Nit-pickers, Wound-Lickers, Goodness-Sakers, and Arm-Wavers

They are moving in opposite directions, and as they do so, the dialog reveals persons with a variety of dark reactions to Jesus, whom we might characterize as nit-pickers, wound-lickers, or goodness-sakers.

I. Nit-pickers

Anyone who has had a child come home from school with the ominous note that the notorious head-louse has made its appearance knows about nit-picking,

which means meticulously examining the child's head, one strand of hair at a time, looking for the tiny eggs called nits.

Think about doing that slowly and carefully with a squirming and uncomfortable child, and we get the very picture of unhappiness!

There are people who nit-pick all time, especially at those times when it is not needed.

Nit-pickers are noting every tiny imperfection in a person or thing,

rather than looking for what is good and true.

With no sense of humor, these folks are always looking for a theological “gotcha.”

The Pharisees began to ask him how he had received his sight.

“He put mud on my eyes and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God because he does not observe the Sabbath.”

Hey nit-pickers! What is important here?

A man's life has been completely altered and you are still arguing about how much activity of what sort one can do in order for it to be “work.”

When do each of us fall into this kind of nit-picking, instead of rejoicing in what new things God is doing around us?

An accomplished nit-picker can be painful to be near:

“It was a beautiful wedding, but it was such a shame that the groom didn't lose a few pounds for the occasion.”

“Congratulations on your promotion. You do have a long way to climb on the corporate ladder, don't you.”

“The renovations are beautiful; too bad I'll never live long enough to see them paid off.”

Enough! We get the idea, which for the nit-picker is lots less than the joy of the Gospel.

II. Wound-licking

What do parents tell a child?

“Don't mess with that scab!”

And of course then the child will pick, poke, mess and perhaps re-infect the wound.

A dog can make even more trouble.

A tiny nick at the end of a dog's tail became infected, leading to the amputation of a small section of the tail.

The dog continued to lick the place, and the infection returned, leading to more amputation and still more licking.

Then it turned into a life-threatening infection.

Only with massive antibiotics and a muzzle was this dog's life saved.

A tiny wound nearly destroyed him.

“The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they asked his parents: “Is this your son? Was he blind? How does he see now?”

They are wound-lickers.

They cannot leave things alone.

Instead of rejoicing that healing has taken place and a person has been restored to regular community,

the wound-lickers come back again and again trying to expose some imagined wrongfulness.

They don't even realize that they are opening up the gaping hole of their own ignorance and spiritual bankruptcy in the process.

Is there a possibility that each of us can get stuck in such a self-destructive cycle?

I remember many years back another person and I had a difference of opinion about a particular activity.

we could not get the situation resolved because that person really didn't want to resolve it:

rather, his wish was to stay right there and pick at the same thing over and over.

Whenever we do that, the powers of darkness are pleased.

III. Yet a third way to remain in the dark is to be a “goodness-saker”.

A woman went out to the yard to hang wash or something and told her kids:

“Now while I am out there, for goodness sake don't put beans up your nose.”

Left to them selves, the kids would have tried all manner of things before thinking of putting dried beans up their noses, but since it was suggested, they, of course, perversely, had to try.

So when Mom came back in,

we can picture the scene.

She had managed to cause even more trouble than ever before.

We have all run into folks like this:

“For goodness sake, why doesn't somebody do something.”

“For goodness sake, what a stupid decision that is.”

Such folks can be infuriating, puffed-up, full of platitudes and superior attitudes.

Such persons know it all, cause all kinds of trouble, and actually do very little.

We can hear them sniff when they revile the man who had been blind.

He said, “I already told you everything!

Do you want to hear it again?

Do you want to become his disciple?

They respond:

“You are his disciple., but we are disciples of Moses, for goodness sake.”

How pathetic is their superior attitude at the end of the story when these Pharisees exclaim:

“For goodness-sake, we're not blind, are we?”

They do not even recognize the irony that even as they protest, they are blind to what is really happening there.

I remember a painting project in the congregation I served in Harrisburg 35 years ago, a project with scaffolding all around the nave, and which extended over several weeks.

We had to worship in the fellowship hall.

“For goodness sake, this is highly improper!” I remember a man saying.

“My wife and I will certainly not be attending worship in a fellowship hall.”

He seemingly could not handle the idea

that people were gathering,

that God was being praised,

that it might be a fun and appropriate time to try out new ideas

IV. There they are: the nit-pickers, wound-lickers, and goodness-sakers.

They are bested by another sort of person, the arm-waving, excited man who had been healed.

Notice this!

No one else celebrated!

--the neighbors are doubtful

--the parents worry about the legal and religious ramification,

--the Pharisees find it all threatening.

Only when the man himself gradually comes to realize who Jesus is and what his presence means

do we get arm-waving excitement.

The light gradually dawns on him.

Yes, I know that the Bible does not give any detail about arm-waving,

but it is easy for us to imagine, when Jesus goes out to find the man who had formerly been blind.

“Yes, here I am, over here, Jesus!

Oh, thank you, thank you...it is so wonderful!”

Jesus asks him,

“Do you believe in the Son of man?”

“Where is he? Who is he?

Tell me so that I may believe.”

“You!? Oh, my Lord and God!”

as he falls to the ground.

Arm-waving excitement, welcome, and recognition.

It is mirrored in the titles he uses to address Jesus:

--the man called Jesus

--a prophet

--from God

--Son of Man

--Lord.

That progression of titles will mirror our experience as we first learn Jesus stories, and bit by bit grow into na,eing him Lord.

It happens as we gather in worship and study, and go on with life, reflecting that light of Christ day after day.

We trust that the process is accentuated in those persons participating in The way.

What bit of healing is Jesus working in each of us today?

Will we complain about it or exclaim about it?

Will we find fault with it, or praise God who gives it?

Will we feel superior to whatever it is that God wants to be doing in and through us?

or will we acknowledge him as Lord and worship only Him?

Will we stay in darkness

or will we recognize the light dawning upon us?

Will we allow Jesus to heal us of whatever spiritual illness that has been festering inside or among us?

Will we confess him as Lord? or some other?

Will we

praise the One who breaks the darkness with a liberating light,

turning blindness into sight,

healing every dread disease,

calming storms and feeding thousands

with the very Bread of peace?

Let us praise the One who makes us one.

[WS-98 #881.1,4]

Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.