JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM

One of my heroes growing up was Sgt. Joe Friday of the Los Angeles Police Department, chief character in the "Dragnet" television series. Joe Friday's tag line was, "Just the facts, Ma’am, just the facts."  Anything else anyone had to add to his questioning was addendum and, for him, a waste of his time.

Facts are important, of course. They help solve the crime. They help discern what needs to be done or why what was done was done. Someone once said that there are two realities: reasons and results. Reasons don't count. There are, of course, more than two realities in life; but of these two, results are what count.

Jesus was always about results. The Pharisees were about reasons. They were always giving Jesus reasons why he could not and should not do what he just did, like healing on the sabbath. They had perfectly good reasons why he should not: The Law said so. And Jesus himself said that he did not come to change the Law, not even a punctuation mark in The Law.

In my own life I find it easy to give good reasons why I do not do what I sometimes know I should do: like being too busy, like someone else could do it better.  And sometimes I do what I should do for all the wrong reasons: like pride, like praise or rewards. It is wrong to do the right thing for the wrong reasons. It is worse do not do the right thing even with a good reason. Jesus had a good reason not to heal, but he did it anyway. He had a very good reason to walk away from the cross and Calvary, but he did not and died anyway.

The fortunate part for you and for me, as it was for Jesus, is that when we disregard a reasonable excuse for not doing what we should do, we don't stand naked and alone. The grace and strength of God is with us. Jesus knew that if he was going to be about his mission and ministry, where he would meet opposition every step of the way, the only way he could fulfill that mission and do that ministry was with God's grace. If not for that, he would have done what any reasonable person would have done –would do – walk away quietly.

It is easy to walk away. We probably won't be called on it, not even by our best friends. They'll understand our reasons for doing so. They would do the same were they in our place. They do the same; that is why the silence.  But as Joe Friday would say, the facts, Ma’am/Sir, are that you overlooked that one main fact: you really did not have a choice as a Christian. Results count. Good reasons make results more satisfying but they are not an excuse for not doing what we should do.

Easter is a promise that when we do not walk away, when we die to self-interests, do what our faith demands of us, as difficult as that may be at times, we will find life, new life. It will not be easy, as Good Friday reminds, but God’s promised grace and strength will see us through. Those are the facts, Ma’am. That’s all we need to know; and knowing those facts: Happy Easter.