Who on earth wants to repent?

"From that time Jesus began to proclaim, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.' " [Matt 4:17, NRSV]

We don't hear too much about Jesus calling for the people to repent.  Mostly we hear about the teachings that came as a result of this call to repentance; those teachings that tell us how to put that repentance into practice.  Such as love God and love one another; or if you see someone who is hungry give them food; or if you see someone who needs some clothes give them some of yours.  Then there are the teachings that are the hardest to follow where Jesus tells us to love our enemy; or to forgive not just 7 times but 7 times 70; or to take up our cross and follow him. 

So what does it mean to repent?  In our society we have all sorts of cultural baggage attached to that word.  For many it conjures up images of old tent revivals where the pulpit pounding preacher is yelling at the congregation to repent or end up in hell.  Most of us have seen these scenes portrayed in movies but there are many who have witnessed them in person.  Most of the people I know who've been first hand witnesses don't have very good feelings associated with those memories.  I'm not convinced that Jesus came preaching the 'Hell and brimstone' kind of repentance.

Repent!  Jesus did come preaching repentance.  I personally like the Greek word that is translated as to repent:  metanoia.  This word means to turn, to change, to change from one thing into a new thing.  It's the root word for the word metamorphosis.  This is probably more true to the meaning that Jesus came preaching rather than the 'Hell fire and brimstone' meaning that is seared into our collective memory. 

Jesus came preaching that we are to change, that we are to turn.  Throughout history Jesus has been referred to as the new Adam; the one who came to make right what Adam and Eve had done wrong.  Just what is it that they did?  Of course, they ate the fruit of the tree of Good and Evil.  But isn't it a story about more than that?  They defied God.  They chose to do what they wanted to do because they wanted to do it.  They chose to satisfy themselves over doing the will of God.  Hmmm ... essentially they are the first of a long list of Biblical characters who demonstrate the human propensity for self-centeredness over God-centeredness.  So, when Jesus comes preaching that we are to change, that we are to turn, he's telling us that we are to turn away from self for fulfillment and turn to God.  The changes that we make in our lives are to be changes that put God first rather than self first.  But that's not as easy as it sounds, is it?  Often words can be spoken and written a lot easier than they are to live out.

The first step in this change process, in this process of turning, is to acknowledge to yourself and to God those areas of your life where you haven't put God first.  No matter who you are these exist.  Is it your work, or play, or your family, or relationships, or finances?  It just might be worthwhile to make a written list of these things.  That makes it more concrete.  Ask yourself such questions as:  What are those things in my life that I keep for myself, that I don't want to give to God?  Where in my life am I defying God?  Once you've made that list, give these things over to God and ask for God's help in restoring your life so that God is first.  Here's the thing about repentance:  it's not just a one time thing and then all is right with the world.  We have to keep doing this process over and over again.  Maybe it's just best practice to go through this process on a daily basis to keep the proverbial house in order. 

There's no denying it, this is hard work.  But here's the thing:  Jesus tells us, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." [Matt. 11:28-30, NRSV]  If you're not an Amish farmer you might not get this idea of being yoked with Jesus.  A yoke is the apparatus that is used to bind two horses or oxen together when plowing a field or hauling a wagon. It enables the two animals to work together in unison so that that work of pulling the plow or hauling the load is shared between the them.  This is a wonderful image if you substitute yourself and Jesus for the animals and imagine you and Jesus together pulling the plow through the fields of life or hauling that heavy load up one of the steep hills of life that we have to traverse.

Repent!  Turn around!  Turn from self and turn to God!