Find a Level Place
[Jesus] came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. – Luke 6:17 (NRSV)
My family has a pop-up camper, which we use as a place for sabbath and adventure. Pop-up campers require a fair amount of care, but we love ours.
One of the cardinal rules for camper setup is that everything must be level before the roof can be raised. If it isn’t on level ground, or supported by leveling blocks, it takes much more effort and force to turn the crank, and essential parts risk breaking or wearing down under unsustainable pressure.
The leveling process makes me think of how often we open up on uneven ground, taking on tasks and pursuing goals before finding firm balance and support. Doing it this way takes much more effort and places unsustainable pressure on our minds and bodies, and we might even risk breaking down altogether.
Lent invites us to find level ground by taking the time to look inward, recalibrate, check the plumbline, and open up again with steady clarity.
I’m reminded of the Beatitudes in the Gospel of Luke, which Jesus shared from a level place. It’s unlike Matthew’s account of the same sermon, given up on the mountain, alone with the disciples. In Luke, Jesus put himself among the people—all different kinds of people—and together they found healing and empowerment as a gathered community with their feet on solid ground.
They didn’t stay there, of course, and neither can we. The world has never been made up of level places. While camping, we hike through ravines and roll down hills; wade in streams and climb mountains. We seek adventure and face obstacles, knowing we have a level place and a firm foundation to return to for balance and rest.
Prayer
Holy One, help us to find level ground, so we can continue to serve you in every adventure and every obstacle. Amen.
About the AuthorJoanna D’Agostino is the Senior Pastor at Lakewood Congregational Church in Lakewood, Ohio.