January 27th:
I have been living in a delusion.
I have always said (mostly to myself) that I am too sensitive to do the work that I do. I take everything personally. Complaints and criticism make my stomach roil. I am always ready to quit on Monday. All of these things together had me thinking that I was unsuited for the work I do and I had begun to wonder why God had called me to this particular service.
Then, some years ago I read an article that suggested that Mondays were the most natural day for pastors to take-off because, doing what they do on most Sundays means that on Mondays, they are going through adrenaline withdrawal. The symptoms include physical exhaustion and depression. So, apparently the Monday “thing” was a “natural” drug induced state of dissatisfaction. Who would have guessed?
And then I began to realize that when we decide to care we also decide to be disappointed and dissatisfied and discontented. It happens like night follows day. It sounds redundant (and it is) but if I don’t care then I DON’T CARE. People can do whatever they want, believe whatever they want and act out in whatever way they choose and it will mean nothing to me. But, on the other hand, when I care, then I CARE and it hurts when people hurt themselves and others. It hurts when people manipulate and abuse the people around them. It hurts when people walk away from a God who has loved them. It should hurt.
Years ago, I was trying to minister in one particularly difficult congregation and every day I had to deal with complaints and criticism. In the midst of this turmoil the Staff-Parish Relations Committee chairperson said to me that I should just learn to not care so much. My response was, “Do you really want a pastor who doesn’t care?” The answer should be obvious.
At the time, the pain of those personal attacks was so constant that I missed the obvious lesson. Anyone who really cares will risk the possibility of being hurt. This is not “bad,” it just is. This is not “pleasant,” it just is.
I decided that I have to choose. I can either care (with all of its attendant pain) or I can protect myself and let people go to hell (literally and figuratively.) I choose to care. Which means that I won’t always be happy and I will never be satisfied with my performance. Let’s call it “holy discontent” or “compassionate dissatisfaction,” but let’s recognize that it is indeed the cross we have been called to bear.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Holding Each Other Accountable
January 23rd:
I don’t want to sound like I’m picking on John Edwards but hearing his “revelation” got me thinking about our cultural attitudes toward commitment.
In the church we use the word “covenant” which is a term that has become somewhat passé in 21st century North America. In secular society we use the word “contract” and these two terms (covenant & contract) are similar but there is a subtle distinction that I want to explore.
Technically, both words describe a “formal agreement.” The difference for me is that a “contract” can be between two people, but a covenant almost always involves at least a third. Let me try to illustrate what I’m thinking.
The God of Israel called His people into a “covenant relationship” with Him. There were expectations for both sides and promises were made. But, the final piece of this “covenant” was circumcision (now we’re talking commitment). Circumcision became the visible expression of the covenant. The whole nation of Israel was supposed to carry with them a physical symbol of their agreement and everyone was a witness to it. Let’s move on…
In a wedding, couples make promises to each other in the presence of both God and witnesses. Then they exchange rings. The rings are (as the ceremony says) the “outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in holy matrimony.” In this way, the whole world is being given the opportunity to witness this “covenant commitment.” I often say that we are sending newly married couples out into the world to be “evangelists” for commitment.
When we join a congregation (Church with a big “C”) we are often asked (and rightly so) to make a public testimony to our faith in Jesus Christ. This is because we are entering into a covenant relationship that involves us, our God and all those people we call the “church” (church with a small “c.”) The church (and the Church) are supposed to hold us accountable to this covenant promise. The whole thing is reflected in the words of Jesus when he said that our two obligations are to “love the Lord our God” and “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.”
Here’s where I’m headed.
What I often see reflected in the modern Church is a desire for a relationship with God that has room for only two. I think we’re missing something. I admit that I may splitting hairs here, but it seems to me that what we have been offered is a personal relationship with the living God that is made real because of our place in God’s family. It has to run in both directions. If we want to be the best we can be and if we want to be all that God wants us to be we have to be willing to be covenant people.
I don’t want to sound like I’m picking on John Edwards but hearing his “revelation” got me thinking about our cultural attitudes toward commitment.
In the church we use the word “covenant” which is a term that has become somewhat passé in 21st century North America. In secular society we use the word “contract” and these two terms (covenant & contract) are similar but there is a subtle distinction that I want to explore.
Technically, both words describe a “formal agreement.” The difference for me is that a “contract” can be between two people, but a covenant almost always involves at least a third. Let me try to illustrate what I’m thinking.
The God of Israel called His people into a “covenant relationship” with Him. There were expectations for both sides and promises were made. But, the final piece of this “covenant” was circumcision (now we’re talking commitment). Circumcision became the visible expression of the covenant. The whole nation of Israel was supposed to carry with them a physical symbol of their agreement and everyone was a witness to it. Let’s move on…
In a wedding, couples make promises to each other in the presence of both God and witnesses. Then they exchange rings. The rings are (as the ceremony says) the “outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in holy matrimony.” In this way, the whole world is being given the opportunity to witness this “covenant commitment.” I often say that we are sending newly married couples out into the world to be “evangelists” for commitment.
When we join a congregation (Church with a big “C”) we are often asked (and rightly so) to make a public testimony to our faith in Jesus Christ. This is because we are entering into a covenant relationship that involves us, our God and all those people we call the “church” (church with a small “c.”) The church (and the Church) are supposed to hold us accountable to this covenant promise. The whole thing is reflected in the words of Jesus when he said that our two obligations are to “love the Lord our God” and “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.”
Here’s where I’m headed.
What I often see reflected in the modern Church is a desire for a relationship with God that has room for only two. I think we’re missing something. I admit that I may splitting hairs here, but it seems to me that what we have been offered is a personal relationship with the living God that is made real because of our place in God’s family. It has to run in both directions. If we want to be the best we can be and if we want to be all that God wants us to be we have to be willing to be covenant people.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Confession Is Good For The Soul
January 21st:
Here’s the headline that caught my eye this morning:
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards finally admitted Thursday he fathered a child during an affair before his second White House bid, dropping long-standing denials…
Was anyone really surprised? Most of us read all of the details of this story months ago while we were standing in the checkout line at the local grocery store. Some of us were convinced at that time that the story was true. Some of us were assuming (or hoping) that what we were reading would be better grouped with the stories about alien abductions.
I was one of those people who was hoping all the stories were just rumors. Infidelity (marital disloyalty) is sad enough but when you add in a wife fighting cancer, grown (and not so grown) children, another woman and a baby named Quinn it becomes contemptible. I wasn’t being naïve about the possibility. I’ve seen it all before. I was just hoping.
I am always fascinated with the popular assumption (even held by many believers in God) that as long as no one has a picture and there is no “money trail” that somehow we have gotten away with something.
The truth is that we have a tendency to act as if our God is both blind and deaf or that He sees and hears but doesn’t care. I choose to believe that neither of these propositions is true. In fact, one of the great promises of the Christian faith is that our God knows all about us (even our secrets) and He loves us anyway. He is not blind to our infidelities (our lack of faith) and he is not deaf to our disloyalty. He simply sees within us the possibility that (with His help) we can be better than we ever dreamed.
Let’s face it, we all mess it up from time to time. We all make bad choices. We all speak without thinking. We all find ourselves in situations where we are willing to sacrifice other people’s best interests for our own self-interests. We live broken lives. What we need to recognize is that we’ve already been caught.
The really good news is that Jesus came to heal this broken world and all of its broken people. It’s a healing that begins when we are willing to trust Him to transform our lives. This journey to new life begins when we admit that we need what only He can provide. We call it “confession.”
The fact that John Edwards has finally gotten to that point where he is willing to admit to his failure (for whatever reasons) could be a good sign. Knowing you’ve been caught is the hardest part. Let’s hope and pray that the rest of his journey can bring some healing to all of those involved.
