Mind the Gap!

Didn’t your mother teach you to wash your hands? My mother did, too. But statistically it’s a significant problem. There are a lot of studies out there that give a wide range of estimates. Some say as high as 85% of people wash their hands after using the restroom. Others say only 50% use soap. Another says only about 25% wash properly.

It’s a really good idea. Of all the pandemic instructions we’ve gotten over the past year, hand washing is and has always been our most important hygiene routine. The truth is, an alarming percentage of people don’t do it, or don’t do it right.

Still, it bothers me a bit when I go into a restroom at a restaurant, grocery store or gas station and see the “Employees must wash hands” sign. I at once think, “Shouldn’t everyone wash their hands?” and “I sure hope they are” and “Why do we need this sign?”

I confess, I completely support hand washing. Does that make me a Pharisee?

The issue at hand in today’s Gospel isn’t merely that the Pharisees and elders of Israel insisted on hand-washing before a meal. It’s the heart behind both its institution and the way they are treating people.  In Exodus 30:17-21, we read that God instructed the priests to wash their hands and feet before coming to the tent of meeting or approaching the altar to offer a sacrifice. This was one step of personal holiness to be taken when working out atonement for the people.

Then you study Leviticus 19:2, which says, And the Lord spoke to Moses, Saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:1-2)

This is a ritual for personal holiness, we are all called by God to be holy, so let’s apply this rule to everyone. But there are two problems and they are interrelated. First, as we see in our passage from Deuteronomy (4:1-2, 6-9) this morning, God very clearly instructs them to not add anything to the law nor take anything away from it. So we find they have created a gap between God’s word and their practices not by ignoring the statutes but by adding to them.

Worse, is the spiritual issue underneath it all – which is the gap between their actions and their hearts. They care more about the rule than they do about the people. This reveals a wide gap between what they say they believe and what they actually think, feel and do. We have a word for that, hypocrites, that flows directly from this issue, certainly this passage and others where Jesus confronts the Pharisees and/or others on this point.

The word hypocrite comes directly from the Greek hupokrite, which breaks down literally to hyper-judging. Tie this back to hand washing. We wash our hands to rid them of germs and reduce the chance of infecting ourselves or others. It’s about life and health. I absolutely want that person handling my food or whatever to have washed their hands, both for their sake and my sake. But even in correcting them, I’d want to do it in a way that doesn’t condemn or drive them away.

Jesus doesn’t want us to be hypocrites. We don’t want to be hypocrites.

All of which brings to mind another sign. This is a sign I’ve never seen in person but dearly hope to someday. The British have signs along their subway platforms that say, “Mind the Gap.” The “gap” refers to that space between the platform and the train as you step on board. But for our purposes, let’s think of how it applies to the gap between our beliefs and our words, between our faith and our actions.

Jesus makes it abundantly clear that such a gap isn’t caused by what we take in; it has everything to do with what is going on inside, how we process life and what comes out of us that defiles us, that dishonors God. We get a lot of inputs to digest inside, all that happens each day, all the news, the stresses, the joys and sorrows, successes and failures, our ongoing struggles on every front.

The challenge Jesus continually places before us is to process all of that through our faith in Him such that what comes out of us is more and more like what came out of him. If and when we fail, we will see responses like the awful list he gave, which is not limited to such things as murder, envy, slander, pride, etc.

The gap between one’s words and actions is also at the heart of today’s passage from James, but from the opposite angle. James’ counsel isn’t about saying or doing things we shouldn’t, but rather failing to do the things we should. Knowing Jesus, loving Jesus and following Jesus makes all the difference, we say. And so it stands to reason that it will in fact make a difference.

I am so very thankful to serve a church that has a long, deep and effective history of ministry within and among our membership and within our community. Everything has been jumbled by COVID, but we increased our ministries last year.

And despite the current wave of COVID that is such a concern right now, we decided to move forward with ReConnection Sunday. I added the “Re” because so much has been jumbled and set aside.

And we are adding a couple of key ministries right now. We heard Jeff Stabe talk about Idols Aside Ministries, a Christian outreach for fatherless children.

And then there is always the potential that God will spark a ministry for you that we don’t have yet. A week or two ago I got a call from Suzanne Harris. Suzanne has been a very active member of this church for many years, but her mobility has decreased in the last couple of years. She told me she was feeling a little down because she used to do so much, and would like to continue being very active but she just can’t right now.

So, she was inspired to do what she can. “I can call people.”

That’s just one person and one ministry. I don’t know what God might call you to do, but if you feel that tug, let’s talk about it.

There’s real growth to be gained as we mind the gap, taking care to restrain ourselves from within. I don’t mean to imply fitting ourselves with an invisible muzzle (although that may be the initial effort.) I’m talking about minding the gap from the core of our being. When we mind it, tend to it, we minimize of the negative effects that Jesus cited and strain toward the positive effects that James cites. It builds and builds, bringing health and life to us as individuals, and through us benefitting our families and reaching out into our community.

All of the good that flows from our ongoing transformation bears witness to Jesus. Seek to honor him in all that you are, and watch how he changes all that you do.

AMEN!