I wish I could remember her name or what school I was at. She was a librarian, and I was so appreciative of her taking the briefest of moments to assess me when I was standing in the school library and had no idea what on Earth I wanted to read. There were just so many books about so many things I do remember that I was in that transfer positional face and was ready for a chapter book. I was going to get to really read on my own and here I was feeling lost. I think I let her know that I had no idea what to do. It’s amazing how a moment can earn you a lifelong admiration, Because for some reason I remember this occasion to this day end the way it made me feel. She took a moment and sized me up. The best description I can give of how it felt would come to me many years later. She was like the Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter books. The Sorting hats job was to look inside of each child and sort them into the houses or cohorts that would be the best fit for them at school. I think she took it very seriously that this was my first big book end the choice could flip the fun switch and turn me on to a lifetime of reading or make it a chore and a source of dread. She said, quote I have just the thing for you. She led me to a shelf, reached up and pulled out the story of Doctor Dolittle. I took it home and it grabbed me. I loved it and I’ll have to say, none of the movies do it justice. I just knew that librarian really knew me and I had so much respect for her. All that is great, but I do have one residual problem concerning that book. I remember the doctor and I remember one other character that always pops into my mind when I see animals talk in the movies or hear the name Doolittle. It’s pushme-pullyou. The push-me-pull-you is described as a gazelle/unicorn cross with two heads one of each at opposite ends of its body. It really only uses one of its heads to talk, reserving the other for eating thus allowing it to eat while speaking without being rude and claims that is great grandfather was The Last Unicorn. That’s great stuff for a children’s book, but it really set my imagination on fire. Eating and talking? Great, but what about all the other stuff? But let’s just stick with dab dab the Ducks observation, Lord save us, how does it make up its mind? to me that’s a great question. When one wants to eat over here and the other needs to talk over there who makes the decision? I would expect that that is where the name pushme-pullyou came from. so why are we thinking about this particular animal on this day? I would say that it should be the symbol or mascot of the day for this dark purple reading. Last week oh, we saw Jesus delivering a message and declaring his identity and his mission. Nazareth was Head Over Heels about him. They were all in. Why? Jesus was including them and pulling them in! At this point they were on the same page, going One Direction. This week is quite different. Same time and same place, but a little further on in the sermon so to speak. It’s Jesus pulls people in he starts to pull in the quote wrong people. Enemies and the despised, those that the people wanted pushed away. They didn’t want to hear it so they did the only logical thing, they pushed Jesus away, out of town and almost off a cliff. Jesus kept pulling in all people in his ministry though, eating with Sinners, touching lepers, speaking with women, even foreign women and making hated Outsiders the hero of stories. Jesus continued to pull in, all people to himself, like a hen gathers her chicks. Jesus was always reaching out further and further and pulling people closer and closer, but so often the people of the church, the people of the world, are like the other end of the animal pushing them away. It seems as though we are the end that does all the talking and we assume ourselves to be the head, the front, the leader, the decision maker, but scripture points out multiple times that Christ is the head of the church. What about the other end of the Pushmi-Pullyu? That was the end that fed and nourished the body. Now we’re getting somewhere. The Pushmi-Pullyu is a mythical, children’s book animal that has become a reality in our lives in the body of Christ and the kingdom of God as we seek control and pursuit of our own selfish interests. We don’t want everyone pulled in, we want who we want to be pushed away. We want to choose what nourishes us. We are a double-minded animal constantly in a struggle, pushing and pulling in a struggle with God’s will as humanity has always been. Where’s the öut”for this struggle. I found it very interesting that an animal in that very book points to that answer, Remember Dab-Dab the duck? Dab-Dabs quote was “Lord, save us! How does it make up its mind?” There’s the answer. We can’t. In his Small catechism Martin Luther reminds us of what is written in Ephesians I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.” End quote. The duck was right. The duck needs to be the mascot or symbol, not the Pushmi-Pullyu. There is only one head, Jesus, the one who feeds us and nourishes us, leads us and guides us and speaks words of truth, love and grace for the whole world. The Lord has saved us, this is how we make up our mind. So let’s leave Pushmi-Pullyu to the Dr. Dolittle universe but learn some lessons from it and the duck. I’m thinking that the librarian may have known that I might enjoy that book AND learn something from it. It’s neat how we see that all vocations contribute to the body of Christ. So let’s just be the body and follow our one head and not fracture ourselves into tribes or teams, but pull for everyone.
Almighty and ever-living God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
People in Jesus’ hometown are initially pleased when he says that God will free the oppressed. Their pleasure turns to rage when he reminds them that God’s prophetic mission typically pushes beyond human boundaries so that mercy and healing are extended to those regarded as outsiders. Luke 4 Then [Jesus] began to say to [all in the synagogue in Nazareth,] “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’ ” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Brian says
Thank you for the message. I have been hearing more about NALC for several years from a friend in Virginia.
I am Lutheran – I am baptized and I have always been in LCMS. My wife and I may be interested in visiting. LCMS is struggling – most congregations are shrinking. Young confirmands do not attend.
I appreciate the emphasis on Christ’s life and sacrifice to pay for the gift of salvation.