wide open hearts
June 24, 2018
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Well I did it just like I thought I would a week ago. Just like I told you I would when I stood before you and said I planned to read The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton. For those who were here, and for those who might not have been here, I think a little refresher is important. So, Anthony Ray, or as I discovered last week, Ray to those who know him, served thirty years on Death Row in the state of Alabama for a murder he did not commit. And instead of getting lost in his anger or getting stuck in the negativity of all the wrongs put upon him by other human beings, Ray walked out of Death Row with his faith in tack and his heart fully open to the plight of others. In fact, one of the things Ray had the hardest time dealing with upon his release was his heartache and his internal pain for those friends of his continuing to live on death row. And while some of us might not understand how or why he could feel so much love and compassion for others on death row, my only response is, READ THE BOOK. Actually, I experienced some of what Ray describes in growing close to someone on death row when I spent so much time, so many years, working on the postconviction appeals of Kenneth Lee Boyd. Ray’s story, though, far surpasses mine and I would be doing you an injustice if I used my words to describe it.
Once I finished The Sun Does Shine, I handed it to Amy (who by the way finished the entire book in one day) I picked up a book titled Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson. Now Mr. Stevenson happens to be the attorney who worked tirelessly to secure Ray Hinton’s release, but as it turned out Mr. Stevenson has spent his entire career pursuing justice for the poor, the disenfranchised and the forgotten. In other words, people who our criminal justice system seem to take delight in either executing or giving death-in-prison sentences.
I found his book, and the stories it contains, gripping and nauseating all at the same time. One of those stories involves a Prison Guard, Bryan Stevenson and a client with intellectual disabilities ordered to live out the remainder of his life behind bars. Well this story begins with Bryan entering this particular Alabama correctional facility. As he walked from the parking lot to the entrance he was struck by all of the bumper stickers on a pickup truck and even though he had been to this prison on numerous occasions, this was his first time seeing this truck. All of those bumper stickers promoted one thing, white supremacy, but one in particular bothered Bryan, an African American man. On this particular bumper sticker, he read the following, “If I’d known it was going to be like this I would have picked my own cotton.”
As he entered the prison he was greeted by a guard whom he had not met before. While his other visits to this prison had been rather cordial, this one was anything but. After informing this guard that he was there for a legal visit, the guard refused to acknowledge that he was an attorney and made Bryan go back out to his car and get his Alabama State Bar Card. Upon returning and showing him the Bar Card, the guard clearly upset told him he must now go into the side room for a strip search and even though Bryan knew he didn’t have to do that, he agreed and subjected himself to the humiliation of a strip search. Ultimately, the guard let him meet with his client, but not before saying one last thing: he asked Bryan if he saw a pickup truck in the parking lot with all of the bumper stickers and when Bryan said he did, this guard’s response was, good because I wanted to make sure you knew that was my truck.
As it should any of us, this entire experience with this guard upset Bryan Stevenson. The thing is, even though I had been reading story after story about one group of human beings tirelessly oppressing another group of human beings, reading about the way this guard saw fit to treat Bryan Stevenson was shocking. It was as though in this guard’s mind his tribe was the only tribe and anyone not in his tribe was garbage. Even worse, I believed, this guard saw no reason to have a relationship with people of another tribe, no matter how kind they might be, or how agreeable they might be to his oppressive instincts. Such attitudes have always bothered me, because I believe we are all children of God and as such our lives should be lived in a way directed toward relationships. And, it seems, this idea of creating relationships dominated Paul’s life and ministry.
************************************
What we find in today’s scripture lesson is Paul appealing to the estranged Corinthian congregation that they reconcile their relationship with God and with him. What we read here seems to be clear that Paul has done all he knows how to do to show/prove his love for the Corinthians and in return Paul perceives they have closed off their hearts. Paul has clearly stated that his heart has been open to them as well as his desire that they reciprocate by opening their heart to Paul.
The lack of reciprocation always hurts doesn’t it? When we open our hearts to others, when we outwardly display our love for others, we leave ourselves vulnerable. And being exposed, being vulnerable is hard, but when our openness… our love is not reciprocated what was initially hard can become gut wrenching.
