HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-08-24, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017.
From the Minister's Study
'The devil made me do it' says Livingstone
By Archdeacon Allan Livingstone,
Anglican Parish
of New Beginnings
Bible reference: Romans 7:15-25a;
Matthew 11: 25-30.
Every summer there seems to be
lots of work rebuilding and replacing
bridges in our area.
Driving through the countryside it
would not be unusual to encounter a
huge sign at the head of a road in the
middle of nowhere that read, "Road
Closed. Bridge out. Detour. Local
traffic only." A huge annoying arrow
under the word detour would point
in exactly the direction we did not
want to go.
I am prepared to admit that I have
encountered such a sign and I have
sat in my car and pondered its
message. "Was this sign meant for
me?" I asked myself. I wondered if
the words "Local traffic only" were
telling me that there was in truth a
way through, that it was just that the
construction crew did not want to
deal with a lot of traffic slowing
them up. After looking around for a
brief moment to see if anyone would
notice, I skirted the huge sign and I
took the road. After all it was
Saturday and the crew would have
the day off. I would save time and no
one would be the worse for my small
offence. And since it was August and
the sign had been up since April,
they must have completed enough of
the bridge to let traffic cross.
Ten minutes down the road, I
discovered that the crew was
working and the bridge was still out
and three workmen looked at me as
though I was an alien just landed
from Mars.
What makes us want to do these
things? I'm not the only one to think
this way, am I? Surely some of you
have walked into a china shop and
seen the sign that says "Please ask
for help before picking up the
crystal" and you have picked up the
$2,000 Waterford crystal vase
anyway and you have not asked for
help. Or ... hasn't anyone claimed
an expense on their income tax even
though the receipt is misplaced?
Signs like these, rules like these,
are always there with a purpose in
mind for somebody's benefit. They
are not evil. They are not even
annoying. But somehow they bring
out the worst in us. The problem is
not a new one. The Book of Genesis
records that favourite story of Eve
testing the forbidden fruit.
So even our earliest ancestors
understood the problem. In the
annals of classic literature we can
read that in the first century before
Christ, Horace, a Roman poet,
wrote, "I pursue the things that have
done me harm; I shun the things I
believe will do me good." Ovid, a
fellow poet from the same era was
even more blunt. "I see the right, and
t
Lining 1Vater
C�1riatihm rre��
August -
VISITATION SUNDAYS
"I was glad when I heard
them say, 'Let us go to
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- Ps. 122:1
Evangelical Missionary Church
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848
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I approve it too, Condemn the wrong
— and yet the wrong pursue."
Perhaps we do these things
because we are naturally inquisitive.
Perhaps there is a gene in our
makeup that makes us test all kinds
of things. Perhaps because we live in
such a fast -paced world we are
looking for any way to beat others to
paradise.
Whatever the reason for our
behaviour, the desire to play the
blame game seems innately human
too. It is easy to be like Eve and
blame the serpent. In my time as a
school principal, I had occasion to
appear in court every now and then
on matters relating to some of my
more difficult students. I would
always have to sit in court and listen
to the day's proceedings as I waited
my turn. In one case I listened to a
justice of the peace ask a man why
he was driving 180 kilometres in an
80 kilometre -per -hour speed zone.
Without hesitating the man replied,
"It wasn't my fault your worship, I
didn't realize the car speedometer
wasn't working!" Amazing!
One of my all-time favourite
comedians, Flip Wilson, appeared
on his own television program
between 1970 and 1974. Wilson
played with the problem of the
choices we make through some
unforgettable characters he created.
His most famous character was a
black woman named Geraldine.
Perfectly coifed and decked out in
designer clothes and chartreuse
stockings, Geraldine demanded
respect. Liberated, yet married,
outspoken, yet feminine, poised,
Geraldine was neither floozy nor
threatening. This colourful black
female image struck a positive chord
with viewers; her one-liners like
"When you're hot, you're hot," and
"What you see is what you get!"
were quoted by everyone. But
Geraldine became most famous for
admitting to the little follies we all
understand — she'd buy an
outrageous new purse and charge it
on her husband's credit card without
telling him. After every admission
she would smile demurely and
admit, "The devil made me do it!"
and we would all laugh.
