The dangers of being special

I have always known I am special. My family told me I was special. My church told me I was special. I have always known who I am. I am the son of Ernest and Helen Bess, the fifth of their seven children. I was a part of a family of born-again Baptist Christians, who spent a lot of time at the First Baptist Church. I have continued the practice. Every Sunday morning finds me in a church pew singing, praying and listening for a message from God.

This specialness that comes from family and religion became more specific, when, at the age of 22, I believe God asked me to be a minister. Because I believed God had asked me to play a special role in church and society, I became a different kind of citizen.

What I have described is very much a part of the traditions of the Bible, the Koran, and the Book of Mormon. The story of specialness for Jews, Christians, Muslims and Mormons starts with Abraham, a wandering Aramean, and continues through his son, Isaac, his grandson, Jacob, and his great grandson, Joseph. Moses, David, Solomon, and great prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah were all a part of this tradition of specialness. In each and every case, God asked people to be special persons of history.

Jesus, Mohammad and Joseph Smith all embraced their calling to be special people as a clear message from God.

Because of my special calling, I received privileged education. Over a period of 50 years of being a pastor, the privileges multiplied. I received free dental care because I was clergy. The Los Angeles Dodgers gave privileges to clergy. I was given golf playing privileges at private country clubs. There I could play golf with lawyers, doctors, dentists and stock brokers. I was constantly asked to pray at public events. I was even invited to be a Rotarian. In every community in which I served, I was accorded privileged status.

And herein lies the problem. It is all too easy to slip from being a special person to being a privileged person. I have watched clergy person after clergy person succumb to this dynamic. Large homes are justified by “entertaining” responsibilities. Expensive cars and handsome salaries only reflect their status in the professional world. Eventually the clergy person with a special calling has looked more and more like upper-middle class professionals. Eventually they blend into the world of professional people, and, of course the American flag takes its place along side the cross in places of worship.

The classic example of this dynamic in the Bible is found in the stories of King David and King Solomon. In the final analysis, they were both miserable failures who confused their special calling to lead the nation of Israel as a people of God with the privileges typically associated with ancient despots. Opulent wealth and despotic powers completely compromised their calling to lead a unique nation.

Solomon built a palace to house his 300 wives plus concubines and slave girls. It was much larger than the temple he built for his God called Jehovah. He was not exactly telling the truth when he left wisdom as his legacy.

There are many Americans who believe America is special by appointment of God. There are many others, and I count myself among them, who believe that America is a special place that has the opportunity to play a special role in the family of nations. It does not matter to me whether it is by edict of God or the result of thoughtful deliberation. It does not matter whether it is by the hand of God or by the happenstance of history, the United States is a special nation.

Unfortunately, America has used its special place in the world as an opportunity to indulge itself in luxury and in the trappings of wealth. Literally and symbolically we Americans are feasting on junk food and are dying because of gross obesity. Amazingly we are selling our lifestyle to the world in the name of freedom and democracy.

Students of the Bible know what happened to the kingdom of David and Solomon. The nation splintered and the splintered pieces were dominated by other more powerful nations that surrounded them. Eventually the splintered pieces disappeared and a small group of Israelites ended up as slaves in a ghetto in ancient Babylon (modern Baghdad). In their ghetto experience they asked the crucial question about the nation of Israel. What went wrong?

The issue is discussed in Isaiah chapters 40-55. Their answer? The specialness of Israel was not to be found in the privileges of wealth or power. The special role of Israel was to be a servant of the world to bring justice to all without the exercise of military power.

I love my country. I believe America is special in history. I believe Americans have misread their specialness as privilege. Is it possible for America to abandon the deadly path of wealth and power for a life of service for the world?

Is it possible for clergy to forsake selfish ways and embrace their special role to bring justice to every person in the community in which they serve?

Time will tell.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.