Are We in the Business of Modesty?

Saturday morning I was listening to National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition when I heard an interview with James McBride.  Although I haven’t read any of his books, McBride is apparently a well known author who is currently a Writer in Residence at New York University.  He was being interviewed by Scott Simon, host of Weekend Edition but not about any of his own work.  This past weekend marked the 50^th anniversary of the publication of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”  As a current author, Simon was questioning McBride about his experience of the book.

I remember reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” for the first time in school.  And, I remember reading it again when Mary Beth read it for the first time in school.  For years, the movie has been on television each year on Halloween.  I’ve never really understood that, but I love the movie and will watch it anytime it is featured.  Reading has been one of my loves for my entire life.  Usually books that are made into movies are a disappointment to me.  Somehow the pictures on the screen just don’t live up to  what I have already seen in my imagination.  Not so with “To Kill a Mockingbird.”  For me it is a powerful story translated in a powerful way onto the movie screen.  For me, Gregory Peck is Atticus Finch.

During the interview, Simon asked McBride about Atticus Finch.  McBride used two phrases that really struck a cord with me.  He described Finch as a man who went about living his life with the “business of modesty” with an “ability to see tomorrow.”  He further described Finch as a Martin Luther King character who was persecuted for living his beliefs. 

Working as Conference Lay Leader, I have come to know a great many men and women who serve us and God as clergy.  As May becomes June each year, I think about and pray for all of the clergy who are moving to new churches.  This year it was my own church that said goodbye to several of our pastors and welcomed two new clergy.  We celebrated retirements and experienced the sadness of saying goodbye.  We celebrated new beginnings and the happiness of new families joining us in our service to God in our community. 

Last week in worship I realized that while the transition continues, the fanfare is over.  Now it is time to look at where God is leading us as a church without the parties and the celebrations.  Now is the time to get back to the real work of the church.  At St. Peter’s we express that as “Connecting the world with God’s love.”

The majority of my clergy friends are people who are in the “business of modesty.” These are people of good character who spend time trying to develop the “ability to see tomorrow” so that they can discern where God is leading us. These are men and women who are living their call. Often I see them in situations where putting the church first impacts their families in ways that most of us would not choose. Theirs is a sacrificial call which I witness them living unselfishly.

So, now that it is July and our “new” pastors are becoming a part of what we expect, now that the Ice Cream Socials and welcome receptions are over, I think as laity we need to question our place in the church.  Yes, we need to support those who are cultivating the ability to see tomorrow.  But should we not also be going about the “business of modesty,” recognizing that all we do in our lives, each and every day, has the possibility of spreading the good news of the Gospel outside of the church? What if we all tried to live our beliefs just the way that Atticus Finch did? Just a thought.

Showers of blessings,

Leah Taylor 

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