Changing the World
Changing the World
Psalm 72:1-5; Matthew 18:1-6, 10 NLT
A meditation delivered electronically by Rev. Dr. Randy K. Hammer, Nov. 8, 2020
You, no doubt, are familiar with the term “labor of love.” But are you aware of the origin of that phrase? Did you know that the phrase, “labor of love,” actually comes from the Bible, from Paul’s first letter to the church of the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NRSV)?
To share a bit of biblical trivia, many biblical scholars believe (and
this is what I was taught in seminary) that the Apostle Paul’s First Letter to
the Thessalonians is the oldest piece of writing we have in the New Testament,
having been penned approximately 45-50 C.E.
Paul had visited Thessalonica during one of his missionary journeys and
established a house church there.
But he was only able to stay a short time, as he encountered
difficulties and was forced to leave.
But during his short time there, he had established strong bonds with
the Thessalonian Christians, whom he refers to several times as “brothers and
sisters.” After Paul’s departure, the
fledging new Christian congregation managed to survive, but not without great
difficulty.
For, you see, in that day and time, and in that part of the world, it
was not always easy to embrace this new Christian faith that Paul
preached. It often was looked upon as a
cult. It was not easy to adopt this new
Christian religion in a city that boasted a plethora of religions and
idols. These believers faced alienation
from their neighbors and the larger society, hostility, and sometimes downright
persecution.
And so, Paul wrote a letter to this young, fledging congregation back
in Thessalonica, seeking to encourage them to stay strong in the face of the
alienation, hostility, and possible persecution they faced. But here is the point: In this letter, and in
the first words written that we have preserved in the New Testament writings, Paul
refers to their commitment to the Christian faith and the new church they had
founded as a “labor of love” (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NRSV). Hence, the origin of the phrase.
You know, some of the most important things we do in life – things
that are not always easy – are labors of love. Often it is not that
high-paying job, or status in life, or prestige of some sort that brings life’s
satisfaction. It is that thing we do out
of love and that often involves personal sacrifice that can bring us the
greatest sense of satisfaction and reward in life, such as when we give of
ourselves or our resources to someone or some cause greater than ourselves;
when we give several hours volunteering so as to touch in a positive way the
lives of others; when we go out of our way to do something totally altruistic
that helps change the world for the better.
Well, the United Church Nursery School has from the beginning, I
believe, been a labor of love. It is a
nursery school founded on positive principles that encourage creativity,
independence, competence, self-confidence, communication skills, respect for
self and others, and the giving and receiving of love. The United Church Nursery School has
consistently received the DHS three-star rating. It is known for welcoming and celebrating
diversity, and it has exerted a positive influence in the greater Oak Ridge
area for 59 years. As I have encountered
people in the Oak Ridge community, when they learned of my position here at the
Chapel on the Hill, I often have had someone say to me, “Oh yes! I attended the United Church Nursery
School.” And they are proud of that
fact.
To repeat it, as I think about our Nursery School and those who teach
and volunteer on its behalf, I am convinced it is nothing short of a great labor of love. In case some of you didn’t already know, our
Nursery School Director and teachers are not getting wealthy on the salaries
they make here. Our Nursery School
directors and teachers have taught here, not because of the financial rewards
it has brought them. But they have done
so because they have a passion for it, they believe in its program, they feel
in their hearts that what they do here matters and makes a positive difference
in the lives of children, and they have great love for the children they serve. It is a true labor of love.
For many years, Marian Wright Edelman was president of the Children’s
Defense Fund, which has an educational center at the Alex Haley Farm in
Clinton. Edelman has written a number of
books on her life, people who have influenced her, her work for the Children’s
Defense Fund, and on the rights of children.
In her book titled Guide My Feet: Prayers and Meditations for Our
Children, Edelman has this to say:
After parents and kin, and
along with religious leaders, childcare workers and teachers probably play the
most important role in many children’s lives.
It is ironic that those having the greatest influence on our children’s
values and development are the least valued by our society. . . .
I want people who struggle and
work daily for children to know they are valued and are valuable in ways that
money or political judgments can never dimmish. . . Serving children well is
not a job. It is a calling. . . . Carry
on for the children you love and touch.
They need every encouragement to find their way, however difficult the
moment and discouraged you get. You
matter.1
Well, both the psalmist (psalm 72) and Jesus (Matthew 18) spoke of the
importance of defending, rescuing, protecting, and caring for children. Is such not a timely mandate for today when
the welfare of many children is so tenuous and in jeopardy because of politics
and the problems our nation and wider world are facing? The challenges of home schooling during this
pandemic and the risk of traditional schooling, the uncertainty of health
insurance and adequate health care for children, and food insecurity, just to
name a few issues? These are some of the
problems that need to be addressed across party lines.
Yes, teaching, defending, protecting, and caring for children can be a
true labor of love. But let us be
assured and encouraged that doing so has the potential of changing the world –
one child at a time. Amen.
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