Here’s the headline that caught my eye this morning:
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards finally admitted Thursday he fathered a child during an affair before his second White House bid, dropping long-standing denials…
Was anyone really surprised? Most of us read all of the details of this story months ago while we were standing in the checkout line at the local grocery store. Some of us were convinced at that time that the story was true. Some of us were assuming (or hoping) that what we were reading would be better grouped with the stories about alien abductions.
I was one of those people who was hoping all the stories were just rumors. Infidelity (marital disloyalty) is sad enough but when you add in a wife fighting cancer, grown (and not so grown) children, another woman and a baby named Quinn it becomes contemptible. I wasn’t being naïve about the possibility. I’ve seen it all before. I was just hoping.
I am always fascinated with the popular assumption (even held by many believers in God) that as long as no one has a picture and there is no “money trail” that somehow we have gotten away with something.
The truth is that we have a tendency to act as if our God is both blind and deaf or that He sees and hears but doesn’t care. I choose to believe that neither of these propositions is true. In fact, one of the great promises of the Christian faith is that our God knows all about us (even our secrets) and He loves us anyway. He is not blind to our infidelities (our lack of faith) and he is not deaf to our disloyalty. He simply sees within us the possibility that (with His help) we can be better than we ever dreamed.
Let’s face it, we all mess it up from time to time. We all make bad choices. We all speak without thinking. We all find ourselves in situations where we are willing to sacrifice other people’s best interests for our own self-interests. We live broken lives. What we need to recognize is that we’ve already been caught.
The really good news is that Jesus came to heal this broken world and all of its broken people. It’s a healing that begins when we are willing to trust Him to transform our lives. This journey to new life begins when we admit that we need what only He can provide. We call it “confession.”
The fact that John Edwards has finally gotten to that point where he is willing to admit to his failure (for whatever reasons) could be a good sign. Knowing you’ve been caught is the hardest part. Let’s hope and pray that the rest of his journey can bring some healing to all of those involved.
Monday, January 18, 2010
What About Haiti?
January 18th:
Let me take a stab at a difficult question. You should never try to do theology in 500 words or less, but I’ll give it a shot.
The day after Haiti was devastated by a massive earthquake the Rev. Pat Robertson made the following statement:
"They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it's a deal."
I have never thought of Rev. Robertson as much of a theologian. He has a history of making statements that seem to be based on nothing more than private revelation. Private revelation is a part of the process, but it always needs to be tested. I’m not sure he feels the need to go to that next step.
Anyway, his statement has raised a couple of questions that many people ask after disasters like this one. “How did this happen?” and “Why did this happen?” The two questions always seem to be connected.
Rev. Robertson implies that this earthquake was the direct action of the almighty God (that’s the “how”) and that it was a punishment for the behavior of the Haitian people (that would be the “why.”) This is actually a fairly popular assumption, just not on this scale. There are a lot of people who expect that God will (or should) reward them for their behavior and since they see themselves as basically good they are expecting a nice, three bedroom ranch in heaven, after a long, fulfilling life, which ends with them slipping away peacefully in their sleep. So, then if they don’t get what they expect, the assumption is that God didn’t come through. So, anything short of our expectations becomes proof that God hates us.
Most people are a bit repulsed by the idea that the same God who is supposed to reward might decide to punish. However, no matter how unnerving it might be for us, knowing that God cares enough about our good behavior to take notes, assumes that he will be making note of our bad behavior as well. I guess what we want is a God who cares about the nice things we do and ignores everything else. That doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Having said all of this let me offer a slightly different model for all that we have seen happening around us.
Let’s picture God as our heavenly Father. He wants the best for us. He wants us to choose to do the right thing. He could (but won’t) choose for us because it would make us into puppets and any love or faith we might express would be a sham. So, he gives us a certain amount of control over how we live our lives. He could take it away at any time, but because he loves us he lets us choose and then holds us accountable for the choices we make. What He wants most of all is for us to trust Him. He offers us a relationship with Him that is built upon trust.
This Father doesn’t need to micro-manage every wind that blows or storm that comes. This Father has set up a system that is, for the most part, self-sustaining. Why do I say that? Because, it is observable. He “could” micro-manage if He wanted to but if He stepped in and changed the rules every time he felt like it, we would all go nuts, literally crazy. So, we live in a broken world where, sometimes, continental plates shift and the earth moves, buildings fall down and people get hurt.
This heavenly Father wants us to know Him. To know that no matter what happens around us He will love us and sustain us. This heavenly Father wants us to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” Which means that when the earth moves and people get hurt it should move us to do all we can to care for them.
Ok, 700 words or less.
Let me take a stab at a difficult question. You should never try to do theology in 500 words or less, but I’ll give it a shot.
The day after Haiti was devastated by a massive earthquake the Rev. Pat Robertson made the following statement:
"They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it's a deal."
I have never thought of Rev. Robertson as much of a theologian. He has a history of making statements that seem to be based on nothing more than private revelation. Private revelation is a part of the process, but it always needs to be tested. I’m not sure he feels the need to go to that next step.
Anyway, his statement has raised a couple of questions that many people ask after disasters like this one. “How did this happen?” and “Why did this happen?” The two questions always seem to be connected.
Rev. Robertson implies that this earthquake was the direct action of the almighty God (that’s the “how”) and that it was a punishment for the behavior of the Haitian people (that would be the “why.”) This is actually a fairly popular assumption, just not on this scale. There are a lot of people who expect that God will (or should) reward them for their behavior and since they see themselves as basically good they are expecting a nice, three bedroom ranch in heaven, after a long, fulfilling life, which ends with them slipping away peacefully in their sleep. So, then if they don’t get what they expect, the assumption is that God didn’t come through. So, anything short of our expectations becomes proof that God hates us.
Most people are a bit repulsed by the idea that the same God who is supposed to reward might decide to punish. However, no matter how unnerving it might be for us, knowing that God cares enough about our good behavior to take notes, assumes that he will be making note of our bad behavior as well. I guess what we want is a God who cares about the nice things we do and ignores everything else. That doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Having said all of this let me offer a slightly different model for all that we have seen happening around us.
Let’s picture God as our heavenly Father. He wants the best for us. He wants us to choose to do the right thing. He could (but won’t) choose for us because it would make us into puppets and any love or faith we might express would be a sham. So, he gives us a certain amount of control over how we live our lives. He could take it away at any time, but because he loves us he lets us choose and then holds us accountable for the choices we make. What He wants most of all is for us to trust Him. He offers us a relationship with Him that is built upon trust.
This Father doesn’t need to micro-manage every wind that blows or storm that comes. This Father has set up a system that is, for the most part, self-sustaining. Why do I say that? Because, it is observable. He “could” micro-manage if He wanted to but if He stepped in and changed the rules every time he felt like it, we would all go nuts, literally crazy. So, we live in a broken world where, sometimes, continental plates shift and the earth moves, buildings fall down and people get hurt.
This heavenly Father wants us to know Him. To know that no matter what happens around us He will love us and sustain us. This heavenly Father wants us to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” Which means that when the earth moves and people get hurt it should move us to do all we can to care for them.
Ok, 700 words or less.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
What About The Hungry? Part 3.
I was thinking about how to continue this conversation and I was re-reading some of what John Wesley had to say on the subject. I decided to include it here.
John Wesley on Giving: Serving God with Mammon
John Wesley's wisdom for hard economic times: EARN all you can, SAVE all you can, and GIVE all you can.
A Sermon on Luke 16:9
"'The love of money,' we know, 'is the root of all evil;' but not the thing itself. The fault does not lie in the money, but in them that use it. It may be used ill: and what may not? But it may likewise be used well: It is full as applicable to the best, as to the worst uses. It is of unspeakable service to all civilized nations, in all the common affairs of life: It is a most compendious instrument of transacting all manner of business, and (if we use it according to Christian wisdom) of doing all manner of good."
