'What are you looking for?' February 24
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 95 & 31; PM Psalm 35; Deut. 7:12-16; Titus 2:1-15; John 1:35-42
Today’s Reflection
In today’s Gospel passage, John comes to a new orientation when he gains divine clarity about who Jesus is and what he had come to do. What is John’s response to taking on this new orientation? He wants others also to know that Jesus is the Lamb of God. The next day, when John is out with Andrew and another disciple, he cannot help but proclaim excitedly, when he sees Jesus passing by, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
John proclaims to his friends that Jesus is the Lamb of God. And how do they respond? They go off to follow Jesus as he keeps walking down the road. Jesus notices them following him and asks them, “What are you looking for?,” but knowing of course that they were looking for him. The two disciples ask, “Rabbi, where are you staying?”
Jesus over-accepts and says, “Come and see.” Come be with me. Come spend time with me. Come see for yourself and listen and wonder anything you want.
So, when I say Jesus over-accepts, what does that mean? In the world of improvisational theatre and comedy, there’s a concept called over-accepting. In improvisation, one improviser makes an offer the next. In order the keep the improvisation going, the person to whom the offer will say “Yes, and…” In a first-year seminary class, we read a book about how all this helps us make sense of the Christian faith and how we are to live that out: “When someone makes us an offer, or gives us a gift, it leads us to wonder: How can this gift be understood or used in a good and faithful way? What does the way we accept this gift say about the kind of people we are and want to be? What can or has this gift become in the kingdom of God? Where is it perceived to fit into the story of the way God deals with his people and how that fitting in takes place?” (Wells, Improvisation, 2015).
To me, how Jesus’ offer to “Come and see” is a truly clarifying moment in Jesus’ incarnation. Jesus came to be with us. Jesus was open. Instead of feeling bothered by these two men following him up the street and wanting to know where he was staying, Jesus was ready for them. He didn’t just tell them where he was staying or half-heartedly suggest they stop by tomorrow. Instead, he says, “Come and see.” As in right this very minute. Even though it was four o’clock, maybe a great time to finally get back to the house to take a nap or do something relaxing at the end of a long day. But Jesus says, come on over. Let’s talk. Come find what it is you are looking for with me.
Becky+
Moment for Reflection
When has someone responded to something you have shared or something you have done with over-acceptance? I wonder how that choice to over-accept influenced or deepened your sense of connection and friendship.
Today’s reflection is an excerpt from my January 15 sermon, which you can listen to here.