where he was tempted by the devil for 40 days.” – Luke 4:1-2
“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.” – Nelson Mandela
“I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. The sinners are much more fun.” – Billy Joel
I recently watched a local church service online during which a baptism was performed using coronavirus precautions. The parents/infant were physically distanced from the pastor, and the parents poured water onto their baby’s head while the pastor baptized the child in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As is the custom, the parents were asked to take on the responsibility of raising the child in the Christian faith. Then the pastor turned to the camera, asked the congregation to affirm their support in caring for this child, and to profess their faith. One of the phrases asked of the congregation was “Do you reject the devil and all of the forces that defy God”. I hit the pause button, then re-ran part of the video to make sure I heard this right. I had never heard this phrase before, and I had to think hard about what was being asked.
What does it mean to “reject the devil and all of the forces that defy God”? I assumed that they were not talking literally, although an image popped into my mind of a devil with horns and a tail leading forces against an old white man with gray hair and a beard. Anyway, a lot of questions arose for me. If I believe that the divine is in me (and all of us), then is the devil in me also? If I believe in the concept of free will, then am I not responsible for my actions, whether they be righteous or evil? Do I not have to accept that I am capable of both virtuous and sinful behavior? If I accept that there is evil in the world, where does that come from? The terms “evil” and “sin” are so charged in today’s society. It was Gandhi who first said “Hate the sin, love the sinner”. But I’ve heard the phrase used by progressive Christians (decrying lack of care for immigrants and the homeless) and conservative Christians (decrying support for abortion and the LGBTQ community). So who gets to define what is sinful?
I continue to wrestle with all of these questions, and most of them remain unanswered. What I do know is that, as Nelson Mandela said, I am no saint, but a sinner who keeps on trying. One thing I have recognized is that it is often easier for me to judge others’ thoughts and actions than to look at my own. As the one responsible for my actions, I need to define righteous and sinful behavior as it relates to my own thoughts and actions. I can’t use the excuse that “the devil made me do it”. Simply put, if I have an angel on my right shoulder, and the devil on my left, I need to decide in what direction to turn a deaf ear.
Holy one, there are times that the noises of the world pull me away from you. Give me ears to listen for your still soft voice.
