Ask, Seek, Knock: Are We Getting This Wrong? (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

I was taught early on that there was a right way and a wrong way to do things; that included asking. It was rare for me to receive, well, ANYTHING if I asked without saying "Please." We had to say, "May I?" instead of "Can I?" And if we failed to say "Thank you," we ran the risk of having any approvals cancelled. It took a while before I learned all the rules, particularly the rules for asking. In fact, being an *ahem* "experiential learner," I often got it wrong.

But, my errors were my tutors. Eventually, much like all of us, I learned how to conduct myself in an appropriate way.

And that brings me to the James passage in this week's Lectionary selections. One of the key points James makes is, "You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:2b-3 NRSV)

On reading this, I thought of Jesus' exhortation (or is it a promise?): "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭7:7-8‬ ‭NKJV; also in Luke 11:9-13‬‬)

I can't help but wonder: If there is a wrong way to ask, is there also a wrong way to seek and a wrong way to knock? Are we getting this wrong? Are we supposed to tap out a special tattoo to gain entry? Or could we be knocking on the wrong portals? Are we supposed to apply orientation and mapping skills when we seek? Or are we just looking for stuff in all the wrong places?

Some see conflicts between what Jesus taught and this message in James. Personally, I think the gospel passage and the James passage go together, hand-in-glove.

The James passage is part of a longer piece about the problems that keep popping up when we want what belongs to others; bitter envy and selfish ambition; covetousness that leads to contentiousness (even murder!) among believers.

What James writes about "asking" is intended to help them (and us) understand they have gone about things backwards. Instead of coveting and then battling to obtain what they desired, they needed to go to God with their requests; but they also needed to realize that asking God to give them something that belonged to another was not going to work. They could apply the correct process (ask God), but still not receive it because they were only asking for selfish reasons.

The Matthew passage culminates in the Golden Rule ("Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

It is exactly the same context as the James passage: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (‭‭James‬ ‭4:7-8‬a NKJV‬‬)

Turns out: there IS a right way and a wrong way to ask, seek, and knock.

We are to ask, seek, and knock while IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. That means we are to be praying and listening, being still before God. AND, if we ask, seek, and knock while living the Golden Rule ---i.e., seeking for others what we wish for ourselves; just another way of saying, "Love your neighbor as yourself."--- we will receive, find, and enter . . . as promised.

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/

Proper 20 (25) (September 20, 2015)
Proverbs 31:10-31
Psalm 1
Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm 54
James 3:13 - 4:3, 7-8a
Mark 9:30-37

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What are you doing Friday morning? Can you join us at Lectionary Breakfast? If you're in the area, make some time to join us at 8:00 at the Egg and I restaurant. The gathering is an hour like no other. We come away refreshed and fortified.

If you're not in our area, consider starting a group to discuss the scriptures. It's not hard. Ask a few friends, contact a restaurant that will let you order À la carte, and then agree on a day and time. Everybody pays for their own food. We use the Lectionary (it's a convenient organizational structure that we can follow every week), but it is not the only one out there. Find an approach that works for you.

Enjoy the week!
Steve