Trial and Error and Repentance

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:19-23

Being human is all about trial and error, isn’t it? I mean, we know that many things are not worth trying because they are too dangerous or that they usually will lead to bad things happening to us. (In the south, such things are often proceeded by “hey ya’ll, watch!”). We try stuff, and sometimes it hurts us or other people or God’s world. We need to “repent” sometimes, because we make mistakes. Making mistakes and learning from them is how we grow up. Making the same mistakes, over and over, is no way to lead a life. Repentance, then, is a gift.

How this is extra good for us, then, is that “repenting” can be about (as the Greek word for it- “metanoia” – suggests) simply changing directions, or trying something else. Sure, it is healthy sometimes to feel remorse, or even guilt, but even those things are meant to push towards something better for ourselves and others. Repentance is about much more than feeling bad.

God’s kindness and compassion extends to us as individuals, so we ought to show compassion towards ourselves when we repent. One of the reasons the world can be so lousy sometimes, I believe, is because we are terrible at the last half of the great commandment (“love your neighbor as you love yourself.”) Many of us have problems loving our neighbors precisely because we have a hard time loving ourselves.

Maybe, then, repentance is the ultimate act of self-love? Maybe the stupid things we do separate us from our love for fellow humans, God, and ourselves? If God is not beating us up when we make mistakes, it follows that we should take it easy on ourselves, too! Repenting is not about feeling bad or moving away from “the seven deadlies,” -it is about trying something else with God’s help and living into a new path. After all, Jesus promises us that when we do repent, God’s kingdom is near!

Tim