Getting our hands dirty

It was female bonding at its best. Several of us were in the kitchen cleaning up from our Wednesday evening fellowship meal when a little four-year-old walked in and asked for a washcloth so she could help wipe down the tables.

Someone held out for her a clean one, freshly dampened, but a bit worse for the wear after some years in service. And the look on this little one's face as she pondered touching that dirty-looking cloth with her clean hands sent all us older women into gales of laughter as we each remembered what we felt like when we knew we were going to have touch something that looked yucky.

We were all mothers, many grandmothers, and we'd lived through our years of dirty diapers, disgusting tissues, vomiting children, sick pets, strange things lurking in sink drains, and even odder things in jeans pockets. We might not like it, but we'd all learned to get our hands dirty in the service of those we love.

And that is what ministry is all about--getting our hands dirty in the service of those whom we have been called to love. It could sound almost romantic, some noble sacrifice, until we realize that those we've been called to love are our enemies. For Jesus reminds us that even the tax collectors and Gentiles (the lowest of the low of that day and culture: you might substitute something like IRS agents and purveyors of pornography for today) can and do love their friends, but we who chose to follow Christ are called to love our enemies for this is the essence of Christian maturity (Matthew 6, 43-48).

So how do I get my hands dirty for my enemies?

I suspect the first task lies in identifying my enemies. Only an honest look at my inner thoughts will lead to clear answers.

Against whom do I hold a grudge?
What name, when I hear it mentioned in conversation, brings about the gut-tightening reaction of anger and unforgiveness?
Do I find some inner rejoicing when I hear about misfortune falling on a particular person or class of people?
Who do I think has mistreated me, or has mistreated someone I love and care about?

Please keep this is mind: often our enemies are those to whom we are the closest: family members and long-time friends with whom we have years of history and plenty of time to build up hurts.

These names, and others that God brings to mind when you ask God to reveal to you your enemies, are the ones for whom you are called to get your hands dirty in ministry. Interesting calling, this Christian life. Sacrifice doesn't sound very noble or attractive if you do it for those you hate and resent and wish would disappear off the earth.

How do we get our hands dirty for these enemies? How shall we serve them? What will our sacrifice look like?

I would suggest that we start by praying for each of them. Pray by name, if individuals. If it is a group of people (i.e., pornographers, pimps, some racial class, etc.), then pray for the group and ask God to bring you the face of one of them you may pray for specifically.

Then ask how you would like that particularly enemy to treat you, and go and do likewise.

Would you like your hated boss to lighten your workload or speak to you with more kindness? Then seek to lighten his or her workload, and to speak only kindness to this person.
Would you like your spouse to speak to you with tenderness and compassion? Then speak to your spouse with those attitudes, expecting nothing in return.
Would you like your children to show you respect? Then give them respect as those who carry the image of God within them.
Would you like an acquaintance to stop spreading rumors about you and apologize for the hurt that has been caused? Then you must no longer spread rumors yourself and must apologize where you have caused hurt--even if there is no reciprocal response.

It is indeed a strange calling, this Christian life. But we will discover that as we get our hands dirty for others, as we seek to clean up messes that are not ours, that we will far better be able to appreciate the sacrifice that our Lord made for us. For there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your enemy. For we were the enemies of God when the Son laid down his life for us.

And the look on this little one's face as she pondered touching that dirty-looking cloth with her clean hands sent all us older women into gales of laughter as we each remembered what we felt like when we knew we were going to have touch something that looked yucky.

Please keep this is mind: often our enemies are those to whom we are the closest: family members and long-time friends with whom we have years of history and plenty of time to build up hurts.