Competency and Calling

[Note: I will be away for the rest of this week. Next Morning Reflection will be Monday, 7/9)

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 -- Week of Proper 8

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

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Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 972)
Psalms [120], 121, 122, 123 (morning) 124, 125,126, [127] (evening)
1 Samuel 11:1-15
Acts 8:1-13
Luke 22:63-71

Claims to authority and power need two things -- evidence of competency and of divine call. Sometimes a display of competency will be confirmed in the community as evidence of God's call. Sometimes there is a sense of call and when one responds the results confirm the calling.

Today we have another version of the calling of Saul as Israel's first king. There is a crisis east of the Jordan River, where the Ammonites are threatening the Israelites living in that region (Gad and Ruben). When Israelites flee to Jabesh in Gilead, the Ammonites threaten that city also. They send messengers throughout Israel to request aid.

By chance Saul learns of the matter as he is coming in from plowing with his oxen. "And the spirit of God came upon Saul in power when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled." He butchered the oxen and sent pieces throughout Israel to call the tribes to battle. The tribes respond, send fighters to Saul, and he leads them to victory against the Ammonites. In the original story, the people make Saul king as a result of his victory. (Editors have added verses 12-14 to the account to help make it more consistent with other versions of Saul's calling.)

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the stoning of the Hellenist Stephen incites persecution against other Hellenist Christians. These were Greek speaking Jews who had joined the Christian movement. (Jesus and the apostles spoke a dialect of Hebrew called Aramaic.) Philip was among the deacons who had been set aside "to wait tables" (another translation, "to keep accounts"). He manifests great power in Samaria, a city outside Israel but with a similar religious heritage. Philip displays great powers of healing. Simon, a local magician of reputed power is attracted to Philip began to follow and was baptized. Tomorrow we will read how Simon attempts to misuse the power, claiming it as his own for his own benefit rather than as God's for God's purposes.

Finally we read of Jesus after his arrest. The authorities brutalize him as part of the softening-up process before interrogation. They mock his reputation as a prophet. The assembly of Jewish elders focus their inquiry on two issues. Does Jesus claim to be Messiah or Son of God? Both of these are roles that only God can appoint. If Jesus pretends to either role, the assembly will regard his claim as blasphemy. Jesus claims authority: "...from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." He declares that his accusers' words and deeds bear witness to his true identity because they oppose the Messiah just as the scriptures have predicted. The assembly will take their accusations to Pilate, for only the Romans have legal authority to execute.

Authority and power. Competency and call. How do we recognize it? Where do we see authority and power being exercised outside the will of God? Where do we see incompetency as a sign that one is not called? Where do we see calling and failure which is calling nevertheless (like Peter's denials in yesterday's readings)? When do we sense a calling and act competently with a new sense of power? When is authority illicit?

On the eve of our nation's celebration of it's challenge to governmental authority, these are good questions to ask in a divided nation and world. Good leadership requires competency and calling. The two do not always coincide. God grant us wisdom for our people and our leaders that we may follow God's call and God's ways.

Lowell
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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate
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