17.07.05 Colin Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43 The Wheat & The Tares
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Quite a lot of the work that I have done in the past year is to do with developing leadership. Every organisation, every church and every country faces the challenge of how it can be led effectively. One of the best know writers on effective leadership comes at it from a perspective which feels to me very much with the Christian mode – Daniel Goleman has popularised the concept of emotional intelligence – being aware of our own emotional states, and those of others, and being able to manage our own emotions and respond appropriately to others. He outlines 6 styles of leadership:
Goleman argues that while all six styles of are valid, the last two, the Pacesetting and the Commanding styles, should only be rarely used, since they are usually used very badly! In other words, when leaders set incredibly high standards for themselves and demand others to live up to this, it creates resentment since people have no choice... And when leaders order people to do things or demand their response, it is often causes unnecessary offence because people have no choice.
Jesus styles of leadership focused very much on the first three styles:
Visionary – the evidence is clear that people down the centuries have bought into the values and trusting faith that Jesus proclaimed
Coaching – Jesus spent 3 years with his disciples developing their understanding and skills
Affiliative – Jesus was exemplary in the way in which he developed close and loving relationships with people.
The parable of the Tares, or weeds, concerns a problem that has arisen inside the church itself – and the question is what is to be done about imperfections in the community? How should the leaders lead on this issue? Should the church take the lead in solving this problem by outlining its very high standards and by demanding or commanding that people live up to them?
Matthew offers a range of possible responses. In Chapter 18 verses 15-17, Matthew outlines a difficulty between two individuals and indicates a practical course of action to bring about a resolution of the problem: these steps were to recognize the problem, identify the various steps that need to be taken, the outcomes to be sought and the need to have clarity at the end.
However in today’s reading, Matthew advocates no action. He advises leaving remedial action till ‘the end of the age’, when the returning Christ will decide on the right action. The issue in Chapter 13 may have been attitudes coming into the church from the outside world or interpretations about the Gospel which caused dissent but Matthew argues there are some issues that are best left alone. He shows another way for Christians. The problem is recognized, people are aware of it, but NOTHING is done actively to solve it. In fact the opposite is encouraged – let the weeds grow and have their life, for at the harvest a resolution will be found. In other words, leave it in God’s hands to solve in His time.
There are weaknesses within us as individuals and as communities and as a Church in the world. Every community has issues to face from time-to-time. If we choose to face up to issue as advocated in Matthew 18, we must be sure we take the correct approach. Like the Commanding and Pace Setting styles of leadership, individuals and communities demanding very high standards from others sometimes do enormous damage to individuals and communities because the demands sometimes bring serious dissent and argument.
So, like choosing the appropriate style of leadership for the situation, the way in which we seek to resolve an issue by an individual approach, or by leaving it to the timing of God, is a matter for mature spiritual discernment. Both approaches are valid.
There are, as there have always been, many tensions within the church today and much fervour can be dedicated to argument and much heat generated in debate and too often, much pain caused and questions raised as to our witness to the world. Issues such as the appointment of female Bishops, some in the Free Church of Scotland in going to court to settle disputes, the appointment of gay clergy.
But Matthew is quite clear in interpreting the thinking of Jesus. Some issues can and should be resolved. Others are too big and require to be lived with in the context of the graciousness of God, who in time will resolve all things. The issue for Christians is in discerning which to deal with and resolve, and which to leave to God’s judgement.
If we reflect on the ministry of Jesus, he had incredibly high standards for himself, and shared with people his vision of those standards and the relationship with God that following Jesus would bring. But, he never forced that on them – the choice was always belonged to the hearer. Jesus offered openness and inclusiveness. He talked to the sinners as much, and perhaps more, than the righteous. He proclaimed his vision, but gave people choice. If our Christian community is open and inclusive, setting the standards of Jesus for ourselves and offering this to others, we are more likely to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, than if we are closed and exclusive.
Of course we want to eradicate the weeds, the evil, like the servants in Jesus' story. But as always, it depends on finding the right way to do so – to take action, or to leave it to God’s judgment.
Terrorism perhaps gives us an illustration of the difficult principle of when to defend our standards and when to leave God to defend them. We all want an end to terrorism, but how can it be achieved?
If we consider the war against terror that is taking place we must judge now whether the attack on Iraq has helped to reduce or increase terrorism. Fighting a war on terrorism can multiply terrorism. The question we must try to answer is has this particular direct action been fruitful in reducing the incidence of terrorism or not?
If we believe that God will reap the final harvest, we must trust God. Like the servants in the story, we must accept that the master knows best, that judgment belongs to God, that the redemption of the world, the eradication of evil, the final harvest, is God's responsibility not ours.
But trusting God doesn't mean doing nothing. It means preparing for the harvest in God's way, not ours. The harvest of humanity has already begun with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We don't have to sit around and wait. We can help prepare for the final end-of-time harvest, the final eradication of evil, by harvesting in Christ's way now.
Of course Christ's way means bringing terrorists to justice where that is possible, and stopping terrorism where that is possible. God is a God of justice, and terrorists are criminals.
But Christ's way also means tackling evil by tackling the causes of evil – the social, economic and political conditions which create the conditions in which the evil spirit of terrorism grows. That's the way to cast out the evil spirit of terrorism from suicide bombers and those who support them. We can work at this by our giving and by politically responsible activity in our own country.
And Christ's way involves care and compassion for the victims of evil. We saw professional care and self-sacrificing compassion abundant on the streets of London. We can do this by our giving and our actions each day, caring for those who have little or who are oppressed or trodden down.
When Jesus tells the parable of the Tares, he indicates the Sower has planted good seed which will withstand the pressure that the weeds will bring. The moral of the parable is that the seed God has sown in us is a good and strong therefore we do not need to be afraid of the ‘tares’ growing around us. Their influences on our life can be strong; they want life too but see it from a different point of view; they may have a different purpose; they may have different or no view about faith; they may not be interested in the environment or in fair trade; they may understand morality differently and live different lifestyles.
But, the seed sown is us is high quality. We need to celebrate with joy the confidence that God has placed in us. Each person touched by the Spirit, with all their gifts and abilities, experience and knowledge, has the incredible potential to grow like a seed and develop into the fullness of their own personhood. In our own life; in the church and in the world God has confidence in us to build the Kingdom. In the love revealed by Christ, we are given the pattern of who we are able to be, by the power of the Spirit.
Jesus urges us to develop the spiritual maturity and insight to know when to stand up for Christian standard and principles and when to leave that judgement to God. Jesus is our model and example of communicating his vision, of getting alongside people in loving relationships, and in coaching his disciples to help them develop spiritual insight and maturity...
Let us celebrate that God has placed so much trust in us. Let us seek to share the forgiveness and loving inclusiveness of Jesus. Let us, wherever possible, leave judgement to God. Let us build the Kingdom of Heaven hear on Earth.