"It is true, were man in a state of innocence, or were all men 'filled with the Holy Ghost,' so that, like the infant Church at Jerusalem, 'no man counted anything he had his own,' but 'distribution was made to everyone as he had need,' the use of it would be superseded; as we cannot conceive there is anything of the kind among the inhabitants of heaven. But, in the present state of mankind, it is an excellent gift of God, answering the noblest ends. In the hands of his children, it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, raiment for the naked: It gives to the traveller and the stranger where to lay his head. By it we may supply the place of an husband to the widow, and of a father to the fatherless. We maybe a defence for the oppressed, a means of health to the sick, of ease to them that are in pain; it may be as eyes to the blind, as feet to the lame; yea, a lifter up from the gates of death!"
"It is therefore of the highest concern that all who fear God know how to employ this valuable talent; that they be instructed how it may answer these glorious ends, and in the highest degree. And, perhaps, all the instructions which are necessary for this may be reduced to three plain rules, by the exact observance whereof we may approve ourselves faithful stewards of 'the mammon of unrighteousness.'"
"The first of these is (he that heareth, let him understand!) 'Gain all you can.' Here we may speak like the children of the world: We meet them on their own ground. And it is our bounden duty to do this: We ought to gain all we can gain, without buying gold too dear, without paying more for it than it is worth. But this it is certain we ought not to do; we ought not to gain money at the expense of life, nor (which is in effect the same thing) at the expense of our health." …
"Having gained all you can, by honest wisdom and unwearied diligence, the second rule of Christian prudence is, 'Save all you can.' Do not throw the precious talent into the sea: Leave that folly to heathen philosophers. Do not throw it away in idle expenses, which is just the same as throwing it into the sea. Expend no part of it merely to gratify the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life." …
"But let not any man imagine that he has done anything, barely by going thus far, by 'gaining and saving all he can,' if he were to stop here. All this is nothing, if a man go not forward, if he does not point all this at a farther end. Nor, indeed, can a man properly be said to save anything, if he only lays it up. You may as well throw your money into the sea, as bury it in the earth. And you may as well bury it in the earth, as in your chest, or in the Bank of England. Not to use, is effectually to throw it away. If, therefore, you would indeed 'make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness,' add the Third rule to the two preceding. Having, First, gained all you can, and, Secondly saved all you can, Then 'give all you can.'" …
"I entreat you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, act up to the dignity of your calling! No more sloth! Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might! No more waste! Cut off every expense which fashion, caprice, or flesh and blood demand! No more covetousness! But employ whatever God has entrusted you with, in doing good, all possible good, in every possible kind and degree to the household of faith, to all men! This is no small part of 'the wisdom of the just.' Give all ye have, as well as all ye are, a spiritual sacrifice to Him who withheld not from you his Son, his only Son: So 'laying up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that ye may attain eternal life!'"
The full text of this sermon (The Use of Money, Sermon #50) appears in the United Methodist archives: http://gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/
John Wesley on Giving: Serving God with Mammon
John Wesley's wisdom for hard economic times: EARN all you can, SAVE all you can, and GIVE all you can.
A Sermon on Luke 16:9
"'The love of money,' we know, 'is the root of all evil;' but not the thing itself. The fault does not lie in the money, but in them that use it. It may be used ill: and what may not? But it may likewise be used well: It is full as applicable to the best, as to the worst uses. It is of unspeakable service to all civilized nations, in all the common affairs of life: It is a most compendious instrument of transacting all manner of business, and (if we use it according to Christian wisdom) of doing all manner of good."
"It is true, were man in a state of innocence, or were all men 'filled with the Holy Ghost,' so that, like the infant Church at Jerusalem, 'no man counted anything he had his own,' but 'distribution was made to everyone as he had need,' the use of it would be superseded; as we cannot conceive there is anything of the kind among the inhabitants of heaven. But, in the present state of mankind, it is an excellent gift of God, answering the noblest ends. In the hands of his children, it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, raiment for the naked: It gives to the traveller and the stranger where to lay his head. By it we may supply the place of an husband to the widow, and of a father to the fatherless. We maybe a defence for the oppressed, a means of health to the sick, of ease to them that are in pain; it may be as eyes to the blind, as feet to the lame; yea, a lifter up from the gates of death!"
"It is therefore of the highest concern that all who fear God know how to employ this valuable talent; that they be instructed how it may answer these glorious ends, and in the highest degree. And, perhaps, all the instructions which are necessary for this may be reduced to three plain rules, by the exact observance whereof we may approve ourselves faithful stewards of 'the mammon of unrighteousness.'"
"The first of these is (he that heareth, let him understand!) 'Gain all you can.' Here we may speak like the children of the world: We meet them on their own ground. And it is our bounden duty to do this: We ought to gain all we can gain, without buying gold too dear, without paying more for it than it is worth. But this it is certain we ought not to do; we ought not to gain money at the expense of life, nor (which is in effect the same thing) at the expense of our health." …
"Having gained all you can, by honest wisdom and unwearied diligence, the second rule of Christian prudence is, 'Save all you can.' Do not throw the precious talent into the sea: Leave that folly to heathen philosophers. Do not throw it away in idle expenses, which is just the same as throwing it into the sea. Expend no part of it merely to gratify the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life." …
"But let not any man imagine that he has done anything, barely by going thus far, by 'gaining and saving all he can,' if he were to stop here. All this is nothing, if a man go not forward, if he does not point all this at a farther end. Nor, indeed, can a man properly be said to save anything, if he only lays it up. You may as well throw your money into the sea, as bury it in the earth. And you may as well bury it in the earth, as in your chest, or in the Bank of England. Not to use, is effectually to throw it away. If, therefore, you would indeed 'make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness,' add the Third rule to the two preceding. Having, First, gained all you can, and, Secondly saved all you can, Then 'give all you can.'" …
"I entreat you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, act up to the dignity of your calling! No more sloth! Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might! No more waste! Cut off every expense which fashion, caprice, or flesh and blood demand! No more covetousness! But employ whatever God has entrusted you with, in doing good, all possible good, in every possible kind and degree to the household of faith, to all men! This is no small part of 'the wisdom of the just.' Give all ye have, as well as all ye are, a spiritual sacrifice to Him who withheld not from you his Son, his only Son: So 'laying up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that ye may attain eternal life!'"
The full text of this sermon (The Use of Money, Sermon #50) appears in the United Methodist archives: http://gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/
Saturday, January 16, 2010
What About The Hungry? Part 2.
January 16th:
Jesus said…
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
So, what do we do about Phil? (Not his real name.) What do we do with the people I call “professional users?” Phil has been in and out of the court system for 20 years. He is a registered sex offender (convicted twice of misdemeanor sexual assault.) He’s not a rapist. He’s not a child molester. He’s been arrested for domestic abuse; he’s been sued for not paying his rent. Phil has spent most of the last 20 years hitting up anyone he can for a free meal or a few nights in a flophouse motel. It’s not his fault. He explains that to anyone who will listen.
What do we do with Phil? He is not easy to deal with. To say that his social skills need work would be an understatement. Phil has learned to use guilt like a tool. Truth has little meaning for him. He believes that God should fix his problems. What do we do with Phil?
Part of me thinks that Phil needs consequences. If he has to spend a night out in the cold maybe he will put some of his energy into changing his life. It should make a difference. Except Phil is a hard case. He has been dealing with consequences for the last 20 years. What consequences have taught Phil is that he has to work even harder trying to “button hole” someone new.
Part of me thinks that Phil needs compassion. If he just understood that someone really cared about him then maybe he would respond to that love and turn away from his empty life. But, Phil has learned to see compassion as a weakness that can be exploited. For Phil compassionate people are a resource.
