We have all done things to get along. Agree to a vacation destination we did not want to go to, but our spouse did. Went to a child’s baseball game instead of watching a big game on TV. At work, stepping aside to allow a co-worker to shine instead of claiming credit for yourself. Wearing masks at church so services can take place. Politicians may trade supporting one bill in order to get support for another that they feel strongly about. Or maybe add objectionable provisions to a bill that you support in order to get the backing on the bill in its entirety.
I had considered joining the deaconate program for several years. But in discussing it with my wife, she did not feel our relationship could survive the commitment becoming a deacon commanded. So, I decided to move in a different direction. When our children were young, we moved from an area of the country we adored, to the suburbs of Chicago so that our kids could have a relationship with family.
We all make compromises but I am not sure any of them compares to what Timothy displayed in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. A little background. As we know, the apostles were Jews before they were Christian. It was difficult for them to turn their backs on the faith of their Fathers and a faith whose customs they embraced since they were young. Kosher eating laws and the ritual of circumcision are the rituals we as Non-Jews are probably most aware. And because of their reluctance to cease observing these laws they had required converts to Christianity to essentially become Jewish first. Christianity was seen as a branch of Judaism in the very early church. There was a schism developing within the church over this question with Peter on the one side calling for adherence to Jewish principles and Paul forcefully claiming that Christ did not call for a continued dependence on the law. We have been freed from those burdens. The battle continued until Peter had the vision of various foods considered to be “unclean” being lowered to him in a sheet with God telling him to eat of these foods. When he showed concern that he could not because these foods were forbidder by Jewish dietary law, God said that all foods were clean that went into the body. Peter realized at that moment that Christ’s words fell equally on Gentiles as well as Jews and one did not have to become Jewish in order to be a Christian.
The apostles gathered to hear the arguments concerning this issue and the ruling stood that converts were freed from Jewish ritual, except the prohibition against eating meat with blood. Circumcision was no longer required. This was, after all, the biggest “sticking point” for Gentiles to convert to Christianity. Then along comes Timothy. He was an understudy, essentially, of Paul. If he were a baseball player he would be a can’t miss prospect. But there was an issue. His Father was a Greek and, therefore, he and his son were not circumcised. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany as he traveled visiting and beginning churches. But the fear was that, once the people realized that Timothy was not a Jew, it would undermine the work they were trying to do. So, in order to facilitate the success of their journeys, Timothy agreed to be circumcised.
Now this was no small feat. After all, Timothy was an adult. Not an infant. My new grandson, who lives in Senegal in West Africa, just recently was circumcised at 2 years of age. His Father was done at 7 years of age. He remembers the experience vividly. So, imagine what Timothy went through…for the faith. He did not have to get circumcised based on the decision made by the apostles. But he elected to do so for the greater good of spreading the Gospel.
But is it always OK to compromise? The very simple answer to that is a resounding “No”. There are circumstances where compromise is as wrong as can be. Abortion is the taking of innocent life from the moment it begins…at conception. Breaking any of the commandments for the sake of personal gain, is always wrong and where compromise is not possible. In other words, if compromise causes you to turn your back on the values as preached by Christ and the Church then compromise in that setting is not permitted.
While Timothy’s compromise meant he would “take one for the team” (an American Sports analogy that highlights a player sacrificing his own ambitions in orders to help the team win), he was not compromising on the Word of God. All but one of the apostles gave up their lives for the sake of the message of the Gospels. When asked to renounce their faith by denying the messages of the Gospel, they refused. Thereby sacrificing their lives for the good of God’s word.
So, while you may not be asked to get circumcised as an adult in order to more effectively share the word, you may be asked to renounce your beliefs on abortion or gay marriage or gender issues, knowing that doing so may cause your separation from the faith. But you may also be asked to comply with social distancing rules or mask wearing in order to have the Eucharist celebrated. That was me who initially refused to wear a mask at services. But then I saw what other workers in our parish were working hard at in order for us all to be able to celebrate in person. They sacrificed. They compromised. Never compromise your values or the values of the faith. But when you can bend a bit in the direction of one you may not agree with, be secure in knowing you are following the example of a famed disciple of Jesus. But know also that Timothy will always remain a “cut above” the rest of us.
Prayer Request
We are a community here at ACM. There have been many times when prayers have been requested for someone in our lives that need God’s aid. I would like to ask for prayer support for one of ACM readers. Lynne A. has had a struggle with some emotional and physical issues over the past 25 years. She has also had some legal complications. I ask for prayers for Lynne that she receives a positive outcome in some upcoming deliberations that help her greatly in her continued walk with Jesus. Thank you.
