There is a big difference between those who humble themselves and those who humiliate others. We can look to what is happening in Iran right now and other Arab countries that force women to cover themselves in order to protect them from men, or protect men from their uncontrollable lust that would cause women harm. We can see this reflected in our nation and culture that a rape victim is judged by what they are wearing, not the attacker's intention and violence. To make a certain part of the population to dress and act differently rather than controlling one's own behavior is humiliation, has nothing to do with humbleness. Patriarchy whether in Iran or the United States doesn't want women to be human, or humbled, but humiliated so they feel shame and inferiority so that the men might be in control. Now, in many, many ways we are not as bad as Iran or other nations or cultures. But remember, that women couldn't vote until 100 years ago and couldn't have their own credit cards until 50 years ago. We started with the dream that "All men are created equal" and have only reluctantly included women.
Growing up in North Dakota in a mixed race family, I readily saw the racism in this country and in people and also in myself. I, however, did not see the patriarchy as readily and even in my seminary career which started at United Theological Seminary 30 years ago, I downplayed women's pain and stories. It took me quite a while to realize I wasn't as knowledgeable and wise about the ways of the world, I had some big blind spots.
During our Ministerial Lectionary Study, Pastor Bill mentioned that the Pharisee wasn't as bad as everyone thought, that he might have been humbling himself and thanking God that he was able to fast, to give, and resist temptation. There is a difference between, "Thank God I am not a Proud Boy!" and "Thank God I am not a racist!" If we just took the story at face value, then it would be a little harder to understand and interpret, but Jesus leads into the story about "some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt". That pretty much locks the Pharisee into the role of the bad guy, though in reality, they did have good points and tried to live out their faith in very trying times. The Pharisee who was pro-Israel was contrasted with the tax collector, who was also a Jew, but decided to work for the Roman occupiers in collecting money and property from his neighbors and friends (well, maybe he didn't have any friends left) as a way to survive and make a lot of money on the side. He wasn't a poor man, in many ways he was better off than the Pharisee in wealth, connections, and power. Nonetheless, the Pharisee went up first to thank God for all that he has and to crow about all he has done, and then tells God how he is better than those who sin, and singles out the tax collector. He is not humbling himself in front of God, but shining his own light for all to see. The tax collector, who may or may not be thankful for his job and security, stays a distance from the temple asking for mercy for what he has done and what he will probably continue to do. At least, in this moment, he is feeling and acknowledging the weight of his sins.
Now, I want to be absolutely clear in this next part, that ALL PEOPLE are loved by God because they are created in God's image and are HER children. To admit our sins or to call ourselves a sinner is not saying we deserve death or eternity in hell where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched. I wholeheartedly believe in original blessing found in Genesis, "God saw all that was made and proclaimed it good and blessed it. (PERIOD). I also believe we are given free will and are capable, any one of us, of evil, great and small. We only have to look our own nation's history of genocide against those nations already here when Columbus showed up, our enslavement of Africans, and our military which is spread over all the world with an unending supply of weapons and conflicts. We are also a nation that has grown and become better, almost always dragged kicking and screaming, but we are getting there. Just about any minority would want to live now than in any time in the past. And yes, there is still a ways to go.
Now, to humble ourselves is not to say we are only sinners, we are unworthy, we deserve to go to hell and any punishment given to us in this life, or we meekly accept abuse, ridicule, and systemic denigration by others. To humble ourselves is to first and foremost ground ourselves in the love and grace of God. We aren't as bad as the worst thing we have done and we aren't as great as the best. To humble ourselves is to accept our faults, our mistakes, and our continued foibles with a little mercy and forgiveness for ourselves. To humble ourselves is to look to our sins, mistakes, and blind spots and do what we can to correct them, realizing that it isn't about us, but it is about what the other needs. I am not too sure about the Apostle Paul and his ego. In this letter, I can't tell if he is bragging or being humble. As it is a good bet that Paul didn't write this, it may have been bragging, exalting Paul rather than humbling. But there are moments of self-reflection and compassion that balance it out.
As a community of faith which has made the commitment to work for a Just Peace world and be an Open and Affirming church, we can easily exalt ourselves for there has been, is and will be much good here. I do a lot of bragging about this church to my friends and family and others even in the community. We also realize how far we have to go and how much of the gains for women, BIPOC, LGBTQA+, and immigrants can be erased. So let us humble ourselves and keep doing the work, keep grounding ourselves in God and this community, and find the gratitude for all that good that has been done, inside and outside our church.
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