All of me thinks that Phil needs Jesus. Jesus is the one who can transform even Phil’s broken and diseased heart. Jesus can change the way Phil sees his life and point him away from his slavery. Jesus can do this kind of work in Phil’s life, but Phil has learned to not listen to this message of hope. He’s been too busy surviving.
Having said all of this the question remains, “What do we do with Phil?” Does his dysfunctional past and our continual ineffectiveness mean that we don’t have to care about him anymore? Does the fact that he makes caring hard mean that we stop trying? I don’t think so. I don’t think that we’ve been given that option. Our resources are often limited, but our calling is clear.
We are called to love. How people respond to that love is not for us to decide. We can’t let the Philips in the world determine how we live out our relationship with the living Jesus. We can’t let those who will not hear keep us from speaking. We cannot let those who will not be changed keep us from offering the opportunity.
When it comes to Phil I have to admit that I don’t have answers. I cannot change him, but I can still determine to be faithful; to love and give and take on the hard cases. Sometimes being faithful is all we can do.
Jesus said…
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
So, what do we do about Phil? (Not his real name.) What do we do with the people I call “professional users?” Phil has been in and out of the court system for 20 years. He is a registered sex offender (convicted twice of misdemeanor sexual assault.) He’s not a rapist. He’s not a child molester. He’s been arrested for domestic abuse; he’s been sued for not paying his rent. Phil has spent most of the last 20 years hitting up anyone he can for a free meal or a few nights in a flophouse motel. It’s not his fault. He explains that to anyone who will listen.
What do we do with Phil? He is not easy to deal with. To say that his social skills need work would be an understatement. Phil has learned to use guilt like a tool. Truth has little meaning for him. He believes that God should fix his problems. What do we do with Phil?
Part of me thinks that Phil needs consequences. If he has to spend a night out in the cold maybe he will put some of his energy into changing his life. It should make a difference. Except Phil is a hard case. He has been dealing with consequences for the last 20 years. What consequences have taught Phil is that he has to work even harder trying to “button hole” someone new.
Part of me thinks that Phil needs compassion. If he just understood that someone really cared about him then maybe he would respond to that love and turn away from his empty life. But, Phil has learned to see compassion as a weakness that can be exploited. For Phil compassionate people are a resource.
All of me thinks that Phil needs Jesus. Jesus is the one who can transform even Phil’s broken and diseased heart. Jesus can change the way Phil sees his life and point him away from his slavery. Jesus can do this kind of work in Phil’s life, but Phil has learned to not listen to this message of hope. He’s been too busy surviving.
Having said all of this the question remains, “What do we do with Phil?” Does his dysfunctional past and our continual ineffectiveness mean that we don’t have to care about him anymore? Does the fact that he makes caring hard mean that we stop trying? I don’t think so. I don’t think that we’ve been given that option. Our resources are often limited, but our calling is clear.
We are called to love. How people respond to that love is not for us to decide. We can’t let the Philips in the world determine how we live out our relationship with the living Jesus. We can’t let those who will not hear keep us from speaking. We cannot let those who will not be changed keep us from offering the opportunity.
When it comes to Phil I have to admit that I don’t have answers. I cannot change him, but I can still determine to be faithful; to love and give and take on the hard cases. Sometimes being faithful is all we can do.
Friday, January 15, 2010
What About The Hungry? Part 1.
January 15th:
Jesus said…
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
As followers of Jesus, we have been trying to take Him at his word. On the surface, it sounds like it shouldn’t be that hard. Those who have the money and the time to serve give a little of what they’ve been blessed with to care for those who are struggling. The hungry get fed and the homeless are provided with shelter. Piece of cake (no pun intended.) After all, it’s not that big of a sacrifice. If everyone would set aside a little (say 10%) of what they have been blessed with there should be plenty enough to go around.
But what happens if all of us get over extended? What happens if we get caught up trying to keep up with all the many things we’ve filled our own lives with? What happens if we don’t recognize how much we have been blessed? Then that little bit of time and that little bit of money never come. The hungry remain hungry. The homeless never find even a room of their own.
One of the problems that many of us have (we who have been so blessed) is that we don’t see the really needy. Our lives never take us to those places where the poor hang out. What that means is that it is easy for us to forget that the problem even exists. It’s easy for us to drop a quarter in the Salvation Army kettle and think that we have made a difference.
I might conclude this part of the discussion by saying, “something has to change” and (at least part of) that “something” is us. We have to open our eyes to see what is really happening in our world. We need a new heart for those who have been less blessed. We need a new willingness to sacrifice a little of what we have been given to make a difference in somebody else’s life. The Good News is that Jesus is in the “new eyes” and “new heart” business. He is the one who makes giving more of a privilege than a sacrifice. Let Jesus show you the way.
p.s. If you would like to help with the earthquake relief in Haiti, you can donate through the United Methodist Church at umc.org. 100% of what you contribute will go to the relief effort.
Jesus said…
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
As followers of Jesus, we have been trying to take Him at his word. On the surface, it sounds like it shouldn’t be that hard. Those who have the money and the time to serve give a little of what they’ve been blessed with to care for those who are struggling. The hungry get fed and the homeless are provided with shelter. Piece of cake (no pun intended.) After all, it’s not that big of a sacrifice. If everyone would set aside a little (say 10%) of what they have been blessed with there should be plenty enough to go around.
But what happens if all of us get over extended? What happens if we get caught up trying to keep up with all the many things we’ve filled our own lives with? What happens if we don’t recognize how much we have been blessed? Then that little bit of time and that little bit of money never come. The hungry remain hungry. The homeless never find even a room of their own.
One of the problems that many of us have (we who have been so blessed) is that we don’t see the really needy. Our lives never take us to those places where the poor hang out. What that means is that it is easy for us to forget that the problem even exists. It’s easy for us to drop a quarter in the Salvation Army kettle and think that we have made a difference.
I might conclude this part of the discussion by saying, “something has to change” and (at least part of) that “something” is us. We have to open our eyes to see what is really happening in our world. We need a new heart for those who have been less blessed. We need a new willingness to sacrifice a little of what we have been given to make a difference in somebody else’s life. The Good News is that Jesus is in the “new eyes” and “new heart” business. He is the one who makes giving more of a privilege than a sacrifice. Let Jesus show you the way.
p.s. If you would like to help with the earthquake relief in Haiti, you can donate through the United Methodist Church at umc.org. 100% of what you contribute will go to the relief effort.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Just Another Good Beginning
January 13:
I assumed this day would come. I just didn’t think it would come so soon.
When I started this electronic diary I seemed to be able to just crank them out. For a time I actually considered making this a daily blog. I was being naïve. I have that problem.
And then one day (it seems so long ago) I realized that I didn’t know what I wanted to say. It’s not that I stopped having new thoughts. I have a whole collection of un-posted blog entries that are nothing but clever beginnings. At this point they are simply words that go nowhere. For a while I toyed with the idea of trying to convert Wesley’s Child into a fill-in-the-blank blog. But, again, it was the beginning of an idea that is going nowhere.
So, I guess I will just have to be patient with myself. I’m assuming that at some point this “bloggers block” (a sort of 21st century writers block) will work itself out. In the mean time I will keep writing beginnings and wait for the endings to come.
Life is like that. (I feel an ending coming on.) Getting things started is easy. Getting things done is hard. I’ve started a hundred diets, sketched out a hundred unfinished paintings and written the first verse of a hundred poems. My life is littered with things undone.
In a similar way, deciding to follow Jesus is relatively easy. Following Jesus is hard. Lots of people have (as we say in the trade) “walked the aisle” (come forward to make a commitment to Jesus) but had it make no difference in their daily lives. I’ve said for years that the biggest problem we have is that the day after we commit our lives to following Christ we wake up in the same bed and go off to the same job we had the day before we made that commitment. This is where the church comes in. The church is a support group for people who are trying to live a Christian life. We need each other.
