Say no to attitudes from platitudes

I am going to dedicate the blogspot for at least the next week to meanderings about the characteristics I found to be outstanding in the account from Mark. I found 9 characteristics. Today's discussion is on characteristic # 4.

Characteristic 4: (S)He understands that there are intrinsic barriers to the reign of God in one’s life that must be overcome.

Jesus looked straight at him with love and said, “You need only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.” (Mark 10.21)

Other textual support for characteristic:10.17-31, 12.28-34, 3.20-30, 6.1-6, 3.31-35, 16.14
Fact from Mark: barriers in trust come from one’s own family, town, or belief community

Beyond the restorative touch needed to return their lives to normalcy, beyond the beginning point of acknowledging that Jesus is God's son in order to rid themselves from the slavery of their addictions, followers of Jesus know that they have to beware always of those traditions and values that they grew up with. Values and traditions pose as foundations for good living, but so often they are masks for a corrupt and rotten system of status quo. Even people brought up in church traditions have to beware that the church traditions themselves are not a barrier to the authentic teachings of Jesus.

In Mark 12.28-34, a man versed in the Jewish law came to Jesus and asked him what the greatest commandment was. Jesus told him. The man agreed with Jesus. Then Jesus told the man that he was not far from the kingdom of God. Jesus didn't compliment the man for being in the kingdom since they had agreed. Jesus didn't invite the man to join the kingdom. Instead, Jesus told the man that he was near the kingdom of God.

Assumedly, a modern person could find himself or herself in the same condition, that is, near the kingdom of God. If so, then perhaps understanding what the kingdom of God is would keep one from only being near it, but allow one to fully participate in it. If one were to be able to fully participate in the kingdom, then one would also know what could be a barrier to that full participation.

The word kingdom is an archaic term, not in the sense that the word has passed from our language, but in the sense that the term is only used of a time period that is not our own, but in the past. Americans hate irrelevance, so another idea that is relevant should be understood. A kingdom is a geographic location for most Americans; perhaps Americans extend the idea to castles, serfs, knights, or other symbols (by metonomy) for what a king has sovereignty over.
Americans are, however, familiar with the idea of a rule of someone over another. If one still needs to feel that some vestige of Jesus' teachings needs to represent the age of the original teachings or the manuscripts that bring those teachings to the modern person, then the idea of reign could be substituted for rule. Thus, to the man who asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied that God's reign in his life was not too distant. Although the man agreed with Jesus, he still had a barrier that kept him from fully participating in the reign of God for him. Mark does not elaborate on the man's barrier like he did for the rich young ruler cited above in the representative sample from Mark. Somehow, though, the man was not vested in the rule or reign of God.

What might keep a modern person from having God's reign in his or her life? Mainly, attitudes. A follower of Jesus accepts and knows the teachings of Jesus. So, the follower should be living decently toward others. But, actions are generated by one's thoughts behind those actions. And, the thought behind the actions comes from attitudes which are derived from traditions and values. So, how does one respond to an insult from someone else? What acknowledgment is allowed if an addiction has taken over a person? When is the best time to go to someone with whom a problem exists? Where is it that one should want find himself or herself on Friday nights? Who is the master one truly serves?

For many, platitudes provide the thought behind their actions. "A penny saved is a penny earned." So, they save, maybe even in miserly way. "Those who make the gold make the rules." So, they work their way up the ladder to make more money. "The early bird gets the worm." So, people are so very busy breaking others backs to get the worm. "Plan you work. Work your plan." So, meetings at all hours abound for planning, and working at all hours and at all costs carry out those plans.

So, when does the follower of Jesus have the time and stamina to know Jesus' teachings? When does the decent living happen in front of families? When does one have time to see the healing taking place in his or her own life? What kind of restoration takes place when so little time is given for recognizing the need for restoration? When does the follower of Jesus have time to reflect on his or her attitudes to know if adjustments are necessary? What keeps one a short distance from participating in God's rule, His reign for one's life? Simple agreement with Jesus' message keeps one at arm's length from the rule. So, it must be more than simple agreement.

If attitudes from platitudes disappear, then the distance to the reign of God in our lives disappears. Jesus' teachings can then be authentic. Then we can go and follow him.