SERMON Rev. Dr. James McTyre
Expecting Nothing In Return (What's Your ROI?)
If you're looking for one verse to memorize and to live by, you could do a lot worse than Luke 6:35.
It says,
"love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return."
Years ago, when video games were first coming out, one of the makers had a mantra.
It went, "Easy to learn, a lifetime to master."
It sounds very zen-like. "Wax on, wax off."
"Love your enemies, do good, and lend," (wax on) "expecting nothing in return. (wax off)."
It's less a commandment than a lifestyle.
Easy to learn.
Very easy.
But you could spend your whole life trying to master it.
"love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return."
So straightforward.
So easy to learn.
So easy to remember.
Given the number of people who go to church, and given how easy this is, it's kind of a wonder that we even need to be reminded of it at all.
It's kind of a wonder that the whole world (or at least a majority of it) isn't living like this, doing these things, and getting along with each other.
Then again, given how mean people can be.
Given how suspicious people are.
Given how untrustworthy everybody else is -- it's not really a surprise that we might hear the words, we might nod in rhythm to the words, but generally, overall, we don't expect to see the words being followed.
We might hear the words.
We might memorize the words.
But we don't really expect much return on our wordly investment.
But what a pleasant surprise it is when they ARE followed?
When the words of Jesus get something in return.
---
A year ago, about this time, I was using the three standard Prayers of Confession from the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship.
We used one of them today, in case it sounded familiar.
So, last spring I was rotating through the prayers on a weekly basis.
Except one week, I forgot.
Left the previous week's in.
After worship, several church members were kind enough to point my mistake out to me, as in, "Did you know you repeated last week's Prayer of Confession?"
I said, "Yes. Yes, I did.
"And as far as I can see, you're still committing those sins."
Show some improvement and then we'll move on.
Smartypants preacher.
But I'm old enough not to expect a whole lot in return.
We say the same prayers.
We complain the same complaints.
We confess the same confessions.
Week after week, day after day.
We'd all be happier if the world would just get its act together without us having to point out its mistakes.
It'd be nice if we didn't have to point out God's mistakes -- politely and with an "Amen" at the end.
But if you get nothing in return long enough, you start to wonder,
What difference does it make?
What difference am I making?
We might say we love our enemies, do good, and loan out our stuff expecting nothing in return.
But we do -- expect an ROI.
(And I throw out ROI like I've watched CNBC more than once.)
We do expect.
A return.
Improvement.
Something.
Especially in those around us.
We expect those people to have better quality.
Personal attention.
To give us a life relationship, like our bank, or that attorney on TV who makes everything personal.
If we don't get something in return for our efforts, one of two things is wrong.
It's them.
They aren't paying attention.
They aren't treating me with respect.
Oh, server, my water glass has been empty for 10 minutes and that tip percentage is dropping fast.
If we don't get something in return for our efforts, either they're wrong.
Or, we are.
Our work isn't good enough.
Our love isn't sincere enough.
If 10 million people can't be wrong, then you must be.
A low return on investment in ourselves yields even lower investment the next time.
What was Jesus's return on his investment?
Did even he expect to get something in return?
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
"If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
"If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive payment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
"Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
I don't think we realize how revolutionary this kind of approach is.
---
I was in the barber's chair last week.
I could overhear -- OK, eavesdrop -- on a call that came in.
Another stylist was taking the call.
Was doing airport gate attendant level customer service.
I mean, it was a masterclass on dealing with the unreasonable public.
This guy had come in.
He wanted his head shaved, except on top.
Sort of a mohawk, but not threatening.
A happy Travis Bickle look, I guess.
When he left, he complemented the stylist on how he looked so cool.
Thanks a bunch.
See you when it grows back.
But then, he went home and "certain people" did not approve of his haircut.
He didn't mention his mother by name or reputation, but I think we all know that was who it was.
So, now, under duress, he was calling back the barbershop, wanting to get his money back, for a haircut that had already been done, that he thought was so very cool.