So, maybe I should work on my fill-in-the-blank blog. Wait! I’ve got another idea!
I assumed this day would come. I just didn’t think it would come so soon.
When I started this electronic diary I seemed to be able to just crank them out. For a time I actually considered making this a daily blog. I was being naïve. I have that problem.
And then one day (it seems so long ago) I realized that I didn’t know what I wanted to say. It’s not that I stopped having new thoughts. I have a whole collection of un-posted blog entries that are nothing but clever beginnings. At this point they are simply words that go nowhere. For a while I toyed with the idea of trying to convert Wesley’s Child into a fill-in-the-blank blog. But, again, it was the beginning of an idea that is going nowhere.
So, I guess I will just have to be patient with myself. I’m assuming that at some point this “bloggers block” (a sort of 21st century writers block) will work itself out. In the mean time I will keep writing beginnings and wait for the endings to come.
Life is like that. (I feel an ending coming on.) Getting things started is easy. Getting things done is hard. I’ve started a hundred diets, sketched out a hundred unfinished paintings and written the first verse of a hundred poems. My life is littered with things undone.
In a similar way, deciding to follow Jesus is relatively easy. Following Jesus is hard. Lots of people have (as we say in the trade) “walked the aisle” (come forward to make a commitment to Jesus) but had it make no difference in their daily lives. I’ve said for years that the biggest problem we have is that the day after we commit our lives to following Christ we wake up in the same bed and go off to the same job we had the day before we made that commitment. This is where the church comes in. The church is a support group for people who are trying to live a Christian life. We need each other.
So, maybe I should work on my fill-in-the-blank blog. Wait! I’ve got another idea!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Book Of Miracles
January 10:
Here’s a peak at this morning’s conversation…
Over the years I have come to realize that I am not as good at this pastoring thing as I thought I would be when I first started.
When I first responded to Jesus’ call upon my life (thirty-five years ago) I thought that God was calling me to accomplish great things. After all, I understood that He had gifted me with a voice for singing and a heart for preaching and teaching. So, I pictured myself one day leading a large congregation that would reach thousands with the Good News about Jesus.
Looking back it sounds (even to me) like arrogance but I would actually call it ignorance. I honestly believed that the reason people didn’t trust in Jesus was that no one had made it clear enough how wonderful a relationship with Jesus really is. But, I was wrong. I didn’t really understand our capacity for hearing but not listening. I didn’t realize at the time how distracting our lives could really be.
For 35 years I have watched people attend church (some of them every Sunday for years) and still have it not affect the way that they live. I have watched as people listened to preaching (some of it very good preaching) and still not learn anything about their faith, their Savior, their Church or their lives. When I started, thirty-five years ago, I had confidence in my abilities. I am far less confident today.
But what I have also noticed over the last 35 years is that when people begin to read and study the Bible it changes their lives. This is not something that I profess to understand. This is simply an observation. The writer of Hebrews (in the New Testament) said, “…the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit…and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
We’re not talking about some sort of Christian magic. There is no mystical blessing attached to this tome. This book is like any book; paper and ink. But the Author, the one behind the hands that actually penned the text, has a way of speaking through the text directly to our hearts.
This is why people like me will say (over and over again) to congregations of people that they have to spend time in the Bible. It will change your life. Don’t ask me to explain it. Just try it. This is the power of God’s word.
So, if you see yourself on a spiritual journey this is the one thing that you must commit yourself to. Open up your Bible and take the time to read it and studying it. This book, unlike any other book, will allow God to speak to your soul.
Some people think that we call it a book of miracles because it is filled with amazing stories of what God has done. But, we should call it a “book full of miracles” because it works miracles in our lives.
Here’s a peak at this morning’s conversation…
Over the years I have come to realize that I am not as good at this pastoring thing as I thought I would be when I first started.
When I first responded to Jesus’ call upon my life (thirty-five years ago) I thought that God was calling me to accomplish great things. After all, I understood that He had gifted me with a voice for singing and a heart for preaching and teaching. So, I pictured myself one day leading a large congregation that would reach thousands with the Good News about Jesus.
Looking back it sounds (even to me) like arrogance but I would actually call it ignorance. I honestly believed that the reason people didn’t trust in Jesus was that no one had made it clear enough how wonderful a relationship with Jesus really is. But, I was wrong. I didn’t really understand our capacity for hearing but not listening. I didn’t realize at the time how distracting our lives could really be.
For 35 years I have watched people attend church (some of them every Sunday for years) and still have it not affect the way that they live. I have watched as people listened to preaching (some of it very good preaching) and still not learn anything about their faith, their Savior, their Church or their lives. When I started, thirty-five years ago, I had confidence in my abilities. I am far less confident today.
But what I have also noticed over the last 35 years is that when people begin to read and study the Bible it changes their lives. This is not something that I profess to understand. This is simply an observation. The writer of Hebrews (in the New Testament) said, “…the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit…and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
We’re not talking about some sort of Christian magic. There is no mystical blessing attached to this tome. This book is like any book; paper and ink. But the Author, the one behind the hands that actually penned the text, has a way of speaking through the text directly to our hearts.
This is why people like me will say (over and over again) to congregations of people that they have to spend time in the Bible. It will change your life. Don’t ask me to explain it. Just try it. This is the power of God’s word.
So, if you see yourself on a spiritual journey this is the one thing that you must commit yourself to. Open up your Bible and take the time to read it and studying it. This book, unlike any other book, will allow God to speak to your soul.
Some people think that we call it a book of miracles because it is filled with amazing stories of what God has done. But, we should call it a “book full of miracles” because it works miracles in our lives.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Living With Hate Mongers and Idiots
January 9:
Most of the country has been blanketed in cold this winter. I suppose it seems kind of strange if you’re living in Florida or Texas, but for those of us who live in Wisconsin it’s all fairly normal.
There is, however, an interesting wintertime tradition in Wisconsin. Nobody seems to remember, from year to year, what winter is supposed to be like. I suspect the memory loss is somehow beer (or brandy) related, but it is consistent. So, even in Wisconsin people have been talking like this is the coldest it has ever been or like this is the most snow we’ve ever had to shovel. Let me testify that neither of those things is true. I suspect that some of the complaining comes from the fact that the weather is one of the few things that we can complain about without making somebody else mad.
My mother always told me that I wasn’t supposed to ask people about politics or religion. She thought it wasn’t polite. In retrospect, it was probably just smart. Politics, religion (and we should add “money” to this list) are all things that are personal. When things get personal we get uncomfortable and when we get uncomfortable we get defensive. All of a sudden conversation about things that might be hugely important get dismissed as the babbling of hate mongers and congenital idiots.
Since I regularly spend time trying to engage people in conversation about all three of the previously mentioned taboos, I guess I am, at least by some people’s definition, both a serial hater and intellectually challenged. And all I am trying to do is care about people. Somehow, caring isn’t enough.
What seems to be required for us to have meaningful conversations about these extremely personal topics is a huge level of trust. If I trust you and I am convinced that your motives are pure then I might even think about what you have to say.
That’s what makes pastoral ministry difficult. It is hard to talk about spiritual things with people who only show up sporadically, sit in the back and never interact with anyone else. It’s time for us all to recognize that it is not enough for Churches to simply count the number of attendees and assume that if the numbers go up that they are succeeding. And it isn’t enough for attendees to think that they can simply punch in and check out and it will somehow make them more holy. Trust requires more.
In the same way, trust is what makes friendships actually work. It’s not enough to just show up at Thanksgiving or send a card at Christmas time and assume that we are close. Trust requires commitment and commitment requires time.
