The Three Positions of Present Day Christianity?

Lest I sound arrogant, less than the humbled elder which I desire to be, I’ll own the hesitancy felt in assigning a title to this post.

Yet, while reading John's account of the Mary and Martha story this morning, I found myself identifying with all three faith positions at some point, while hoping these last few years to escape the two lesser of the three.

As the story opens, we learn of two uniquely different sisters who have sent word to Jesus, that their well-loved brother, Lazarus had died.

I’m quite certain that grief had struck both of them equally, but quite different in its affect.

Mary was deeply spiritual, as John reminds us, for she was the one who had prophetically anointed Jesus with oil, washing his feet with her tears, drying them with her hair. She had discerned him as the long awaited Messiah, the Christ!

In her deep passion and discernment, she was moved to go well beyond the gender boundaries of her day.

Martha, the other one, quite rational in her approach to the faith. It seems she had gotten on about reality, seeing that her brother's remains were properly entombed, enough of this waiting on the man whom her sister Mary knew could prevent his death. Let’s just be real!

Then of course, the third position likely represented by the Pharisees, the religious leadership who at times had seen this One who professed to be the Son of God as likely demon possessed.

That seemed the category for placing anyone who thought differently than them. Yet at times, even their congregants would become divided over their doctrinal rigidity!

Sounds familiar to this long-churched elder, given that at different times in my journey, I have found myself scattered between these three religious orientations.

Right now, I am in the Mary mode, three weeks ago when Dad suddenly passed, I was more like Martha, even skeptical at times as I observed folk who meant well, participating in worship at his funeral. The church facility provided a safe place to act out our faith publicly, especially within the walls of a Pentecostal sanctuary!

Oops, the Pharisee in me is again showing.

It is from this particular chapter that we well-churched, even as toddlers learned are first Bible verse.

It was easy, having only two words, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35).

Though I’m not sure explanation was given as to the “why” behind the verse?

He wept for at least three reasons:

1) The arrogance of the uber-religious, the Pharisees and their response to the raising of Lazarus, (11:48). Though raised right in front of their eyes, transported through mid-air, “his hands and feet bound by straps of linen, and a cloth around his face”!

Their immediate thoughts, "if we don’t do something quick, we are going to loose our temple and our nation."

Note that Christian Nationalism is nothing new!

2) Martha, Mary’s sister, who surely had overheard Mary's heart and deep convictions, even knowing that Jesus was on his way, and had he arrived on time, surely Lazarus would not have died. However, he was dead. Let’s get real, the man needed to be buried before his body began to stink. Again, been there too!

3) Then there was Mary, still holding on to her faith, yet heartbroken for her brother. Yet, when finally she realizes that this man whom she had earlier anointed was in fact outside, she runs to him weeping. Her deep passion renewed by His Presence, such that even "Jesus wept".

“Show me where you have laid him!”

“Take away the stone!” “Lazarus come forth!”

God help me in these last few years to be like Mary!!