I don’t want us, though, to lose sight of Paul’s focus by looking solely at his hurt feelings. To do that would be to make this entire lesson about Paul, and I for one don’t this that is what Paul desired. So, if we turn back to verse 1 Paul’s overall outwardly focused point becomes clear. You see, its verse 1 where we are reminded that Paul is wanting to make sure the Corinthians don’t think God’s Grace is something to be cheapened. Yes, God gives Grace freely… Yes, this Grace is theirs to freely receive… but as Paul wrote, “… we urge you not to take God’s grace in vain.” “In other words, if God’s grace has really taken root in your hearts then it had better show up in your lives. And, oh by the way, a really good indication that this has taken place would be if you open your hearts toward us and stop believing the people who have trash-talked me and the gospel I preach.”[1]
Not only have I opened my heart to you… God has always opened God’s heart to you. And the opening of hearts always leaves us vulnerable, but it is a worthy vulnerability because you see, that is what love requires. And once you understand that… once you are changed by that kind of love being poured out for you, your heart will be wide open too.
Not only does Paul recount some of the trials and tribulations he has endured in his journey of loving others… his journey after being changed by grace, but more than that Paul makes it clear to the Corinthians that all along the way he has been truthful. All along the way his love has been sincere. And all along the way he is bearing the Fruit of the Spirit. And closing off your heart to that is too much for Paul to take, but especially when his love is genuine.
When people close off their hearts toward one another, they close off the Divine. They close off their ability to understand all that Jesus taught. They close off the Good News of a life transformed by Grace.
*************************************
That first time Bryan Stevenson met with his client at that Alabama Prison, he was a bit rattled by his unfriendly encounter with the Prison Guard. Then to top it all off, his client kept asking him if he brought him a chocolate milkshake. At first Bryan had no idea what he was talking about when he asked if he brought him a chocolate milkshake, but this client just kept asking and asking. Seeing that his new client was getting more and more agitated Bryan said, you know what the next time I come I will bring you a chocolate milkshake.
Well months later Bryan had secured an evidentiary hearing for this client and the hearing would take three days. On the first day of the hearing Bryan noticed that unfriendly Prison Guard and figured he must have been the one who brought his client to court that day. As it turned out Bryan was correct that the Prison had assigned this Guard the task of bringing the client to Court and staying until the hearing was over, but Bryan never spoke to him during those three days. Instead Bryan focused on the hearing and on offering testimony about his client’s abusive foster care upbringing. One that saw his client live in twenty-nine foster homes before his teenage years. I’m certain that evidence was hard to listen to and when the hearing was over everyone went their separate ways.
Then a little while later Bryan traveled back to that prison to meet with his client and as he pulled into the parking lot he saw that pickup truck again. So, when he entered the prison he was braced for another unfriendly encounter. When the Guard first saw him, he immediately said “Hello Mr. Stevenson, how are you doing today?” Although taken aback by what sounded like kindness, Bryan said I’m fine and then proceeded to enter the side room for the strip search. Before that could happen, the Guard said, “Oh no. We don’t need to do that today, and when I saw you coming I went ahead and signed your name, so you don’t have to worry about that either.”
After opening the door to the visitation room Bryan began to enter when he felt the Guard put his hand on his shoulder. When Bryan turned around he said the Guard had tears running down his cheeks. Then the guard proceeded to thank Bryan for what he was doing for his client. The guard told Bryan that he too grew up in Foster homes and thought he had it really bad. So bad in fact that he began to go into a dark place and started to hate certain people. But, he said, listening to all that evidence you shared at that hearing something happened to me. And I know I had it bad, but you helped me realize that others have had a rough time too and that I can’t live any longer hating people because of it. You helped open my heart.
Now with tears falling down both men’s cheeks Bryan said thank you and turned toward the table where he would meet with his client. When he turned the guard said, “oh and one more thing but tell anybody because I probably shouldn’t have done this, but after the last day of the hearing when we were driving back to the Prison I drove through a Wendy’s and got your client a chocolate milkshake.”
Unbelievable isn’t it? This man who literally hated another man had changed in a short amount of time. His understanding of people had changed. His understanding of himself had changed. And all because he witnessed the life of someone whose heart was wide open to helping others. In my opinion, that is Paul’s lesson here.
So, may we, my brothers and sisters, not receive God’s grace in vain. May we open our hearts wide. And in doing so, may our lives be transformed.
Amen!
