Other-Worldly Generosity

In my last post, I began some reflections on N.T. Wright’s phrase “astonishing generosity.”  Itself a reflection on the life commended to believers by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, those two words become a challenge for how we live out the Kingdom of Heaven in a world that follows some particularly clear and harsh rules. 

Indeed, when we read passages like Matthew 5:38-42 Jesus seems to be out of touch with reality a bit:

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. (NRSV)

In the satirical illustrations of the New Testament (using Legos no less!), Brick Testament creator catches the seeming absurdity of these passages perfectly.  If we act as pushovers, people will, well push us over! 

But maybe the point of Jesus’ teaching about generosity is actually more subtle and more powerful than first meets the eye.

Early on in the musical play, Les Miserable, Jean Valjean has recently escaped from a prison cell where he had been unjustly incarcerated.  The years of hard labor had hardened him, but now that he was freed, he was eager to make the best of it.  He stumbled through the night without any food or a place to stay until he comes to the house of priest.  The man takes him in, feeds him as a honored guest and gives him a place to stay the night. But in the middle of the night, desperate about what the next day will bring him, he decides to rob the priest of his fine silver so that he’ll have enough money to survive.  Valjean is caught and is facing a return to prison that will certainly take up the rest of his days.

When the gendarme takes him to the priest who will identify the stolen silver and condemn him as the thief, something completely unexpected, even astonishing occurs. The priest refuses to admit that his things had been stolen at all.  In fact, in seeing Valjean’s face, he says, “Sir, why did you only take half of the things that I gave you.  Here is the other half.  These were your gifts.  Please take them and be on your way, you have a long journey ahead of you!” 

Valjean, is stunned, astonished, and can’t understand such kindness, such forgiveness, such amazing generosity.  And at that moment, he turns his life around and become a new man.

One act of forgiveness, kindness and generosity by a Christian changes the life of someone who had become hardened by the hard, cruel world.

Because (most of us) know the outcome of the play, it's easy to look upon the priest's actions as exemplary, but would we look at this the same way if we faced the same situation? 

We take in an ex-con, feed him and give him a place to stay.  We are nervous that he will "take advantage of us" but still we go against our fears and offer hospitality, only to find that our fears were appropriate indeed.  We wake up in the morning to find half the family silver stolen.  When the police capture the perpetrator and ask us to identify him, what would we do?

In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus uses multiple illustrations to show us a different way of responding to a world that will "take us": give more than they expect.  Not as a passive victim, fearful and easily manipulated but as equals who are exposing the deed done and answering it with an act from another realm.

When challenged to join a violent revolution, refuse meet violence with violence.  When struck on the left cheek (the way a slave or child would have been struck) offer the other, saying in effect, “If you want to treat me this way, you’ll have to treat me as an equal and demean yourself.”  If dragged into court to be sued unfairly, publicly demonstrate with your generosity how unjust the proceedings are.  If conscripted by soldiers to carry a load for a mile (as Roman law allowed) offer the second mile as a free person who is being “made” to do anything.  When someone asks something of you, demonstrate that you are not operating out of guilt or obligation, or expectation of fairness, but you are doing nothing more or nothing less than acting like our Lord himself.

Later on Paul would make a similar statement: 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NRSV)

Overcoming evil with good.  Now that’s astonishing generosity.

Comments

[Derek Simmons]

Tod:
Thanks for reminding us of the powerful example of the Christian(priest)who knew the Scriptures and lived them. But how do we who do not wear our Christianity so obviously as the Priest in the example, make sure that if we are taken for a fool by culture, we are clearly taken as a "fool for Christ"? You wonderfully say, "..When someone asks something of you, demonstrate that you are not operating out of guilt or obligation, or expectation of fairness, but you are doing nothing more or nothing less than acting like our Lord himself..." How do we Christians tell "Jean ValJean "that it is not us "but Christ in us"? It seems to me if we don't clearly and unambiguously let the recipient of "astonishing generosity" know that is not the Four Way Test of Rotary that we follow, but Jesus as revealed in The Word Written?
Your Brother in Christ,
Derek

[David M. Smith]

Hi Tod.,

There is no doubt that Jesus expects us to astonish in all matters of faith, not just generosity. However, we need to be very discerning in how we parse, understand, and then explain Scripture. I’m not comfortable questioning your illustration of Scripture because I trust your expertise in Spiritual matters, yet I can’t help but think something is lost in the translation of some of the verses you cited.

The reason we identify, prosecute, and punish criminals is so the criminals won’t victimize others. I wouldn’t have much standing as an ambassador of Christ if I caught someone robbing my house and then set them free allowing them to rob the rest of my neighbors; perhaps even committing a murder or two along the way.

I also can’t imagine Derek standing before a jury and arguing that a criminal should be rewarded instead of punished for his criminal act in order to change his life.

Call me old [testament] fashioned, but I still believe criminals need to be punished appropriately, not excessively, in order to protect the innocent. The innocent need our generosity too. Has any society ever been improved by allowing thieves to keep what they stole along with additional rewards?