The stylist explained that they can't do refunds.
She didn't say, but I wanted her to add, "And we can't glue it back on, either."
The stylist offered to do her best to make the haircut less "cool."
But he and/or Mom wouldn't hear of it.
This went on for a good five minutes before he abruptly hung up, and probably went to his car to sob his little eyes out.
If you get a bad haircut, you can't get a return.
I mean, you might get your money back.
You might get someone else to make it less embarrassing.
But once it's gone, it's gone.
Get a wig.
Jesus tells us to treat the world - to treat the people in the world - as if there are no returns.
Ever.
As if there are no receipts.
Ever.
As if nobody owes you anything.
Ever.
And this reckless reversal flies in the face of everything fair.
I keep hearing on the news how our nation is supposed to become a meritocracy.
Regardless of whether you're red, white, or blue, you will be rewarded on your hard work and skill, and nothing else.
Ever.
Unless you are branded "inefficient."
It's not personal.
It's just business.
And business always, always wants to see a return on investment.
Profit, with an "f",
income with a great, big "I."
So when Jesus tells us to invest ourselves with no assurance, no hope, no expectation of ever getting anything in return.
Well, our personal constitutions might have a crisis.
And you'll never ever get a better example of this than Jesus.
Jesus gave his all to these people.
He gave everything he had, even his body, to these people.
And what return did he get on it?
He got crucified.
Maybe he should have kept the receipts.
For us, for we who live in a society of quid pro quo, this for that, for us, Jesus's economy is just plain crazy.
Who?
Who wants to live in a world where people get something for nothing, get jobs without qualifications, get grades without homework, get rich without an 80-hour work week?
Suffering is good for you.
Builds character.
And if the poor aren't pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, then maybe they haven't yet suffered enough.
But, then, here's Jesus.
Jesus who lived expecting nothing in return.
Jesus who tells us to live expecting nothing in return.
Jesus who died expecting nothing in return.
Jesus returns!
But not expecting any of us to.
Because Jesus knows us, this we know.
Jesus knows us, and we love it.
Because no matter what, Jesus forgives those debts, as we from time to time, forgive our debtors.
The ROI of God's economy is just awful.
We sin and we sin, again and again, repeating the same ones week after week.
And we don't change.
2000 years of Jesus and we still measure our quid, our pros, and our quos.
We want fairness.
Base-level fairness.
But instead, Jesus gives us forgiveness.
Base level forgiveness.
Whether we've earned it, inherited it, stolen it, or ignored it.
Jesus gives, expecting nothing in return.
And he tells us to do the same.
---
I've told our daughters -- on more than one occasion, I'm sure they'll say behind my back.
If you have to choose, remember.
Tattoos are forever.
But hair can be fixed.
It can be shaved off.
The purple can be bleached out.
As long as you're young, it'll grow back.
It's relieving to know that God allows us to grow out of our mistakes.
From our head to our toes.
If we learn from our mistakes, we can glean a return off our investment, even with an electric razor.
Jesus calls us to live.
To live, NOT according to our expectations.
He tells us to love, to do good, and to lend expecting NOTHING in return.
God doesn't call us to live by our expectations.
Instead God tells us something better.
God tells us to live by our hope.
To live not by our expectations.
But to live by our hope.
To live by our good hope in Jesus.
For, hope, as the Apostle Paul wrote, in Romans 8:24:
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
In that sense, I guess patience is the knowledge that we are guaranteed nothing.
The knowledge that the universe owes us nothing.
The knowledge that GOD owes us nothing in return for our faith, our good works, our niceness.
And God owes us nothing in return for all the times we fall short.
God doesn't expect that kind of return on investment.
Because God invests in hope.
God invests in hope that our lives, and all life, lives beyond a fair exchange.
God invests in hope that the love of Jesus Christ will resurrect all that is lost, and glorify all that is good.
So, friends, "love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return."
But when you do get a good return, praise God, and share the wealth.
