Getting in the Groove’
Romans 13: 8 – 14; Matthew 18: 15 – 20
The two lectionary readings from Matthew and Romans both address human relationships. Human relationships are critical to understanding the will of God. The Christian understanding of life is exactly about a triangular set of relationships: our relationship to God, to others and ourselves. The Ten Commandments and the common advice in these passages are about relating to each other in a loving way that brings about well-being. That is the message. They both address how God’s will is done through the practice of love. As Paul aptly writes; Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. [Rom 13:10] Or as Jesus said to the Jewish lawyer, “On these two commandments – loving God and our neighbour – hang all the law and the prophets” [Mt 22:40; cf. Mk 12: 31]. Think of that: all the OT is summed by these two commandments.
I am not going to expound these texts today but rather ask you to look differently at practising the commandment to love. So often the notion of loving comes as a commandment. Commandments are never easy to fulfil. Today let us hear the commandment as a golden principle of life that we live by. And let us come to it from a different perspective.
The novel, The Music Lesson, by Victor L Wooten, the world’s greatest bass player, has an exchange between Victor and Michael, his skateboarding, hoodie-wearing Native American music teacher. When Victor wanted to learn a Miles Davis piece, Michael started playing and invited Victor to join in. Victor asked, ‘What key are you in?’ Michael replied, ‘Play”. ‘What key?’ “Play.” ‘Well, tell me, then; when should I find the right notes?’ ‘You shouldn’t’, said Michael. ‘I shouldn’t.’ ‘No! Not at first anyway. There is something more important you should find first.’ ‘And, what is that?’ said Victor. ‘The groove ‘ replied Michael.
I don’t know what musicians would say about this, but Leonard Sweet, in his book The Well-Played Life, quotes it and goes on to talk about being in the groove. ‘Being in the groove’ is a slang term referring to being in a routine that flows easily: to get into a comfortable pace doing something. It is to find the rhythm and stay there. Athletes might talk about running in this way when they find a comfortable pace and their running flows. They relax and run and not surprisingly they can speed up or just maintain the pace for a longer time. There are times when I am sailing and the boat is just humming – it’s in the groove. You can feel it. The tiller extension is so light. I’m holding it loosely between two fingers. The boat is flat and the sail looks good. The boat is moving through the water. You just have that sense that the boat is ‘sweet’. It’s in the groove.
There is a spiritual lesson for us in being in the groove. That is, we’re just relaxed, in control but not controlling. There seems to be no effort required. You’re just doing it. Like Michael saying to Victor Wooten – ‘let yourself be part of the music’. Just let yourself be part of God’s life-pattern. That’s the key. Don’t keep struggling or striving. Don’t look for excuses or reasons. Just do it –love.
This truth emerges in the ministry of Jesus. Scripture speaks of Jesus’ power and authority. Now power and authority can be a problem. When it is unbalanced or misused it can be harmful. Jesus showed remarkable balance between his power and his authority. Jesus never showcased his power when exercising authority. Time and again we read of Jesus healing someone and then telling them not to tell anyone. When the 5000 were fed all they knew was that they were fed. He told his disciples to feed them. He didn’t explain how or why. That was Jesus’ authority. Neither they nor the 5000 saw Jesus’ power. They responded to his authority and experienced his power almost unknowingly. That is Jesus being in the groove: that balance between authority and power. Getting the right balance between power and authority is important because power is frightening while authority is assuring. That is the Jesus groove. He got the balance right and he was in tune with the rhythm of life.
Being in the groove is not about perfection or rightness. It is something more beautiful than either perfection or rightness. Being in the groove is possibly closer to a piece of art than an explanation of truth. Being in the groove is integrating and bringing harmony. Being in the groove is not about rightness, or moral correctness, perfect judgement, but about balance, beauty and integrity.
John Ruskin, the Victorian art critic and prominent social thinker, writes in the preface to a history of Venice in his book St Mark’s Rest.
“Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts – the book of their deeds, the book of their words, and the book of their art. Not one of these books can be understood unless we read the two others; but of the three, the only quite trustworthy one is the last.” [The Works of John Ruskin, Vol 24]
It is interesting to see art rather than a history or an explanation as being closer to what is true. I take true as meaning something that uncovers the real harmony, beauty and quality of life.
I can understand what ‘being in the groove’ means for music, for sailing, running and even for motor racing, and I am beginning to understand what it means for our spirituality.
I had a frustrating day in the last weekend of July this year. I went to Winton Race Track with my little sports car. I had a few sessions on the track travelling at speed. I wasn’t very consistent or successful until the final session. After a little reflection and some advice I went out a little more relaxed and instead of going for speed I went for smoothness. I found I was entering a groove. I was flowing around the track and each lap I sensed I was going faster. Later I looked at my times and they had tumbled down and I did my personal best on the last lap. Now I am not fastest in my class or even near the best, but once I began to relax and look for smoothness rather than trying for speed I entered the groove, and went faster.
I think there lies the lesson for the Christian. We have rules. We have commandments. We are told to love, forgive, be compassionate, be humble and so forth. But there is another message that we hear but don’t slip into. I mean slip into rather than obey. It is to love. Jesus and the NT writers speak of love fulfilling law and the commandments. It is not obedience that fulfils the law but love that fulfills the law more beautifully than obedience. Yes, not obedience but love. Just love. Love actually. Now loving is not about trying, it is simply about loving. Loving doesn’t ask questions it simply responds to whoever and whatever lovingly. Love does not select who to care for but cares for all.
Love is essentially a feeling of goodwill to others. It is about loving not analyzing or judging. Wanting he best for someone will include giving, supporting, encouraging and even saying no. When you get in the groove of love it begins to flow. Love is more about enjoying life and people than analysing and moralising. Leave the judgement to God and be the love. The writer of the letters of John speaks of love in such a way that one senses he is describing being in the spiritual groove.
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. [1 John 4: 7- 12]
I want to simply suggest to us to let us feel the love of God, of life and just do it. Don’t worry what is right, or if you will get it right, or whether you’ll be accepted just love.
Rob Weir composed the song, “where will I find love’ which throws a light on how loving puts us in the groove. He and Fiona will sing it to us.
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Peter C Whitaker, Leighmoor UC: 11/09/2017
pgwhitaker@tpg.com.au
/ www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au