[1] Johnson, Elisabeth, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=327
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Well I did it just like I thought I would a week ago. Just like I told you I would when I stood before you and said I planned to read The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton. For those who were here, and for those who might not have been here, I think a little refresher is important. So, Anthony Ray, or as I discovered last week, Ray to those who know him, served thirty years on Death Row in the state of Alabama for a murder he did not commit. And instead of getting lost in his anger or getting stuck in the negativity of all the wrongs put upon him by other human beings, Ray walked out of Death Row with his faith in tack and his heart fully open to the plight of others. In fact, one of the things Ray had the hardest time dealing with upon his release was his heartache and his internal pain for those friends of his continuing to live on death row. And while some of us might not understand how or why he could feel so much love and compassion for others on death row, my only response is, READ THE BOOK. Actually, I experienced some of what Ray describes in growing close to someone on death row when I spent so much time, so many years, working on the postconviction appeals of Kenneth Lee Boyd. Ray’s story, though, far surpasses mine and I would be doing you an injustice if I used my words to describe it.
Once I finished The Sun Does Shine, I handed it to Amy (who by the way finished the entire book in one day) I picked up a book titled Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson. Now Mr. Stevenson happens to be the attorney who worked tirelessly to secure Ray Hinton’s release, but as it turned out Mr. Stevenson has spent his entire career pursuing justice for the poor, the disenfranchised and the forgotten. In other words, people who our criminal justice system seem to take delight in either executing or giving death-in-prison sentences.
I found his book, and the stories it contains, gripping and nauseating all at the same time. One of those stories involves a Prison Guard, Bryan Stevenson and a client with intellectual disabilities ordered to live out the remainder of his life behind bars. Well this story begins with Bryan entering this particular Alabama correctional facility. As he walked from the parking lot to the entrance he was struck by all of the bumper stickers on a pickup truck and even though he had been to this prison on numerous occasions, this was his first time seeing this truck. All of those bumper stickers promoted one thing, white supremacy, but one in particular bothered Bryan, an African American man. On this particular bumper sticker, he read the following, “If I’d known it was going to be like this I would have picked my own cotton.”
As he entered the prison he was greeted by a guard whom he had not met before. While his other visits to this prison had been rather cordial, this one was anything but. After informing this guard that he was there for a legal visit, the guard refused to acknowledge that he was an attorney and made Bryan go back out to his car and get his Alabama State Bar Card. Upon returning and showing him the Bar Card, the guard clearly upset told him he must now go into the side room for a strip search and even though Bryan knew he didn’t have to do that, he agreed and subjected himself to the humiliation of a strip search. Ultimately, the guard let him meet with his client, but not before saying one last thing: he asked Bryan if he saw a pickup truck in the parking lot with all of the bumper stickers and when Bryan said he did, this guard’s response was, good because I wanted to make sure you knew that was my truck.
As it should any of us, this entire experience with this guard upset Bryan Stevenson. The thing is, even though I had been reading story after story about one group of human beings tirelessly oppressing another group of human beings, reading about the way this guard saw fit to treat Bryan Stevenson was shocking. It was as though in this guard’s mind his tribe was the only tribe and anyone not in his tribe was garbage. Even worse, I believed, this guard saw no reason to have a relationship with people of another tribe, no matter how kind they might be, or how agreeable they might be to his oppressive instincts. Such attitudes have always bothered me, because I believe we are all children of God and as such our lives should be lived in a way directed toward relationships. And, it seems, this idea of creating relationships dominated Paul’s life and ministry.
************************************
What we find in today’s scripture lesson is Paul appealing to the estranged Corinthian congregation that they reconcile their relationship with God and with him. What we read here seems to be clear that Paul has done all he knows how to do to show/prove his love for the Corinthians and in return Paul perceives they have closed off their hearts. Paul has clearly stated that his heart has been open to them as well as his desire that they reciprocate by opening their heart to Paul.
The lack of reciprocation always hurts doesn’t it? When we open our hearts to others, when we outwardly display our love for others, we leave ourselves vulnerable. And being exposed, being vulnerable is hard, but when our openness… our love is not reciprocated what was initially hard can become gut wrenching.
