On the afternoon of Christmas day in 2019, our family of seven seemed a bit aimless, so we decided to pile into our mini-van and go surprise our friends with a bit of caroling.
In an era of text message arrangements, caroling is perhaps the last acceptable vestige of an important form of social interruption: dropping by. We were a bit hesitant, but we were reasonably sure that our caroling would be seen as a welcome diversion. We could simply sing a few songs on the porch and leave, after all. As it happened, our friends happily folded us into their Christmas day plans. They invited us in. The adults talked, and the kids played.
Jesus heals the paralytic lowered through the roof. (Stained Glass, St. Colman’s Cathedral in Ireland; Image: Andreas F. Borchert, CC 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Note: The windows of the South Aisle featured in the Banner Image of this post also by Andreas F. Borchert and shared under CC 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
As we move through the Christmas season and into 2021, we need to make this sort of interrupting a habit, and not just when we’re caroling. The result might indeed be as positive as we experienced last Christmas, but it also might be awkward. We might inconvenience. Still, it’s important. COVID-19 may mean “dropping by” takes on different forms, but interrupting in some way is perhaps even more important given the current isolation most people are feeling.
Great interruptions are sometimes necessary to demonstrate great love.
Remember the four friends who let down their paralytic friend through the roof, interrupting Jesus right in the middle of teaching a crowd? This was a great interruption. Jesus took it in stride and, the Scripture says, “seeing their faith” he claimed to forgive the man’s sins. Then he proved that he had authority to forgive those sins by healing the man. He responded to the great love shown by the four friends by showing the great love of God in healing the man spiritually and physically. (See Mark 2:1-12 and Luke 5:17-26.)
The Son of God’s response to this great interruption highlighted an even greater interruption that he was carrying out: he had interrupted history by taking on human flesh so that he could completely interrupt the works of darkness, overturn the corruption of sin, and draw human beings into the life for which God created them. This is the great interruption we welcome as we celebrate Christmas.
Great interruptions are sometimes necessary to demonstrate great love.
As we reflect on these “great interruptions” (great in both senses), let’s consider our love for people, for God, for the truth, for those in danger (such as unborn children), and for those in distress (such as women confronting unintended pregnancy). Demonstrating love for each of these is worth interrupting the daily course of events. I encourage you to interrupt people’s lives with phone calls and visits, and even (if all else fails) text messages or social media.
Here’s one practical way you can interrupt: invite friends to our Love3 Online Workshops beginning January 18, 2021 (www.jfaweb.org/love3). Because the name Love3 refers to loving the woman in distress, the unborn child, and the person who disagrees with us, just the invitation can lead to a conversation about each of the things I’ve mentioned above.
Why Love3? Because God loves each of those people.
Why Love3? Because women and children and pro-choice advocates are intrinsically valuable image-bearers of God.
Why attend Love3 workshops? Because each of us needs to develop the skill of artfully navigating difficult conversations. Ultimately, we interrupt so that the love of God can cause a “great interruption” in the lives of every human being.
Help JFA Create “Great Interruptions” in 2021
Thank you for your faithful support of Justice For All. There’s still time to give an end-of-year gift. Go to www.jfaweb.org/donate to give an online gift (credit card or electronic check) or postmark your gift by December 31, 2020.