Rev. Dr. Mary Laymon, Executive Director at Tikkun Farm, recently helped lead our Women’s Retreat. In this time of seemingly insurmountable divisions, her recent blog is a reminder that “Jesus invited those listening to him to change the way they saw, so they too could embody Love in the world.” Here’s an excerpt:
The Trump sign in his yard gave me pause. He and his partner had been “married” many years before gay marriage had been made legal. I was curious about his support for a candidate who did not seem likely to be supportive of his life.
Because we had been friendly over the years I risked asking why he supported a candidate who seemed opposed to his marriage. “My mom raised me to take care of myself. No matter how poor we were, we would never be a family who took government handouts. I’ve been a lifelong Republican.”
That was so interesting to me. I had created a narrative, thanks in large part to the media, about Trump supporters. I saw them through a lens focused on culture war issues: DEI, LGBTQ+, gun control. But it was social/economic values that shaped my friend’s choice. Values he learned growing up about independence and integrity.
I shared that I had been raised by a single mom who climbed her way out of poverty because of government support. She fed us using food stamps. She got a free education because the government paid the school expenses for folks willing to go into nursing. These economic supports made it possible for her to get a good job, buy a house, and eventually live on her own means without government support. Because these government economic supports made it possible for our family to grow and thrive economically, I grew up to be a life-long Democrat.
This conversation took courage. I was grateful for my friend’s non-defensive forthrightness. His political choice made sense to me, given his family’s values. He helped me see a bigger picture. It’s a spiritual practice to change the way we see, because it changes how we love. Studies have shown that people take care of the things they learn to love.
At Tikkun Farm, we focus a lot on environmental education, because children who learn to love nature seek to protect it. One of our farm educators tells the compelling story of how quickly and easily people can see differently. As the 2nd graders helped him dig holes for the new cherry trees, they came across a worm in the soil. “Yuck!” they shrieked, “a worm!” And immediately began to stomp on it. He quickly intervened, “No,” he said, “Don’t hurt my friend the worm. We need him to help our trees grow.” And he explained how worms create holes and tunnels in the soil that allow rain to get to the roots of the tree. And how worm poop is some of the best food to help the tree grow.
A few minutes later, the students found another worm in their digging. “Hey there, little wormy,” they said, gently picking him up. “You need to go over here, so I don’t hurt you with my shovel.” And they laid him down in a pile of dirt off to the side.
Changing the way we see, changes the way we love. As a wisdom teacher, Jesus knew this. In fact, Jesus was so clear that seeing was the first step in learning to love that when he was invited to read an ancient text in worship he misquoted it—on purpose. The prophet Isaiah had said, “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.” But when Jesus read this scroll in his synagogue he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
Jesus removed the line from Isaiah about “binding up the brokenhearted” and replaced it with “recovery of sight to the blind.” Jesus knew we can’t bind up the brokenhearted, until we see them with compassion—not just some of them, but all the children in the human family. Even, and especially, those we disagree with.
That is why my conversation with my friend who had the Trump sign in his yard, mattered so much. It helped me see him, not as a caricature of a mean bigot given to me by the media, but as a child of God, raised on values I respected, like integrity and independence.
As the embodiment of Love, Jesus invited those listening to him to change the way they saw, so they too could embody Love in the world. Who am I seeing as less than a child of God? Who’s humanity am I overlooking? Who have I dehumanized with name calling? Where does my need to be right keep me from being loving? Where does my fear of what others might think keep me silent?
Like the children could not love the worm until they saw it as an essential part of creation. It will be awkward and uncomfortable sometimes. And that’s ok. I can tolerate some discomfort if holding up a loving mirror helps others to see more fully and, therefore, love more widely.
+++
I’m grateful for Pastor Mary’s deep conviction for loving and caring for God’s people and all of creation. Her commitment to reflection, learning, and growing is opening my eyes to new ways of seeing.
For Mary’s full sermon: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GanBgj9M5/
God’s peace,
Angie Seiller, Director of Faith Formation