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Hand Me Downs
by the Rev. Amber Neuroth
August 26, 2007
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
When I was a little girl, my mother had a wealthier
coworker who had a daughter a couple of years older than me. Whenever
she would grow out of her clothes, she passed them down to me. I would
get so excited to try on the beautiful dresses that I otherwise would
not have had. I thought about where I would wear each one. I felt so
special. I loved my “hand-me-downs.” Have you ever received a
hand-me-down? Have you ever felt that feeling? The best hand-me-downs
are either special items or they come from special people or both.
Sometimes a hand-me-down reminds us of someone we love or a significant
memory. We all have these special reminders. As a side-note for this
sermon, hand-me-downs are also good stewardship of resources. God calls
us not to be wasteful or to buy things we don't need. Reusing things is
good stewardship, helpful for our planet and for our lives. Recently I
received another big hand-me-down from one of our Westmoreland
families, lots of stuff that Mike and I have used in our move and our
new home. I felt that same childlike feeling of being grateful for
wonderful things, but this time, I also felt joy for the people who
were willing to share with me. They offered to share and to help out of
love, and I accepted out of love and gratitude. And that's what we hold
on to sentimental items; we hold on to the emotions that these
hand-me-downs represent. The underlying best part of hand-me-downs is
the love that gets passed on.
In today's scripture verses, we see a big “hand-me-down.” One of the
greatest prophets of Israel, Elijah, knows it is time for his death.
Before he dies he hands down his mantle, his ministry and his spiritual
power, to his successor Elisha. But a lot happens in the drama before
the hand-me-down is complete. These two are about to say goodbye. They
both know it and probably both have mixed emotions about it. Elijah
tries to insist that he go on alone, but Elisha will not allow it. He
doesn't want to say goodbye. Elijah must also be struggling because he
allows Elisha to continue with him. Then, Elijah says “Tell me what I
may do for you before I am taken from you.” It's a very direct, honest
question that shows openness in their relationship. And Elisha responds
honestly as well, “Please let me inherit a double share of your
spirit.” Now, many people might say this is presumptuous or selfish. At
this moment of parting, Elisha is worried about what he will get! But
there are other possible interpretations. I think that he may have felt
anxiety about how he would go on without his mentor, so he asked for
double spirit to stay with him, to reassure him. Or maybe he didn't
want to leave anything unsaid between them. He wanted to show respect
for Elijah's spirit and admit that presently he only was half. Or he
knew that he needed help in order to continue on alone. It's possible
that his request is vulnerable instead of selfish.
I think his intentions couldn't be all bad since God and his mentor
allowed the spirit to be passed to him. We see that he can part the
waters just as well as Elijah did. They crossed the river together but
they left by different paths.
I chose this story for today because I think this is a biblical example
of a goodbye done well. These two are clearly grieved by the farewell
they know is coming. Elisha shows his sadness by tearing his clothes in
the traditional way. They are grieved and yet they both move on to
great things. Their emotions are mixed with grief and hope. Further, I
like that they interact and don't leave anything unsaid, they don't
just drift apart. They intentionally say goodbye.
In thinking about my farewell, I'm not here to draw some direct analogy
between us and this story. It would be quite presumptuous for me or for
you to assume that we resemble these great prophets. However, our
saying goodbye can resemble aspects of their saying goodbye. We can try
to say goodbye well.
So, what legacy will we leave each other when we say farewell? What
will be our hand-me-downs? I would definitely like to take a
double-share of your spirit and love with me. And I pray that what I
have learned here and how we have grown together will bless my future
ministries. And I hope you will carry my love and spirit with you as
well.
Well, that sounds nice but there is a challenge. In order for a good
hand-me-down, we have to be aware that we are saying goodbye. Elijah
and Elisha knew that this was their moment. They didn't want it to be
now, but they knew it was goodbye. They had honesty in their
relationship. I think that honesty is what made it possible for them to
part, for Elijah to go to heaven, and for Elisha to inherit his mantle.
Now, I don't like goodbyes. Not because I can't say them, but because I
don't want to have to say them. Relationships are important to me, so I
have a difficult time facing it when it comes time to say goodbye. I
always tell myself that we'll keep in touch because it lessens the blow
for me. And I do keep in touch with lots of people! But the danger if
we just say “see you later” instead of “goodbye” is that we leave
things unsaid. We aren't being real. We don't acknowledge the power of
the moment. We don't say, yes this relationship was special and yes, it
will never be the same again. That's how it is between you and
me-whether we acknowledge it or not- yes it was special and yes it will
never be the same again. It will still be great for you and for me
separately but it won't be the same. And I for one am both happy and
sad about that. I grieve the looming loss of your love and your
community, and yet I'm so excited for you, for the possibilities that
lie ahead. Now is the moment to continue making this your church, your
home. And my love and prayers go with you.
So, we need to say goodbye well. And obviously that's as much a
challenge for me as it is for you, if not more so. My comfort is that
we are allowed to have our hand-me-downs.
Some of you know that I love the Harry Potter series. One of the
reasons I like it is that the author, J.K. Rowling, deals honestly with
the grief that comes with loss. The series opens with Harry as an
orphan, he's already lost his parents, and he continues to lose other
loved ones along his journey. Through it all, he collects many token
hand-me-downs that remind him of them. But most importantly, the author
emphasizes how much their love is really present with him. It's part of
him, even in his very skin. In his times of trial, these loved ones
appear in his mind to give him strength. He needs them. I relate to
that because I need my memories, my loved ones, and my hand-me-downs to
strengthen me too. So even as I force myself to say goodbye to you, I
won't let it be without the comfort of these hand-me-downs.
So, in these coming weeks, I'd like to ask you to think about two
things. First, think about what we need to say to each other to say
goodbye well. Think of Elijah's question, “What may we do for each
other before we say goodbye?” Do you need to say something to me? Do
you need to hear something from me? How can we part ways with honesty
and grace? Secondly, I'd ask you to think about what hand-me-downs,
concrete or figurative, that you would like me to take with me. How
shall I remember you? And which hand-me-downs would you like me to
leave with you. And I'll be thinking and praying the same. So when our
time comes on Sept 16, like Elisha and Elijah, we'll be both grieved
and hopeful, and we know it will never be the same. But we will say,
thank you God for this time that we have had, thank you God that we can
remember, and thank you God for our hand-me-downs.
Last updated Wednesday, Februrary 29, 2008
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