October 30th: The Maul

I am currently serving as Moderator of the Presbytery of Essex-Kent. I’m not sharing this information to brag, as it’s not a world-changing job, but because of one of the ‘tools’ I’ve been given to use while in office. A moderator’s job is to ensure that discussions are civil, on topic and not too long and to keep the meeting running smoothly and orderly. The symbol of this responsibility is a little wooden hammer-like device known as a gavel. Traditionally, the gavel is struck to bring the meeting to order, to denote when a vote is made and finalized. Its sharp noise carries over the din of friendly banter and is a clear indicator that a decision is FINAL!
As the Moderator of the Presbytery of Essex-Kent I get not one, but two, count ‘em two gavels. One is the real deal, with a suitably engraved brass plate naming our Presbytery. The other is a huge, ex-circus strength tester capital H Hammer that, if I ever did use it, it would attract attention both because of its thundering noise and the smashed table that would result from the impact upon it.
Artfully decorated with a flower, the mighty circus hammer, or to be precise, the maul, (your new word for the day) is strictly for show and conversation. Not only is it far too noisy and dangerous to deploy, it’s also far to unwieldy for regular use. Sure, the maul would make a point, but chances are I’d have to have my shoulder slipped back into place if I employed it with any frequency. In fact, our meetings are sufficiently peaceful and orderly that I don’t even have to use the real gavel to keep things running nicely. On the odd occasion that there is a need to bring things down a notch, I can usually make myself heard without need to bang either heads or gavels.
The Presbytery Maul is strictly ceremonial. It and similar devices serve either for fun or as conversation starters. They certainly serve no practical purpose. My maul, however, might have some use, at least in the course of today’s thoughts. My maul reminds me that there are things in our lives that are well-intentioned, and perhaps even far more practical than a great honkin’ hammer, but are equally ceremonial, and therefore, useless.
Folks love to hang crosses on their walls or around their necks as a sign of their faith. Sometimes, however, it’s their only act of faith. While the symbol reminds us of Jesus’ resurrection, their lifestyle points more to Jesus’ rejection than His place in their lives. I’m not trying to be judgmental here. I know how hard it can be to place Christ at the center of your life without appearing to be a religious fanatic or being more like a maul than a gentle tap on the shoulder. Still, if we’re going to display something that points to our faith, we better make sure that we ourselves live up to the faith we’re trying to make visible. Or, better yet, we can forget the ceremonial symbol and be a practical sign of whom and what Jesus is.