From the UCC Network - Devotional 10/13 "Let It Be "

Let It Be 

Excerpt from Matthew 10:5-15 

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.” 

Reflection by William C. Green 

Without realizing it we can try to outdo Jesus.  We want to be understood and appreciated when trying to handle a difficult situation with the best of intentions and good insight.  Jesus knew that the hardest part of caring can require leaving things alone. 

The market is full of books of advice about problem-solving and conflict resolution. Too little of that advice cautions about taking problems and conflict too seriously.  Just think of the person so hard to deal with at work or at church, the angry son or daughter who refuses to listen, the difficulty overcoming a bad habit.  Sometimes we need to back off lest wanting reassurance or relief becomes more significant than the actual problem at hand. 

There’s a fix-it activism that undoes caring by overreaching.  Others may not want to be “reached,” at least by us, at least right now.  Some hard conditions are not meant to be addressed, at least by us, at least right now.  Sometimes we are meant to pass on by. This can be a cop-out.  It can also be a neglected part of wisdom that accepts our limitations and doesn’t confuse humility with not caring, or mistake our judgment for God’s.   

“Let it be,” sang the Beatles.  “There will be an answer, let it be… Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.”   

Prayer 

O God, help me to trust you and to know when to leave problems alone. Amen.

About the Author William C. Green, a United Church of Christ minister, is the Director of Long Looking, a consultancy service specializing in fundraising and education for congregations. His new book, 52 Ways to Ignite Your Congregation: Generous Giving, has just been published.