So, interacting on Facebook or MySpace or reading someone’s blog (even if it is a daily blog) is not enough. It’s a start, but in order for us to talk about the really important things and in order for us to really care about each other we need more. Let’s hope and pray that we can find the time and the opportunity to spend time with the people we care about. Let’s hope and pray that we can learn to trust each other enough so we can care about each other even more.
Most of the country has been blanketed in cold this winter. I suppose it seems kind of strange if you’re living in Florida or Texas, but for those of us who live in Wisconsin it’s all fairly normal.
There is, however, an interesting wintertime tradition in Wisconsin. Nobody seems to remember, from year to year, what winter is supposed to be like. I suspect the memory loss is somehow beer (or brandy) related, but it is consistent. So, even in Wisconsin people have been talking like this is the coldest it has ever been or like this is the most snow we’ve ever had to shovel. Let me testify that neither of those things is true. I suspect that some of the complaining comes from the fact that the weather is one of the few things that we can complain about without making somebody else mad.
My mother always told me that I wasn’t supposed to ask people about politics or religion. She thought it wasn’t polite. In retrospect, it was probably just smart. Politics, religion (and we should add “money” to this list) are all things that are personal. When things get personal we get uncomfortable and when we get uncomfortable we get defensive. All of a sudden conversation about things that might be hugely important get dismissed as the babbling of hate mongers and congenital idiots.
Since I regularly spend time trying to engage people in conversation about all three of the previously mentioned taboos, I guess I am, at least by some people’s definition, both a serial hater and intellectually challenged. And all I am trying to do is care about people. Somehow, caring isn’t enough.
What seems to be required for us to have meaningful conversations about these extremely personal topics is a huge level of trust. If I trust you and I am convinced that your motives are pure then I might even think about what you have to say.
That’s what makes pastoral ministry difficult. It is hard to talk about spiritual things with people who only show up sporadically, sit in the back and never interact with anyone else. It’s time for us all to recognize that it is not enough for Churches to simply count the number of attendees and assume that if the numbers go up that they are succeeding. And it isn’t enough for attendees to think that they can simply punch in and check out and it will somehow make them more holy. Trust requires more.
In the same way, trust is what makes friendships actually work. It’s not enough to just show up at Thanksgiving or send a card at Christmas time and assume that we are close. Trust requires commitment and commitment requires time.
So, interacting on Facebook or MySpace or reading someone’s blog (even if it is a daily blog) is not enough. It’s a start, but in order for us to talk about the really important things and in order for us to really care about each other we need more. Let’s hope and pray that we can find the time and the opportunity to spend time with the people we care about. Let’s hope and pray that we can learn to trust each other enough so we can care about each other even more.
Friday, January 8, 2010
I Remember Elvis
January 8:
This is one of those stories that fascinates me…
“MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Reuters) - The cold couldn't keep them away from the "King."
Hundreds of Elvis Presley fans braved frigid, snowy weather to celebrate the late rock 'n 'roll legend's 75th birthday on Friday at his Graceland shrine, part of a marketing machine that generates $50 million a year.
"It feels like his presence is here," long-time Elvis devotee Debbie Bradshaw of Texas said during a tour of the Memphis mansion where Presley died in 1977 from heart failure, aged 42.
Some 1,500 people shivered and sang along with the early Presley hit "That's All Right" in 11-degree temperatures (minus 11.7 Celsius) as snowflakes swirled.”
Fifteen hundred people came to a birthday party for a man who died thirty-three years ago. Fifteen hundred people stood in 11-degree temperatures hoping for what? Hoping to do what? Is it a memorial? A tribute? Or is it like spending the day at Disney? I honestly don’t get it. Maybe they were serving really good cake.
I suppose you could say that they came to honor this man’s contribution to the music world. But, do you think there will be fifteen hundred people gathering on the 27th to remember Mozart’s birthday? He’s been dead 219 years. Is there a statute of limitations on honoring dead musical geniuses?
Now, this whole conversation might seem a bit strange coming from a guy who has chosen to build his life around a man who died almost 2000 years ago. So, what’s the difference between Elvis and Jesus? Jesus changed the world and Elvis changed the world. Not to the same degree as Jesus, but I admit that his contribution was significant. Jesus has followers. Elvis has followers. Not nearly as many as Jesus, but fifteen hundred people gathering in the cold after thirty-three years is quite an accomplishment. Jesus died. Elvis died. I think that even the faithful who gathered in Memphis today are willing to admit that “The King” is dead. But this is where we part company. The thing that inspires and empowers the followers of Jesus is a conviction that our King, who once was dead, is now alive.
I understand that there are people who think Christians are as “loony” as half frozen Elvis groupies. But, what can you do? This is our testimony to the world. Jesus is alive. I just hope that they see it reflected in my life.
This is one of those stories that fascinates me…
“MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Reuters) - The cold couldn't keep them away from the "King."
Hundreds of Elvis Presley fans braved frigid, snowy weather to celebrate the late rock 'n 'roll legend's 75th birthday on Friday at his Graceland shrine, part of a marketing machine that generates $50 million a year.
"It feels like his presence is here," long-time Elvis devotee Debbie Bradshaw of Texas said during a tour of the Memphis mansion where Presley died in 1977 from heart failure, aged 42.
Some 1,500 people shivered and sang along with the early Presley hit "That's All Right" in 11-degree temperatures (minus 11.7 Celsius) as snowflakes swirled.”
Fifteen hundred people came to a birthday party for a man who died thirty-three years ago. Fifteen hundred people stood in 11-degree temperatures hoping for what? Hoping to do what? Is it a memorial? A tribute? Or is it like spending the day at Disney? I honestly don’t get it. Maybe they were serving really good cake.
I suppose you could say that they came to honor this man’s contribution to the music world. But, do you think there will be fifteen hundred people gathering on the 27th to remember Mozart’s birthday? He’s been dead 219 years. Is there a statute of limitations on honoring dead musical geniuses?
Now, this whole conversation might seem a bit strange coming from a guy who has chosen to build his life around a man who died almost 2000 years ago. So, what’s the difference between Elvis and Jesus? Jesus changed the world and Elvis changed the world. Not to the same degree as Jesus, but I admit that his contribution was significant. Jesus has followers. Elvis has followers. Not nearly as many as Jesus, but fifteen hundred people gathering in the cold after thirty-three years is quite an accomplishment. Jesus died. Elvis died. I think that even the faithful who gathered in Memphis today are willing to admit that “The King” is dead. But this is where we part company. The thing that inspires and empowers the followers of Jesus is a conviction that our King, who once was dead, is now alive.
I understand that there are people who think Christians are as “loony” as half frozen Elvis groupies. But, what can you do? This is our testimony to the world. Jesus is alive. I just hope that they see it reflected in my life.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
It's A Marathon
January 7:
I weigh myself every day. It’s not easy, but it is necessary. You could call it “self-monitoring” or you could call it “accountability.” I mostly call it humbling.
Now, context is important. I am 42 pounds lighter than I was at my heaviest so by that measure I would have to say that I am moving in the right direction. But the big picture is often overshadowed by the moment. I may be a long-term success, but I am most often a day-by-day failure. When I step on the scale in the morning I have a tendency to forget the larger context. All that really matters are those three little numbers.
Over the years I have learned that there are no quick fixes, no magic pills, no easy systems. Weight loss is, like many things in life, a marathon not a sprint. But, sprints are over quickly which means that success is measured in bursts of effort. Marathons take a long time and long after the sprinter has finished and is sitting on the sidelines with a cold Gatorade the marathoner is still pounding it out. I’d rather have the Gatorade. I’d like to be a sprinter. But I’ve tried sprinting and I always fall about 26 miles short of where I really want to be.
