I think I’m being stalked. Not by a creepy guy wearing mirror sunglasses and a trench coat, but by … get this … the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
The AARP has been after me since my hair was black and all my body parts worked correctly. In other words, for a long, long time.
In fact, I remember my 30-something-year-old self receiving AARP mailings and wondering, “Why on earth am I getting this?” A few decades later, I’m still stubbornly resisting their attempts to recruit me.
That’s why I was recently surprised to receive a letter, with a decidedly accusatory tone, stating the following: “I am concerned that, according to our records, you have not yet paid for the AARP membership you ordered. … If you respond now, you can still be an AARP member in good standing.”
A few days later, I got another letter telling me it was my LAST CHANCE to be “a member in good standing” and ordering me to pay my bill.
But here’s the thing: I never joined the AARP. I don’t care about being a member in good standing because I don’t want to be a member at all.
I’m just cynical enough to suspect the AARP sends out these letters hoping a good number of us gray-hairs will get confused and think, “I can’t even remember what I ate for supper last night, so who knows? Maybe I did sign up.”
I’m certainly quite capable of forgetting all kinds of things, but not this time, Mr. AARP Senior Vice President of Member Communications. Nope, not this time. I never joined your organization and your letter kind of ticks me off.
I’m also quite capable of doing bad things, but I sure hate to be accused of something I didn’t do. Even if it’s a little thing, it doesn’t feel good. It makes me want to rant … which is exactly what Jesus didn’t do when he was falsely accused.
The life of Jesus Christ is amazing for so many reasons. He raised the dead, healed the sick, walked on water, calmed a storm, cast out demons, and fed thousands with a few fish and loaves. But no less amazing to me is how Jesus responded at his kangaroo-court trial when He was falsely accused, wrongly judged and condemned to die: He didn’t defend Himself.
How could sinless, blameless Jesus do that?
One answer is found in the Apostle Peter’s first epistle: “ … while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” (1 Peter 2:23)
Jesus entrusted Himself to His Father, the one “who judges righteously.” He knew His accusers weren’t calling the shots; His Father was. And Jesus trusted Him and His plan.
What if I lived that way? How different would my life be if I completely entrusted myself to God?
Later in that epistle, Peter writes, “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 4:19)
Jesus was determined to do God’s will, even when obedience required suffering. He plainly stated, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 6:38)
What if I did that? How different would my life be if I cared only about God’s will and not my own?
Well, for starters, I wouldn’t get so bent out of shape about being misunderstood or wrongly accused.
God uses some weird things to expose sin in my heart. Even junk mail. So, thanks, AARP. Please leave me alone now, but thanks.