Psalm Meditation 768
Third Sunday in Lent
March 8, 2015

Psalm 36
1 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; there is no fear of God before their eyes.
2 For they flatter themselves in their own eyes that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 They plot mischief while on their beds; they are set on a way that is not good; they do not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O LORD.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
10 O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart!
11 Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me, or the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie prostrate; they are thrust down, unable to rise.
(NRSV)

To be a Pollyanna is to find the best in everyone and everything. In most circles it is to be dangerously naïve about the world and its ways. We are quick to assign negative motives, such as greed, anger or ignorance, to those with whom we disagree, while giving ourselves and our group the benefit of the doubt. At the same time we want and expect God to see the best in us and to agree with us on the motives of our adversaries and opponents.

One of my teachers taught us about faith development with this story. We begin with a “Jesus loves me, this I know…” simplistic faith. We go through the trials and valleys, getting to the bottom and rebuilding our faith until we get to a point of simple faith, “Jesus loves me, this I know…” This is the difference between a Pollyanna view and a God view. Pollyanna sees the best in folks because she doesn’t know any better. God sees the best in folks because God chooses to see each of us at our best.

We can see those with whom we disagree as broken and evil, or we can realize that each one of us is a bundle of both good and evil. We can be dangerously naïve as Pollyanna, we can be dangerously realistic as we often are or we can take the radical step of seeing each person as a treasured child of God. Each has both dangers and rewards. By example, God calls us to steadfast love and faithfulness.

March 2, 2015
LCM