Should I Stay or Should I Go? (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

Way back in 1981 when The Clash first released "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" it was ... well, maybe not greeted with yawns, exactly, but let's say it was ahead of its time. A decade had to pass before the audience caught up with the music. In 1991, the band garnered it's only Number One single with the song. Eventually, Rolling Stone ranked it as 228 on "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time." Later, VH1 ranked it as 42nd on its list of "100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs."

I was not listening to popular music back in 1981; too busy being a young husband and father. I suppose it's possible I heard the song in 1991 when it got more air play, but I don't recall becoming a fan of The Clash, so probably not. Somewhere along the way, though, it registered; maybe only that one piece of the chorus that repeated often throughout the lyrics, but it stuck.

Recently, I heard that one line from the song resurrected in a hotel commercial. Perhaps you've seen them; people are trying to decide whether to attend a wedding or class reunion, or whether to invest in traveling to see clients in person. They always sing "Should I stay or should I go?" before deciding. (Not that anyone's asking, but we like the bridesmaids the best)

"Should I stay or should I go" is not just a catchy lyric married to a catchy tune. It also gets at the heart of many pending decisions. It's certainly central to the passage in this week's Lectionary scripture from Luke. When I hear people discussing this passage, I find most get snagged on whether they are allowed to have possessions AND be disciples of Jesus. Taken out of context like that, I think they are missing the main, and far more important, point of what Jesus says to the large crowd of followers.

Jesus was a popular guy. As he went about preaching and teaching, more and more people began to follow him. This was not least because many believed he had come from God to throw off Israel's oppressor, Rome, and restore Israel to its former glory. That, as Jesus well knew, was not a good reason to follow Him. He knew what was coming; hard times for his followers. He needed them to be ready, to have already made the tough decisions in advance of those hard times. And so he asked:

Have you counted the cost?

That's the real message of this passage. When the time comes, can you separate yourself from all that is dear to you if that is what is required? You need to decide that, now, well before the moment when the choice must be made.

Should you stay or should you go?

Depends.

If you've already made your informed choice to follow Jesus, then "stay" the course. If you're still trying to decide ---or more likely, only just now realizing the seriousness of a choice you made some time ago--- let me encourage you to "go" with Jesus.

Just so you've counted the costs before you go any further.

_________________________

If you would like to read a reflection that goes with this week's Jeremiah passage, click on the top Spiritual Reflection listed to the right, "Pain Heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory up lasts forever." Or, if I can get this link to go live, you can try clicking on this:


_________________________


READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 18 (23) (September 4, 2016)


Jeremiah 18:1-11
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Psalm 1
Philemon 1:1-21
Luke 14:25-33
________________________

Will you be at Lectionary Breakfast Friday morning? If you're a fan of The Clash and you're humming "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" right now, choose "go." We still meet at the Waco "Egg and I" restaurant at 8:00 for an hour that is different from most. We eat, we read scripture, we kick it around, and, quite often, we laugh. You'd like it.

Enjoy the week!
Steve