Get Your House in Order
An ethical imperative for a standard of accountability
"In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, 'This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.'" (II Ki. 20:1)
We recently suffered several losses within our family. They were all males and young. Each died of illness despite intensive prayers and tremendous love. In one instance, the family was called in to spend time with a loved one who was about to transition. This time of preparation is often referenced as "getting your house in order."
In the text above, II Kings 20:1, Hezekiah is a king who has done good things. Yet, he has become ill. The prophet Isaiah tells him, "Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover."
Why Should We Put Our Houses in Order
It's interesting that we find ourselves needing to put our houses in order which appears almost contrary to the Christian message. Across many pulpits, we are admonished to live every day as though it will be the last.
We think of the text which says, "You fool! This very night, your life will be demanded of you" (Lu. 12:20). The warning is that we tend to live as though the next days are promised to us when, in fact, they are not.
What does it mean to put our houses in order? That may mean anything from reaching out to say good-bye to loved ones, to ensuring we know who will take up our responsibilities in our absence.
Jesus Puts His House in Order
Jesus, for example, provides for his mother from the cross, introducing her to financial and emotional support through John upon his death. We see this in John's Gospel as the text says,
26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[a] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home (Jn. 19:26-27).
Putting Our Houses in Order as Accountability
Today, putting our house in order does not have to be a mandate that we are going to die. Rather, we put our houses in order because we are accountable for the lack of "order" or lack of regard for ethical standards.
We have included a link below of US Rep. Crockett. In the video clip, she talks about the congressional leaders who claim to care about safety in the streets of America. Yet the same leaders will not hold their own colleagues accountable for violent disorder and disrepair in their "own house."
Her scathing indictment is a turn back to an accountability culture where we embrace the courage to problematize our own failings instead of ignoring them. It takes courage to agitate for peace.
To paraphrase Dick Gregory, "If you put wet drawers in the washing machine and turn it on, but there is no agitation, when you pull them back out, all you will have is wet, dirty drawers!" Rep. Crockett's agitation is not antithetical to peace. Rather, it is an essential part of the cleansing process needed for us to live in peace together.
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