status

Jeff Stahler of the Columbus Dispatch had a cartoon in USA Today about health care reform. The guy says, "I'm all for change.....as long as it doesn't disturb the status quo."

The status quo.

Leave everything as it is.

That's what they said to Jesus.
We like things as they are.
Jesus said: I am the Great Physician... I have come
to heal you, but only if you need healing.
I haven't come to heal the righteousness,
only the unrighteous.
The healthy do not need a doctor.
I have come to heal the sick in soul.

Stasis is the state of balance.
We all lean toward stasis.
When something becomes unbalanced
we lean the other way to bring about balance.

But sometimes things need to be shaken up.
Jesus was a shaker.
He threatened the 'health' of the status quo.
He wanted to infect the religious system with
the germ of grace.
"You're so lukewarm I may have to vomit," says Jesus
in Revelation 3.
Sometimes our systems have to get rid of an unhealthy
practice or attitude.

Churches tend to like the status quo.
We look for comfort and stasis in our places
of worship.

Of course we all like change--
as long as it doesn't disturb the status quo.

Sometimes the quo
needs a new status.