God’s Spirit Is Objective

Today’s reading: John 3:1-8

I have a long history of believing the best of people the rest of the world would rather avoid.  A pastor once called this something interesting, “the gift of objectivity.”

“Not everyone has it,” she said.

The pastor told me this as I was in her office talking of all the great qualities of  a man who had recently begun attending the church. He happened to be a registered sex offender and, though I knew of his label, I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone I had introduced him to in the church. I had kept quiet about this because I believed no one at the church (or anywhere) was in the least bit of danger from him.

Apparently others in the church had heard about the man’s status from various public sources and had asked the pastor to “do something” about it. (Though no one said so, I’m sure there was at least a little resentment of me for not properly “warning” the congregation about the man.)

The pastor assured me, and the others, the man would always be welcomed at the church — so long as he had a companion everywhere he went, especially in the restrooms and in areas where children were present. She said she intended to tell him of the condition, “and I will stress to him that it’s for his protection. The last thing he needs is for someone to falsely accuse him of something, and this will assure that won’t happen.”

Though I did not protest too much, I objected to this idea. I suggested the pastor, and everyone else in the church, just trust God. I knew the man was no threat, and I did not believe conditions were necessary.

The pastor said she agreed he was no threat, but she would proceed with the conditions anyway.

I found it heartwarming a few months later to realize that this man had become a vibrant part of our congregation and, routinely, could be spotted wandering the halls of the church without any escort — and without any complaint.

The church had found, as I knew all along, that the pastor’s rules were unnecessary. Though I don’t know that they all realized it, everyone in the church learned through this experience that God, not fear, is in charge, after all.

In my journalism classes, I learned the definition of objectivity is elusive, but here is the best I’ve been able to come up with: objectivity is a commitment to the truth rather than to some potentially false idea of the truth.

Based on that definition, I say my pastor is right: I do have the gift of objectivity, and not everyone has it.

But the good news is that everyone can have it. In fact, Jesus is talking about objectivity in today’s reading:

Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” (Verse 3)

How did I know, from the very moment I met him, that this registered sex offender would be no threat to our congregation — and in fact be a great blessing to it?

Well, I remain born from above. So I simply saw that it was true. I never doubted God’s spirit, which I can always feel, though it is invisible to my physical senses.

“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (Verse 8)

Thanks be to God for the gift of objectivity. May I (and we) continue to use it daily with wisdom and power.