“When Things Go Wrong” (03/03/2024)

Do you recall watching the riots of 2020 following the death of George Floyd? Do you recall the cities torn apart by senseless burning and looting, destruction of homes and businesses, deaths of innocents? As I watched, I recalled a saying uttered years ago by a most unlikely person. “When things go wrong, don’t go with them.” And I realized how we can get caught up in wrong so easily.

At times it might be understandable. We are hurt or we are angry. But the LORD created us to be intentionally loving in our actions and reactions, not hateful or even evil. Recall that Jesus taught us that when someone strikes us to turn the other cheek. We’re not to live with the mindset of “an eye for an eye” but rather one of forgiveness. And we’re called to live a life of loving kindness and mercy not of hate and retaliation.

This Lent as I’ve journeyed prayerfully and sought the guidance of the Spirit in “turning” and “returning” to the LORD, in setting down those things I don’t need so that I can better pick up those things the LORD is calling me to do, my sense of a call to righteousness has been elevated. And as I look around, I realize how far we have strayed as a world from righteousness and loving relationship with our LORD and one another. Our churches are half empty. Our crime is up. Our reactive responses have grown more intense to the point of rage. Can we acknowledge that things are going wrong? Can we or will we seek the help of the LORD who alone can help us right our course?

It begins with us individually. Can we refuse to participate in the outlandish polarization of our world, our country, our communities? Can we set down divisions and will we work for unity?  

This morning as I reflected on the good that I saw in the community soup supper and contrasted it to what I see on the news, I was struck with the realization of the wisdom of the quote, “When things go wrong, don’t go with them.” And I was also struck by the realization that my favorite prayer can be instrumental for me and perhaps for you in re-orienting ourselves.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

As we begin week three of our Lenten Journey and our commitment to Christ and to living Christ in all situations and all places, let us insist on being the instruments of the LORD’s peace which is wholeness and holiness, which is the antidote to division and evil. Perhaps, the use of this prayer daily as a morning offering that helps us recall who we are called to be will help us in our day’s decisions. And if, perhaps, we use it as an examination of our conscience at the end of the day, asking ourselves how we responded when things went wrong, did we add to the wrong, or did we seek to be the LORD’s instruments in that moment and place for loving goodness?

“When things go wrong, don’t go with them.” Let us seek to be the instruments of the LORD during this season. Let us seek to live and love well.

And when we’re wondering if we can do this, we just need to remember that the LORD chooses the most unlikely people sometimes – maybe it’s us.

Remember the saying, “When things go wrong, don’t go with them.” Now who would you think came up with that? Benjamin Franklin? St. Francis of Assisi? Mother Teresa of Calcutta? Abraham Lincoln? No, it was Elvis Presley. Elvis was extremely talented, but I never put him in the “wise” column. But that is a profoundly wise statement. And it makes me wonder, what piece of wisdom has the Spirit given to me and to you?

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.

Thoughts? Questions? – email katewiskus@gmail.com