Genteel Jesus

Hiding our crazy and loving our neighbor  

Matthew 17:22-27  

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes,” he said.  When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up.  Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”   

          One of the things I love about the South is how the prevailing culture is gentle or “genteel.” Do you know what “genteel” means? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines genteel as “having a quietly appealing or polite quality,” and “free from vulgarity or rudeness.” And that’s true here in Fort Smith, unless you try to change the high school mascot. But by and large, we try to speak, act and live in a way to avoid giving others offense.   

          This genteel spirit is epitomized excellently in Miranda Lambert’s song called “Mama’s Broken Heart.” A young girl is suffering a break up with her boyfriend, and her mother’s advice is to be a little more “genteel.” She sings: “Go and fix your make up, girl, it’s just a break up, Run and hide your crazy and start acting like a lady, ‘Cause I raised you better, gotta keep it together, Even when you fall apart. But this ain’t my mama’s broken heart.” Even though she disagrees with her mother, she defines this southern genteel spirit perfectly: if at all possible, try not to offend others.

          In the gospel today, we see a “genteel Jesus” in his attitude and actions; he sort of “hides his crazy.” He explains to Peter why they both are legitimately exempt from paying the Temple tax. But then he adds, “But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up.” In the mouth of the fish would be a coin to pay their tax. Now, we know Jesus does not take the Temple lightly – remember how he drove out the money changers in Matthew 21:12? But that was a rare moment of his wrath, his righteous indignation. But 99% of the time we see a more “genteel Jesus.”

          I recently received an email from someone incensed about Pope Francis and his soft treatment of Muslims. I want to share my reply with you, as an example of “genteel Christianity,” and how to hide your crazy. I wrote: “Dear Friend, my apologizes for taking this long to reply to your email. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, and for giving me an opportunity to reply. Please read this reply in the most positive light. I sympathize with your feelings about Pope Francis, and agree that some things he says have been taken out of context and misinterpreted. I am not really qualified to speak on behalf of the pope, but he seems to me ultimately only to want to create bridges of understanding and reconciliation (where possible). Perhaps you believe no such reconciliation is possible, and there’s certainly plenty of evidence to believe that when we see ISIS terrorists killing innocent people. As Christians, however, we do try to hope beyond hope.”  

          Here’s the conclusion of my email: “You’re absolutely right that I fear greatly all the things I will be held accountable for on Judgment Day, and that includes whatever way I have not rightly evaluated Islam, Muslims, and even terrorists. May God have mercy on us all, on Judgment Day and every day. Grace and love, John.” And that’s an example of how I “run and hide my crazy.”  

          Praised be Jesus Christ!