I don’t want us, though, to lose sight of Paul’s focus by looking solely at his hurt feelings. To do that would be to make this entire lesson about Paul, and I for one don’t this that is what Paul desired. So, if we turn back to verse 1 Paul’s overall outwardly focused point becomes clear. You see, its verse 1 where we are reminded that Paul is wanting to make sure the Corinthians don’t think God’s Grace is something to be cheapened. Yes, God gives Grace freely… Yes, this Grace is theirs to freely receive… but as Paul wrote, “… we urge you not to take God’s grace in vain.” “In other words, if God’s grace has really taken root in your hearts then it had better show up in your lives. And, oh by the way, a really good indication that this has taken place would be if you open your hearts toward us and stop believing the people who have trash-talked me and the gospel I preach.”[1]
Not only have I opened my heart to you… God has always opened God’s heart to you. And the opening of hearts always leaves us vulnerable, but it is a worthy vulnerability because you see, that is what love requires. And once you understand that… once you are changed by that kind of love being poured out for you, your heart will be wide open too.
Not only does Paul recount some of the trials and tribulations he has endured in his journey of loving others… his journey after being changed by grace, but more than that Paul makes it clear to the Corinthians that all along the way he has been truthful. All along the way his love has been sincere. And all along the way he is bearing the Fruit of the Spirit. And closing off your heart to that is too much for Paul to take, but especially when his love is genuine.
When people close off their hearts toward one another, they close off the Divine. They close off their ability to understand all that Jesus taught. They close off the Good News of a life transformed by Grace.
*************************************
That first time Bryan Stevenson met with his client at that Alabama Prison, he was a bit rattled by his unfriendly encounter with the Prison Guard. Then to top it all off, his client kept asking him if he brought him a chocolate milkshake. At first Bryan had no idea what he was talking about when he asked if he brought him a chocolate milkshake, but this client just kept asking and asking. Seeing that his new client was getting more and more agitated Bryan said, you know what the next time I come I will bring you a chocolate milkshake.
Well months later Bryan had secured an evidentiary hearing for this client and the hearing would take three days. On the first day of the hearing Bryan noticed that unfriendly Prison Guard and figured he must have been the one who brought his client to court that day. As it turned out Bryan was correct that the Prison had assigned this Guard the task of bringing the client to Court and staying until the hearing was over, but Bryan never spoke to him during those three days. Instead Bryan focused on the hearing and on offering testimony about his client’s abusive foster care upbringing. One that saw his client live in twenty-nine foster homes before his teenage years. I’m certain that evidence was hard to listen to and when the hearing was over everyone went their separate ways.
Then a little while later Bryan traveled back to that prison to meet with his client and as he pulled into the parking lot he saw that pickup truck again. So, when he entered the prison he was braced for another unfriendly encounter. When the Guard first saw him, he immediately said “Hello Mr. Stevenson, how are you doing today?” Although taken aback by what sounded like kindness, Bryan said I’m fine and then proceeded to enter the side room for the strip search. Before that could happen, the Guard said, “Oh no. We don’t need to do that today, and when I saw you coming I went ahead and signed your name, so you don’t have to worry about that either.”
After opening the door to the visitation room Bryan began to enter when he felt the Guard put his hand on his shoulder. When Bryan turned around he said the Guard had tears running down his cheeks. Then the guard proceeded to thank Bryan for what he was doing for his client. The guard told Bryan that he too grew up in Foster homes and thought he had it really bad. So bad in fact that he began to go into a dark place and started to hate certain people. But, he said, listening to all that evidence you shared at that hearing something happened to me. And I know I had it bad, but you helped me realize that others have had a rough time too and that I can’t live any longer hating people because of it. You helped open my heart.
Now with tears falling down both men’s cheeks Bryan said thank you and turned toward the table where he would meet with his client. When he turned the guard said, “oh and one more thing but tell anybody because I probably shouldn’t have done this, but after the last day of the hearing when we were driving back to the Prison I drove through a Wendy’s and got your client a chocolate milkshake.”
Unbelievable isn’t it? This man who literally hated another man had changed in a short amount of time. His understanding of people had changed. His understanding of himself had changed. And all because he witnessed the life of someone whose heart was wide open to helping others. In my opinion, that is Paul’s lesson here.
So, may we, my brothers and sisters, not receive God’s grace in vain. May we open our hearts wide. And in doing so, may our lives be transformed.
Amen!
[1] Johnson, Elisabeth, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=327