It might be a bit of a stretch to
compare St. Paul and Geraldine. I
don't detect much of a sense of
humour in St. Paul, but he did
complain about succumbing to the
little temptations. Here was a man
brought up under the regime of
Pharisaic law. The law was good for
the community. The law was holy.
The law could guide one's soul.
Paul said he knew all that, but he still
found it hard to resist doing the
things he shouldn't do. Imagine
Paul talking to himself about the
problem of temptation and evil with
a little cartoon devil sitting on one
shoulder and the angel of good
sitting on the other while they
compete to catch his ear.
It is easy to think that Paul is too
hard on himself as he complains
about his own weakness for
temptation. But we must at least
acknowledge that the problem of
evil is ours too. We all struggle to
make right choices in life. Those
detour signs are so annoying and so
unforgiving as they stare us in the
face. Who isn't tempted to disobey,
to rebel every now and then?
Church leaders recognized our
weakness centuries ago and so
designed the act of confession in
which we acknowledge the things
we have done wrong intentionally
and by forgetfulness and we ask for
God's forgiveness. For all of us who
struggle with temptation Jesus has
some advice for us. He says gently
and simply, if you are tired of the rat
race and even feeling burned out by
BRUSSELS
United Church
Welcome to Sunday morning worship
at 11:00 am
Hillary MacDonald (905) 246-7386
Macdonald.hillary@gmail.com
Everyone welcome
Reason # 47 Why I Love My Church:
"When they make birthday
boy Steve wear a party hat
through the whole church
service!" - Pastor Mark
"Always A Place For You"
Every Sunday in Auburn @ 10:30am
huronchapel.com
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
For the month of August we will be worshipping at
Brussels United Church
at 11:00 a.m.
Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2
- a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and
made possible by the Brussels churches working together.
Nursery care available
519-887-6687
having to deal with the down side of
giving in to temptation, come to me.
I'll show you how to take a real rest.
Walk with me and work with me —
watch how I do it. Learn the
unforced rhythms of grace. Learn
how to give and take. How to forgive
and be forgiven. How to love your
neighbour. How to be truthful and
honourable in all you do. How to
Nave a New
additia•rt?
Let everyone know about
your new bundle of joy!
Call for prices and details
519-523-4792
or 519-887-9114
The
Citizen
struggle mightily with temptation. I
won't lay anything too heavy on
you. Keep company with me and
you'll learn how to live freely and
happily.
Great advice for all of us. Amen.
Drop by our office in
Blyth or Brussels and
check out our wonderful
selection of books. We
have books for all ages.
413 Queen St., Blyth
519-523-4792
541 Turnberry St., Brussels
519-887-9114
Jou re 9nvited go join Is 9n 6Wors/ip
SUNDAYS
Morning Service
Evening Service
10:00 am
7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
AGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
BLYTH
Trinity
6k. 9:15 am
Church Office
519-357-4883
BRUSSELS
St. John's
11:15 am
Church Office
519-887-6862
Everyone Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
Fladdee4 eo t s i #4 'Eine eitaftee
You're Invited
to come worsEt'
with u5
Sunday, August 27 — 10:30 a.m.
650 Alexander St. (former Brussels Public School)
Sunday School for children
4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m.
Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers
during the sermon.
Coffee & cookies after the morning service.
Evening Services July 9 to Sept. 3
6:30 p.m. at various homes
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Blyth United Church
Est. 1875
Worship Service
at 9:30 a.m.
Sunday, August 27
Please join us
and see our
renovation process
making us more
accessible to you
Hillary MacDonald
All are welcome
OFFICE: 519-523-4224