I’ve used this image before. Life is like dieting. If I intend to be the best that I can be then somehow in the process I have to be held accountable. There has to be a measure for my success or failure in order for me to know which direction my life is taking. But, the problem with life (like dieting) is that I don’t like accountability. It makes me feel bad and I don’t like to feel bad. I want to be “better” and “healthier” but those things take way too much time and require way too much effort. What I want are all the benefits of a marathon without having to do anything more than sprint once in a while.
And here’s the spiritual piece. Every so often, I hear someone try to bring God into this discussion. It goes something like this. , “God wouldn’t want me to feel bad,” they say. “God loves me and that means that he would want me to be happy.” It’s great strategy, it’s just really lousy theology and even lousier self-care. Let’s face it, “good” is hard, “great” is even harder and God wants us to be great. To get there we have to be willing to step on the scale from time to time. What we will probably find, when we do, is that we still have a ways to go. That’s OK. Just remember, it’s a marathon.
I weigh myself every day. It’s not easy, but it is necessary. You could call it “self-monitoring” or you could call it “accountability.” I mostly call it humbling.
Now, context is important. I am 42 pounds lighter than I was at my heaviest so by that measure I would have to say that I am moving in the right direction. But the big picture is often overshadowed by the moment. I may be a long-term success, but I am most often a day-by-day failure. When I step on the scale in the morning I have a tendency to forget the larger context. All that really matters are those three little numbers.
Over the years I have learned that there are no quick fixes, no magic pills, no easy systems. Weight loss is, like many things in life, a marathon not a sprint. But, sprints are over quickly which means that success is measured in bursts of effort. Marathons take a long time and long after the sprinter has finished and is sitting on the sidelines with a cold Gatorade the marathoner is still pounding it out. I’d rather have the Gatorade. I’d like to be a sprinter. But I’ve tried sprinting and I always fall about 26 miles short of where I really want to be.
I’ve used this image before. Life is like dieting. If I intend to be the best that I can be then somehow in the process I have to be held accountable. There has to be a measure for my success or failure in order for me to know which direction my life is taking. But, the problem with life (like dieting) is that I don’t like accountability. It makes me feel bad and I don’t like to feel bad. I want to be “better” and “healthier” but those things take way too much time and require way too much effort. What I want are all the benefits of a marathon without having to do anything more than sprint once in a while.
And here’s the spiritual piece. Every so often, I hear someone try to bring God into this discussion. It goes something like this. , “God wouldn’t want me to feel bad,” they say. “God loves me and that means that he would want me to be happy.” It’s great strategy, it’s just really lousy theology and even lousier self-care. Let’s face it, “good” is hard, “great” is even harder and God wants us to be great. To get there we have to be willing to step on the scale from time to time. What we will probably find, when we do, is that we still have a ways to go. That’s OK. Just remember, it’s a marathon.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
A Child of the Wesleys
January 6:
Wesley’s Child is a double entendre. My father’s name was Wesley Wells, which means that I am Wesley’s child. For 26 years Wesley was a “cop” in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. He had a stroke when he was 54 (I was 14) and he was forced into retirement. He spent the next 20 years (the last 20 years of his life) being a “house husband” of sorts. Wesley had problems with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and chronic bronchitis, all of which were made worse by years of cigarette smoking. Wesley spent his healthy years working two jobs in order to provide for his family. He rarely took time off. He lived a simple, honest life as if he had something to prove. I believe the word we use today is “workaholic.”
I am Wesley’s child. I resemble my Dad. I have issues with blood pressure and cholesterol (although not nearly as severe as his.) I have some of his mannerism. I sometimes say things that he said. I clear my throat the same way he cleared his. But, it’s not simply biological. Like my father the cop, I tend to be a law and order kind of guy. I have a hard time taking time off. I am Wesley’s child. It’s actually kind of scary at times.
But, (and here’s where the double entendre part comes in) I am also a disciple of John Wesley (the founder of Methodism.) I was converted from “religion” to faith in Jesus much like Wesley. I agree with him that God is able to do anything, even sanctify (make holy) broken people like me. I believe (like Wesley) that God has called us to care about the people we live with on this shining sphere we call Earth. This Wesley called it “personal holiness.” I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus, but I work out of a Wesleyan theological model. So, I am (in a spiritual sense) a child of this other Wesley.
All of us seem to be an interesting composite of biology and avocation. We are what we have been made to be and what we have chosen to be. We don’t have much choice about the biological part. Our faces will always be a subtle reflection of people who have come before us. We do, however, have quite a bit of choice over what we do with what we have been given. All of us decide how we will live out our own personal theology or cosmology.
I believe it was Bob Dylan who said, “You're gonna have to serve somebody.” “Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody.”
So the question always becomes, “As I live my life day after day am I more a reflection of my ancestry or of my convictions?” Am I living out my biology or my spirituality? There is a bit of both Wesleys in me. I suspect it works that way for all of us.
Wesley’s Child is a double entendre. My father’s name was Wesley Wells, which means that I am Wesley’s child. For 26 years Wesley was a “cop” in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. He had a stroke when he was 54 (I was 14) and he was forced into retirement. He spent the next 20 years (the last 20 years of his life) being a “house husband” of sorts. Wesley had problems with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and chronic bronchitis, all of which were made worse by years of cigarette smoking. Wesley spent his healthy years working two jobs in order to provide for his family. He rarely took time off. He lived a simple, honest life as if he had something to prove. I believe the word we use today is “workaholic.”
I am Wesley’s child. I resemble my Dad. I have issues with blood pressure and cholesterol (although not nearly as severe as his.) I have some of his mannerism. I sometimes say things that he said. I clear my throat the same way he cleared his. But, it’s not simply biological. Like my father the cop, I tend to be a law and order kind of guy. I have a hard time taking time off. I am Wesley’s child. It’s actually kind of scary at times.
But, (and here’s where the double entendre part comes in) I am also a disciple of John Wesley (the founder of Methodism.) I was converted from “religion” to faith in Jesus much like Wesley. I agree with him that God is able to do anything, even sanctify (make holy) broken people like me. I believe (like Wesley) that God has called us to care about the people we live with on this shining sphere we call Earth. This Wesley called it “personal holiness.” I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus, but I work out of a Wesleyan theological model. So, I am (in a spiritual sense) a child of this other Wesley.
All of us seem to be an interesting composite of biology and avocation. We are what we have been made to be and what we have chosen to be. We don’t have much choice about the biological part. Our faces will always be a subtle reflection of people who have come before us. We do, however, have quite a bit of choice over what we do with what we have been given. All of us decide how we will live out our own personal theology or cosmology.
I believe it was Bob Dylan who said, “You're gonna have to serve somebody.” “Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody.”
So the question always becomes, “As I live my life day after day am I more a reflection of my ancestry or of my convictions?” Am I living out my biology or my spirituality? There is a bit of both Wesleys in me. I suspect it works that way for all of us.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Dying For Monetary Reasons
January 5:
The headline said, “Last Year for Estate Tax Break; Cheaper to Die in 2010.” What an interesting picture. Dying for monetary reasons. I know that people will die in 2010 but I don’t think that there will be many who will choose to pass on just to save a few bucks. Most of us just aren’t that organized.
But, the headline got me thinking about “buying the farm” (so to speak) and about what would motivate me to pay that particular price.
Like a lot of people, I have always liked to think that I would give my life for my family or my country or my savior. But, these are all statements that are rarely tested. And we make them knowing (in the back of our heads) that no one is likely to call us on them.
So, how do I know? I guess I won’t until the opportunity presents itself. But,if we are going to pray for that opportunity just remember that there is some advantage to doing it in 2010.
Let me take this conversation in a slightly different direction.
In the early church giving your life for Jesus was considered a great honor. The Greek word “martoos” (μάρτυς) means “witness.” It is where we get the English word “martyr.” To give your life for Jesus was the greatest witness you could make to your love for Him.
