“ In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.”
Nehemiah 9:33 (NIV)

Throughout my career I’ve had the opportunity to audit the Quality Assessment, or QA (e.g. “your call may be recorded for quality and training purposes”) programs of different companies. In these programs, there is typically a list of criteria that companies listen for in the phone calls so as to maintain a quality standard and hold team members accountable to that standard.

In auditing these programs over the decades I discovered that there is a spectrum for how criteria gets applied, or not applied. It can largely be based on the temperament of the individual who created the standard, or the individuals who apply the standard every day.

On one end of the spectrum is the QA Punisher wielding his red pen like a guillotine. The Punisher is quick to find every infraction real or perceived. Coaching sessions become employee beat-downs in which team members infractions are viewed under a microscope of criticism.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Rainbow Rater who doesn’t even have a red pen because pink is so much more affirming. When a team member fails to meet a certain service quality criteria, she is quick to give them credit for intending to do it, as she is sure that they were. Coaching sessions have not a hint of discussion about improvement or things that could have been done better. That’s too discouraging. Nothing but encouragement and affirmation in the Rainbow Raters world.

In my spiritual life, I find that religion mirrors my career in QA. Fundamentalists are the QA Punishers of religion. They police behavior like a perpetual witch hunt, condemn sin mercilessly, and shame individuals into corporate obedience. On the other end of the spectrum are the liberal universalists for whom sin is an unpleasant notion altogether. Everyone is okay doing whatever they want and credit is always given for good intentions.

Truth is always found at the point of tension between the two extremes. Whether in QA or in Life, the covenant relationship between God and humanity is constantly finding the tension. Today’s chapter is a great example.

In yesterday’s chapter, the Hebrews heard the Law of Moses read by Ezra the priest. For the first time, many in that Jewish community heard the Great Story in its entirety to that point in history. It had affected the community deeply, and in today’s chapter the entire community offers up a prayer to God. In fact, it’s one of the longest prayers recorded in all scripture.

There’s a number of fascinating things about this prayer.

First, it was led and recited by eight Levites. That’s seven-plus-one and there’s metaphorical significance in that. Seven is the number of creation, it’s a number of completion. With the walls rebuilt, the gates hung, and the covenant remembered this is a “new creation” moment for the Hebrew people.

The prayer is a recap of their entire history. They’ve just heard the Story read. Now they recite the entire Story back to God as a response. They praise Him for His lovingkindness and faithfulness. They confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They hit the covenant “reset” button and renew their covenant commitment.

Jewish rabbis view this prayer as a classic example of what they call teshuvah – a return to covenant faithfulness. The prayer finds the tension and balance between chesed, God’s loving kindness with confession of avon, or iniquity.

Paul told the believers in Rome that it’s God’s kindness that leads to repentance. Nehemiah and the Hebrew community are Exhibit A in this regard. They find in their reading and remembrance of the Great Story God’s promise, provision, blessing, and faithfulness. This doesn’t lead them to a free-for-all understanding that they can do whatever they want and are excused from whatever they’ve done. Rather, they recognize in God’s kindness that they have not been faithful or obedient. Time and again they have made commitment only to break that commitment. Their recognition of God’s kindness and faithfulness through the generations leads them to repentance for their own lack of faithfulness.

So, they come back to the tension. They hit the reset button. They repent and renew themselves to their covenant commitment.

Just like I have done so many times before.

This earthly journey is a marathon. I have wandered in my spiritual journey towards both sides of the spectrum. I am guilty of being a religious Punisher at times. Other times I have been quick to excuse my destructive thoughts and behaviors as if they aren’t detrimental to me, my loved ones, or anyone else. The further I get in the journey, I find myself simply trying to hold the point of tension for myself and with others.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.