Reading: Colossians 1:9-20
Over these last few months of lockdown, I have been struck by the power of certain words or visual images in the public consciousness. In fact, even the word ‘lockdown’ is a powerful image, isn’t it? The idea of being shut in as a prisoner, your way barred … almost as if someone is holding your arms down by your side. And I know that this has been hard for many people, especially those living alone or who particularly miss the physical sense of touch. I saw an old friend in the park the other day, (for an appropriately socially-distanced walk) and found myself absent-mindedly going in for a warm hug of greeting (stopped just in time with a warning gesture!!).
I suppose the pandemic produced its own first slogan: “I can’t breathe!” – the distressing expressed response of so many COVID sufferers. Then came the second version of “I can’t breathe!” – this time from a black man … the anguished cry for help and plea for release from a stifling, oppressive stranglehold by policemen in the USA … one of whom was kneeling on George Floyd’s neck as he lay face-down on the ground. George died as a result – the chance to breathe freely denied him.
Then came the protest marches … black and white, old and young, taking up the same words, but now others added ‘Black Lives Matter’ because it has come to mean more – now it refers to those denied the chance to go about their daily lives with the same freedoms as others. And those protests have continued to this day in all parts of the globe.
And that, in turn, became allied to another strong image … ‘taking the knee’, as it is called. Since then, countless occasions in a wide variety of arenas from parliament to public square, shopping street to sports stadium, have been halted for a few moments of silence as people drop to one knee, bow their heads, some also raising one hand in a salute of solidarity with those denied fair access to dignity, justice or equality because of the colour of their skin
Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, who was unwilling to join in, supposing it to be a motif derived from ‘Game of Thrones’, perceived it as ‘more of a sign of subordination and subjugation than emancipation and liberation’. He said he would only kneel for the Queen or to propose to his wife. I’m presuming he was not necessarily implying either subordination or subjugation to either, but still… that’s not to say he doesn’t serve someone, whether he acknowledges or even realises it at all.
‘Taking the knee’ to someone or something isn’t new, of course… a photo shows Martin Luther King and his followers ‘taking the knee’ in prayer before the Selma protest march … others took on that position mimicking the stance of the figure in the anti-slavery statue that pleads, “Am I not a man and your brother?” as a way of showing solidarity with those denied rights as black people, and people have ‘taken the knee’ before lords and kings, political, military and religious leaders for centuries … but it does beg a question: even if you chose to never make this gesture yourself, who or what do you really ‘take the knee’ to?
It has been a blind spot throughout mankind’s history, even amongst God’s own people trying to decide what’s important, who’s in charge, who it needs to please, which side’s up and where its centre of gravity is – the source of its peace and contentment.
Have you ever tried listening to the story of the Israelites just as a story? Or even just bits of it … or an overview, like you get offered every now and again from Moses, or Peter on the day of Pentecost … or Stephen in Acts? Do you sometimes think of the characters in the retelling: “Well, that was a foolish/mean/unwise thing to do … that didn’t turn out well. Why did they do choose to do that?”
Wasn’t it supposed to be the story of people that had ‘take the knee’ to God – declared allegiance to him? But what happens when you take the knee to something else at the same time … let me suggest a few ways and see if you recognize them then and now.
- Like ‘taking the knee’ to Individualism and Independence
This says, that may be alright for you, but I am my own man/woman and the rules don’t apply to me. I am self-made, self-reliant and decide my own destiny (as if I have control of all parts of my environment … which, of course, I don’t.)
This sort of ‘taking the knee’ means I am often also unteachable: When King Jehoshaphat of Judah, asks King Ahab of Israel, “Haven’t you got a prophet of the Lord we can inquire of about the next step?”, Ahab replies, “There is one, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me – only bad things”!
Or another example: “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” the people said to Moses, the one who had been sent by God as their rescuer! And yet, the next moment, when things got awkward or they had to wait a while, they were quite willing to create other physical idols to put in the place God and claim that they had effected the rescue. Interestingly, in the New Testament, when Stephen gives his defence to the Sanhedrin, he suggests they have been showing that same attitude to Jesus, who had also come as their rescuer.)
And repeatedly in the book of Judges, you get the line, “Everybody did what was right in his own eyes” and the nation slid into chaos – this was not individuality but the selfish acting out of truly amoral behaviours that showed no comprehension of loving relationship with or responsibility to each other or any sense of inherent dignity or true value of humankind.
If I take the knee to this, I am naturally ungrateful – who would I need to be grateful to? I provided it all… didn’t I? I sorted out the things that needed sorting. Even those who would say they trusted God manipulate things because … well, because they don’t think he has quite realised all the complications in their particular case. Strange thing is, when things go wrong, why are we surprised … and more to the point, who do we blame … must have been someone else’s fault … maybe God’s? Do we recognize any of this?
