Day Five
”…RANK ME WITH WHOM THOU WILT.”
Today’s Scripture Reading
And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he returned to the temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and taught them. The legal experts and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. Placing her in the center of the group, they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone women like this. What do you say?” They said this to test him, because they wanted a reason to bring an accusation against him. Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
They continued to question him, so he stood up and replied, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone.” Bending down again, he wrote on the ground. Those who heard him went away, one by one, beginning with the elders. Finally, only Jesus and the woman were left in the middle of the crowd.
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Is there no one to condemn you?”
She said, “No one, sir.”
Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, don’t sin anymore.”
John 8:1-11
Reflection
I believe that this part of the prayer has mostly to do with our reputations—the beliefs or opinions that people hold about us. Each one of us desires to have a place of standing in society where we are measured by success, influence, intelligence, power, or achievement. Some of us want to be considered funny or hip. Some of us want to be considered important and impressive. Others want to be considered attractive and talented. Still others wish to be known for their wealth and prestige. Whatever it is, we all struggle to let go of control over manipulating our reputations. We care how we are perceived by others.
A few weeks ago, I was leading a meeting of discipleship pastors and directors in Denver, Colorado. We were discussing various ways to engage younger generations (specifically millennials and Gen Z) in discipleship using digital methods, such as apps and online tools. I had invited the attendees to the meeting, many of whom did not know each other or who knew of each other but had never personally met. One of the attendees, a friend and colleague whom I have known for over two decades, was in the room and seated next to me. We were having a casual conversation, when another person I had invited walked into the conference room. This person was immediately met by a small group of other attendees and engaged in conversation. My friend leaned over the table and said something like this: “You didn’t tell me that so-and-so was going to be here. Had I known he was coming, I would have spent way more time on the design of the slides in my deck. I would have done more research, and I would have most definitely refined my presentation.”
I clearly must have looked confused or puzzled because my friend looked me square in the eyes before I could respond and said, “What?! I want him to like me.” I responded saying, “He’s not going to like you less or more based off of your slides and your polished or unpolished presentation. He’s going to like you less or more based on how true to yourself you actually are. Just be yourself.”
Clearly, my friend wanted this person to leave the meetings later that day thinking the best of him and hopefully making a lasting impression on him. My friend wanted to control his reputation with this person and, therefore, any other person that person might come into contact with. We all have a propensity for trying to control, and often even over-control, how we are viewed or thought of by others.
“Rank me with whom thou wilt” means that we are giving up our pursuit to be known or identified for anything in particular, good or bad. To pray, “rank me with whom thou wilt,” is to place ourselves before God to be used by God for God’s purposes, regardless of the conclusions that people make about us, either explicitly or implicitly impacting our reputation.
Our reputation should matter to us, of course. A good reputation reflects good character in most cases. There are times when people fool us, and we are surprised by the truth or by their true selves. We’ve all been surprised to learn that someone isn’t who we think they are. However, in most cases, as we identify the character of others, we associate a reputation with them, whether good or bad. Therefore, it should matter to each one of us what others think about us—to the degree that our reputation is built on our life mirroring Jesus’s life and not built on a certain platform or a favorable position in society.
Our reputation, however, shouldn’t keep us from doing what’s right. This is what the Wesley Covenant Prayer is getting at. When we humbly offer ourselves to be ranked with anyone, we open ourselves up for ridicule, judgment, dislike, disapproval, and insignificance. This is why we often say no to the impression the Holy Spirit leaves on our minds and hearts, because many times the word or deed the Holy Spirit is directing us to say or take on is in direct conflict with the beliefs or opinions that we want people to have about us.
Jesus . . . did what was right, not what was best for his reputation.
Jesus, a friend of sinners, did what was right, not what was best for his reputation. This is what “rank me with whom thou wilt” means—we do what is right, regardless of the labels put on us or the categories in which people place us. To be friends with tax collectors and sinners, as Jesus was, is to let your character and what is right guide your steps of action, regardless of how you will be seen by others. Irrespective of the opinions people may form about you or the beliefs they may develop about you or the rung in society in which they place you, to be ranked with whomever is to live in pursuit of mirroring the life of Jesus. This will, without a doubt, make you a conduit of God’s mission and likely a question mark in the minds of onlookers.
Today’s Challenge:
FEELING GUTSY?
Ask a coworker, relative, or friend (someone who knows you quite well) to describe your reputation—the story others tell about you. Ask them to write it out and text it or email it to you so you have it to reflect on.
Personal Reflection
•How important (or overly important) is my reputation to me?
•What do I want to be known for? Is what I want to be known for aligned with God’s mission?
Group Discussion
•What does “rank me with whom thou wilt” mean to you?
•What does character have to do with a good or bad reputation?
•Share a story in which you felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit.
•How willing are you to be a question mark in the minds of others because of the company you keep or how others have “ranked” you?
•What would you say is the main idea of this part of the prayer?
Departing Prayer
God, as your Son modeled what it means to be a friend of sinners, we pray that we would be known as a friend of sinners. Regardless of our reputation or the rung on society’s ladder on which we are placed by others, give us the strength, courage, and commitment to do your work as you see fit. Amen.