May 19, 2022 – When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chodron

Leaning In

“As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. So…(the Pharisees) called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”” John 9:1-7, 24-27, 30-33

GENERALLY SPEAKING, we regard discomfort in any form as bad news. But for practitioners or spiritual warriors—people who have a certain hunger to know what is true—feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.” Chodron, Pema. When Things Fall Apart (Shambhala Classics) (p. 19).

Leaning In

I am not so sure any of us would consider any form of discomfort as good news. I know few people who are glad that their back has suddenly gone out, or their pancreas has flared up, or a tooth suddenly needs a root canal. Pema Chodron considers these moments to be times when we can lean in for the teachings they can give to us. Again, she calls people who can do this seamlessly to be spiritual warriors. Now, you may not consider yourself a spiritual warriors, and that is okay – because we are all on the path to better spiritual practices. As such, when we do find ourselves feeling disappointment or anger or even fear, we can try to take these moments as opportunities to stop, pray and listen.

From the time we were young, we most likely have been taught to back away from fear, back away from embarrassment, and lean away from hurt and discomfort. It is also our natural inclination to do just this. Few people relish these times. Something scares us, we move away. Something embarrasses us, we get out of the situation. We put our hand on a hot stove top, we do not continue to press our hand down. But what if, what if in some circumstances of life and living, we might be able to begin to train ourselves to lean in a little to see what we can learn about ourselves? What if…..?

In our reading for today, the (formerly) blind man is confronted by the Pharisees wanting to know how Jesus had performed the miracle of giving him his sight. The formerly blind man could have shrunk away out of fear. But instead he leans into their inquiry and says, basically, “You do not want to hear my story because it frightens you that Jesus might actually be the Son of God.” It is an amazing statement of faith – which will get him tossed out of the synagogue and could have gotten him killed. But he leaned in when the moment was right.

Pema Chodron claims rightfully that these moments are always “wherever” we are. We carry them everywhere. When they come, will we be able to lean in, or continue to lean away?

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, we often turn away from the path that frightens us, provokes us, and scares us. Give me your spirit today to consider leaning in when I want to shrink away; to speak when I want to be silent; and to follow when I want to run away. Amen.

Pastor Dave