- ‘Taking the knee’ to what other people think of me
This will either make you take unwise steps or prevent you taking the steps you should take.
King Saul had a bit of a problem with this one. He even seemed reluctant to step up to mark, showing himself as King– was he concerned who what he’d be representing?
You know what it was like when you first went to secondary school or college … or even work? Did you scan the place and get a feel for who were the ‘cool’ people? The best ones with whom to hang around and what it might say about you?
I would imagine Saul would have had an eye to that.
And as King, he was constantly filled with jealous rages when he perceived David achieving a better press than him … irrespective of the fact they were after the same goal. Decisions were rashly taken … and doggedly stuck to even when they were clearly unwise, against instruction and hurting others … for fear of losing face or appearing weak in public. He can’t wait for God’s go-ahead on decisions, unconvinced he’ll still have an army left.
Compare that with David, his successor, who knows he’s been anointed for future rule, has earned a great popularity rating and is freely being offered several opportunities to grasp a touch of revenge action or fast-tracking of his rise to power and doesn’t take it. Not to say David doesn’t have his own problems, but being driven by people’s opinions, isn’t quite his.
Those driven by others’ opinions make rash decisions … but they also fear to do the things they ought to do in case they become unpopular. Faced with that, you have to decide whose voice you will listen to, because you simply can’t listen to both. The apostles, when commanded to stop teaching about Jesus, answered, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? As for us, we can’t help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
“Nobody can serve two masters”, taught Jesus. “Either he will love the one and hate the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…”
Whose approval is entirely necessary? And whose isn’t? Whose opinion is most trustworthy and helpful. Knowing the difference between the two will affect your whole outlook on life, your actions … and probably your judgemental attitude to other people too. Whose servant … whose worker… whose ambassador… whose citizen are you? That is surely who you are answerable to. Equally, who is that other person answerable to – certainly not you!
- ‘Taking the knee’ to fear or false security
Strange thing to bring up at the moment, I guess, as we’re all feeling pretty risk-averse, in the light of COVID and I’m not advocating that we should be living carelessly. But I am referring to an attitude of mind and heart that betrays a distinct lack of trust in a caring, compassionate, sustaining God.
Are you amazed by how much of Israelite history seems to have consisted of leaders looking for alliances, most of which were not well-matched or likeminded, almost as if declaring ‘God is Good’ … as far as he goes … but not quite enough? Even Solomon, for all his wisdom, forged a multitude of ‘relationships’ – be they wives, concubines or alliances with leaders of other nations, all of which needed ‘sweetening’, shall we say, such that consciences were dulled and many practices not in line with God’s ways became acceptable in the nation.
Are we so different in our lives today? What alliances do we add to our faith just to make sure we have ‘covered all bases’? Question is, what subscriptions are these alliances asking for … what return favours? Did you realise that God was already aware of all your needs?
“Why do you worry? Which of you by worrying can add even an hour to his life? … Look at the lilies of the field – they neither work nor spin and are here today and tomorrow thrown in the fire, but even Solomon in all his splendour was not dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”
The thing about ‘taking the knee’ is that you want to be as sure as possible that the one you entrust your life and future to, be it yourself, someone else or some other powerful alliance is of good virtue: motivated to your good and not your harm, has the will to act in your favour and the resources to achieve those purposes. But how do you know that?
Moses encouraged the Israelites to look back at their life experiences thus far: “The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31and in the wilderness. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” (Deut 1:30)
Paul points the Colossians to Jesus Christ as the One in whom God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell– and we have witnesses to tell of what his character was like – he has the desire and the power to reconcile to himself all things, by making peace through his self-sacrificial love – and his cross and resurrection prove that. That is commitment – someone worth taking the knee to.
I am put in mind of a chandelier – you know the type – beautiful crystal cascading down in clusters from a central suspension point. Yes, we have all seen that episode of ‘Only Fools…’! But I want you to imagine that this chandelier has been lassoed from all sides by ropes with grappling hooks, tangling up the cascades and pulling it entirely out of shape. Now the cascades don’t work … each crowds the other and the light can’t get between them. The crystals knock against each other and damage vulnerable edges. The carefully designed lines of distribution of weight are disrupted, such that insupportable stress is being placed on some vulnerable points whilst others rest idly. It is not good for the chandelier – it was not made that way … it could be so much better if only …
If only someone would decide which was the central point of suspension – the one sure and reliable source of connection … and, being sure that connection remained intact, they took a large pair of shears and cut each of the other ropes, freeing the cascades to fall back and take the shape for which they were designed … each crystal in relationship with every other but none causing damage … the light now accessible to dance off those beautiful facets. Now, wouldn’t that be a sight for sore eyes?!