Let Your Soul Shine
By Karin Garner Nielson
Matthew 21:1-11 [NRSV]
Jesus’s Entry into Jerusalem
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:
“Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.
Walking around in a cloud of dirt seems so yucky. That is, except to Pigpen. Created by Charles M. Schultz, this Peanuts character is an oddity even among Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy. Confident, kind and respectful, Pigpen is unapologetic about stepping through life in his personal dustball. Pigpen proudly says the dirt is “the dust of ancient civilizations.”
Pigpen let his soul shine for all the right reasons.
Like the palms waved by people heralding Jesus’ triumphant ride on a dirt road into Jerusalem, the dirt itself is a symbol of resistance. Dirt symbolizes the transient nature of life, encouraging a deeper reliance on Jesus’ teachings and using these spiritual disciplines for growth. The city of Jerusalem was a plague of injustice for most Jews, but some resisted. Not only did these courageous individuals wave palms, but many also tore off their own clothes and lay them on the dirt road before Jesus and the colt he was riding, followed by the donkey.
They let their souls shine for all the right reasons.
Fast forward to the year 2026. It’s like the haters stole Pigpen’s dirt, turned it into mud, and hurled it at their targets. It’s not the mud of healing; it’s the mud of hate. Some Christians are attacking each other with name calling, trickery, or worse. Whistleblowing and the phrase “melt ice” have assumed horrific meanings. Wars are raging. People have died. The battles we’re facing affect human lives. Such strife doesn’t transcend Christianity and other religions; it transcends humanity.
Thankfully, here’s the plain truth about mud: you can turn it back into dirt (google it).
There’s a time in life when everyone is called into action, to stand up for what is right and true. That time is now. This isn’t about living “your truth”. This is about acting and carrying out Jesus’ truth. We must not wallow in disappointment, dismay, and frustration about our circumstances. Rather, we must negotiate for better futures by remembering who we are and defying inhumanity without causing physical harm. Jesus, our King of Peace, expects such behavior.
Peaceful resistance takes many forms, including praying, volunteering, voting for candidates who you believe will do the best job, meeting with societal leaders, participating in peaceful gatherings, and talking constructively with others who don’t share your views. We must act because complacency puts our society at greater peril.
Let our souls shine by living Jesus’ truth. Pray that we use our strengths to turn the mud back into dirt and, like Pigpen, celebrate the dust of ancient civilizations that surrounds us.