Sly and Simple

By Peter L. DeGroote

“…for the children of this world exhibit better sense in dealing with their own kind than do the children of the light.”  Luke 16:8b

“…Jesus would advise them: Be as sly as snakes and as simple as doves.” Matthew 10:16

Both are from that collection of Jesus’ comments that are usually overlooked. The biblical text demonstrates that even the early church had interpretive difficulties. Two recent events have me looking at them in a new way.

First: The ELCA (Lutherans) recently decided to ordain openly gay people. In the background is a story about church trials. UMs know that church trials are very expensive, $100,000 being the minimum cost in most of our conferences. (They require hotels for all concerned, lawyers, witnesses, etc.). Organized differently, Lutheran trials are conducted on a national scale but just as expensive. It seems that a large number of clergy (up to the high 80s) “came out” in one way or another. A barrage of church trials would have been necessary at a cost that threatened to consume a great deal of the national income. Ordination seemed a better way to go. This was in the context of multi-year process which also involved all of the normal tools of teaching, preaching, meditation, and prayer—but the cost was a new element that the unconvinced could not ignore.

Second: The Roman Catholic Church was a strong opponent of gay rights legislation when it was first introduced in the New York State legislature. In response, supporters prepared legislation that would have eliminated the statute of limitations for sexual crimes, a shield behind which the Roman Catholic Church protects itself from further financial losses arising from priestly sexual abuse. A compromise was reached. (This is not to be confused with the recent marriage equality legislation.)

Many prefer to avoid this kind of strategy as tasteless “hardball” politics that has no place in the spiritual life of the church. Instead, we are urged to seek a “come, let us reason together” or a “preaching, teaching, praying approach,” believing that others will come to see our point of view or that the spirit will somehow join our efforts to transform those with whom we disagree. Jesus seems to be telling us that there will be times when we need to “exhibit better sense” than relying on a simple trust in the lessons of reconciliation, compassion, and forgiveness.

The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge comes to mind.(Luke 18:1-8) Jesus’ lessons on human relations do not call for nagging. Nevertheless, the parable suggests that when dealing with an official unconcerned with God, people, or justice that it would be better to understand just what that official might respond to. In that world a woman constantly going to a judge’s house to loudly nag in a way that the entire town could see and hear was a way of accomplishing justice. 

Even so, when “exhibiting better sense,” it is important that we not lose our identity; that we not lose the simplicity of honoring and respecting all of God’s creation, even those who are in opposition to us. When using the slyness and energy symbolized by the snake in advancing justice, let’s not get carried away with it, proud of it, or corrupted by it. The purpose of a just society remains fairly simple and clear, and we should remain the same, as simple as doves. 

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Peter is a second career pastor who has served in several churches in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Prior to his ordination, he was a secondary-school teacher, a university lecturer in Government, an Associate in a government related professional association, CEO of a national financial institution. Peter was involved in Mid-Atlantic Affirmation, served on the National Council of Affirmation, and sat on the Board of the Reconciling Congregations Program, the predecessor name for RMN and has worked with BWARM (Baltimore-Washington Reconciling United Methodists).