I added another calf to my barnyard last week.

Christian was born out

in the pasture to a very protective mother. Although the cow had plenty of
milk, Christian couldnt seem to figure out how to nurse. Larry and I got him
away from his mother and got him to drink a bottle of colostrum mix; we
were sure that a calf with a full stomach and a willing mother would be just
fine. The next day, however, Christian still looked hungry. Larry tied up the
cow and held him up to her, and Christian drank his fill. That evening, Larry
tied up the cow again. Christian still wouldnt eat unless the (teat) was
literally put in his mouth. It was decided that Christian was simply too stupid
to be trusted when Larry and Peggy had to leave town, so he is now a
bottle calf. Of course, I still have to go in the pen and straddle him, feeding
him the bottle from behind, if he is going to eat. How could God let an
animal who cant even figure out how to fulfill his most basic needs without
human intervention be born? As you may have guessed from the calfs
name, I see a connection between his bull-headedness and the human
response to God.
In Romans, Paul is trying to explain why we should try to live good,
moral lives even though all of our sins have been forgiven through Christ.
If following the rules doesnt earn us any credit in heaven, and Jesus came
to abolish the law, what is the point of doing so? It is easy to get bogged
down here, as it is any time that we look at laws and law enforcement. For
example, Michael Bennett, who plays for the Seattle Seahawks, is one of
the NFL players who has chosen not to stand for the national anthem. He
recently reported that he was caught in the middle of an incident in Las
Vegas where shots were fired. During the police response, he was treated
roughly and ended up on the ground with guns pointed at him. He feels that
this happened because he was judged as guilty of being black in the wrong
place at the right time. In my opinion, it is virtually impossible to have a
meaningful conversation about this for several reasons: 1. We werent
there, so we have no understanding of exactly what happened. 2. We
arent one of the participants in the incident, so we cant share the lens
through which they experienced it. 3. There is too much pressure to choose
sides for or against law enforcement.
If we cant talk reasonably about the divide between law enforcement
and people of color, how can we possibly be trusted to interpret divine
justice? In todays gospel reading, Paul tells us, you know what time it is.
This isnt a warning that the end is near, but a reminder that the promised
new beginning is near. Salvation is now nearer to us than when we
became believers. The natural response, according to Paul, is love. We
love one another, not out of a sense of obligation, but out of sheer joy.
Martin Luther saw no spiritual gain in following the law simply to avoid
consequences -- he called that the civil use of the law. On the other hand,
he said that the believer without any coercion and with a willing spirit,
insofar as he is reborn, does what no threat of the law could ever have
wrung from him.
Discussing President Trumps executive order ending the Dream
Act, a legislator said, We dont want those who came into the country
under this act to be punished. On the other hand, we dont want to reward
them with citizenship either. Lets leave the rewards and punishments to
God and simply do our best to love one another! AMEN