Letting Go

18th Sunday after Pentecost (Lectionary 26), Year B
Texts: Num 11.4-6, 10-16, 24-29; Mk 9.38-50

Pastor Rob Bell begins his book Love Wins with a story about an art show at his church. Bell explains, “I had been giving a series of teachings on peacemaking, and we invited artists to display their paintings, poems, and sculptures that reflected their understanding of what it means to be a peacemaker. One woman included in her work a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, which a number of people found quite compelling. But not everyone. Someone attached a piece of paper to it. On the piece of paper was written: ‘Reality check: He’s in hell.’”

Bell asks “Really? He is? And we have confirmation of this?” There is no confirmation, of course, but we all know why the assumption was made: Ghandi wasn’t “one of us,” wasn’t a Christian, and so hadn’t been “saved.” It’s what we’ve always been taught: those who don’t “believe in Jesus” are destined for Hell.