Again, we live in a culture where opportunities for martyrdom don’t pop up very often (not like we’d want that to change) but opportunities for “witness” are almost endless. And most of them (at least on the surface) don’t seem to be that huge of a sacrifice. I can give some of my precious time to help feed someone who is hungry. I can give some of my precious money to someone who needs it more than I do. I can give some of my talent to benefit someone other than me. It’s not like dying, but it may be more significant to me and mean more to the people I help than my death ever would.
The reality is that dying (whether there’s a tax break involved or not) is probably easier than giving away our time, our money or our talent. That’s what makes them so valuable.
The headline said, “Last Year for Estate Tax Break; Cheaper to Die in 2010.” What an interesting picture. Dying for monetary reasons. I know that people will die in 2010 but I don’t think that there will be many who will choose to pass on just to save a few bucks. Most of us just aren’t that organized.
But, the headline got me thinking about “buying the farm” (so to speak) and about what would motivate me to pay that particular price.
Like a lot of people, I have always liked to think that I would give my life for my family or my country or my savior. But, these are all statements that are rarely tested. And we make them knowing (in the back of our heads) that no one is likely to call us on them.
So, how do I know? I guess I won’t until the opportunity presents itself. But,if we are going to pray for that opportunity just remember that there is some advantage to doing it in 2010.
Let me take this conversation in a slightly different direction.
In the early church giving your life for Jesus was considered a great honor. The Greek word “martoos” (μάρτυς) means “witness.” It is where we get the English word “martyr.” To give your life for Jesus was the greatest witness you could make to your love for Him.
Again, we live in a culture where opportunities for martyrdom don’t pop up very often (not like we’d want that to change) but opportunities for “witness” are almost endless. And most of them (at least on the surface) don’t seem to be that huge of a sacrifice. I can give some of my precious time to help feed someone who is hungry. I can give some of my precious money to someone who needs it more than I do. I can give some of my talent to benefit someone other than me. It’s not like dying, but it may be more significant to me and mean more to the people I help than my death ever would.
The reality is that dying (whether there’s a tax break involved or not) is probably easier than giving away our time, our money or our talent. That’s what makes them so valuable.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Holy, Holy, Holy
January 4:
This is sort of summary of what I was talking about in Church yesterday.
For years I’ve heard it said that after a time husbands and wives begin to look alike. I have always believed that people have a tendency to “become” like the people they spend the most time with. It’s not so much a physical thing as it is a perceptual thing. People who spend a lot of time together have a tendency to adopt the same mannerism, use the same phrases when they speak and even dress alike. So, long time partners end up sharing enough similarities that, to the casual observer, they appear to be the same.
The most obvious application for this observation is that we need to intentionally spend time with people we want to be like and we need to avoid spending too much time with people we don’t want to “resemble.”
The most incredible application of this train of thinking has to do with our relationship to God. God told Moses “…you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” And then in the book of Leviticus He said, "you shall be holy, for I am holy." What this means is that the holy God wants us to be like Him! Anything less is not enough! God wants us to be holy because he is holy.
And if we continue with my original premise: we become like Him when we commit ourselves to spending time with Him. This is why prayer is so important and why spending time with the Bible and gathering together with other believers is also important.
The word “holy” literally means, “set aside.” God is described as holy because He is “set aside” from the world. We become holy when we allow ourselves to be “set aside” for God. We are taking on the nature of God.
The really remarkable thing (from a Christian perspective) is that this God who is totally different from the world we inhabit has called us to be like Him. This God wants to take broken, worldly creatures like us and make us like Holy.
And as this process begins to take hold we should see it in the way we live our lives. We see ourselves feeding the hungry and caring about the homeless. We see ourselves taking an interest in the environment and working for justice in the world because we are becoming holy. We are becoming like Jesus. This is the way it is meant to work. This is the way it is meant to be.
Being a Christian is not working harder to try to achieve some impossible goal. It is not about obeying a set of arbitrary rules. Being a Christian is becoming what God is! Holy. Don’t sell yourself short and don’t settle for anything less.
This is sort of summary of what I was talking about in Church yesterday.
For years I’ve heard it said that after a time husbands and wives begin to look alike. I have always believed that people have a tendency to “become” like the people they spend the most time with. It’s not so much a physical thing as it is a perceptual thing. People who spend a lot of time together have a tendency to adopt the same mannerism, use the same phrases when they speak and even dress alike. So, long time partners end up sharing enough similarities that, to the casual observer, they appear to be the same.
The most obvious application for this observation is that we need to intentionally spend time with people we want to be like and we need to avoid spending too much time with people we don’t want to “resemble.”
The most incredible application of this train of thinking has to do with our relationship to God. God told Moses “…you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” And then in the book of Leviticus He said, "you shall be holy, for I am holy." What this means is that the holy God wants us to be like Him! Anything less is not enough! God wants us to be holy because he is holy.
And if we continue with my original premise: we become like Him when we commit ourselves to spending time with Him. This is why prayer is so important and why spending time with the Bible and gathering together with other believers is also important.
The word “holy” literally means, “set aside.” God is described as holy because He is “set aside” from the world. We become holy when we allow ourselves to be “set aside” for God. We are taking on the nature of God.
The really remarkable thing (from a Christian perspective) is that this God who is totally different from the world we inhabit has called us to be like Him. This God wants to take broken, worldly creatures like us and make us like Holy.
And as this process begins to take hold we should see it in the way we live our lives. We see ourselves feeding the hungry and caring about the homeless. We see ourselves taking an interest in the environment and working for justice in the world because we are becoming holy. We are becoming like Jesus. This is the way it is meant to work. This is the way it is meant to be.
Being a Christian is not working harder to try to achieve some impossible goal. It is not about obeying a set of arbitrary rules. Being a Christian is becoming what God is! Holy. Don’t sell yourself short and don’t settle for anything less.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
A Playoff Prayer
January 3:
We’re getting close to the playoffs and lots of “true believers” are even now praying for their favorite team. I would suspect that if you asked these "pray-ers" if they really expected God to back their team they would say, “no.” They don’t believe that much.
But, it seems to me that the theological crisis here (if there is one) is that for most people prayer seems to have lost all meaning. It has been reduced to a spiritual letter to a cosmic Santa Claus. A Santa that we aren’t even sure we believe in anymore.
The other problem in our increasingly secular world is that we have made prayer a sort of litmus test for God’s existence. It goes something like this…if I pray and God gets me what I want then it is proof that He exists. If I pray and I don’t get what I want then it is just another reason to not believe. The way I hear people talk, many of them are just one unanswered prayer away from atheism.
As the playoffs approach, and the prayers start to flow, let me see if I can simplify this whole prayer discussion.
If prayer is “talking to God” (like we tell our children) and if God is our heavenly Father (like we tell our children) then prayer is like talking to our father.
And when we talk to our father we talk about…? It kind of depends on what our relationship with our father is like. If we trust him we might tell him personal things. If we think he’s particularly wise then we might ask his advise. If we think that he is someone we would like to emulate we might want to know more about him. Like I said, it kind of depends on what our relationship with him is like.
Now, let’s pretend that our father is all knowing and all-powerful. Should I expect that he will give me everything I ask for? I hope not. I mean, if he knows more than me then I would want him to do for me what he thinks is best. Now we’re back to that “how much I trust him” conversation.
I guess what it comes down to for me is “relationship.” When I talk to my heavenly Father I get to know Him better. As I learn to know Him better then I learn to trust Him more. As I learn to trust Him more then the more willing I am to let Him decide for me.
As the game begins I might still say a simple prayer that my God (my heavenly Father) might help my favorite team. But, this little bit of heavenly conversation won’t really be about supernatural intervention. This will fall into the category of personal things that I trust Him with.
We’re getting close to the playoffs and lots of “true believers” are even now praying for their favorite team. I would suspect that if you asked these "pray-ers" if they really expected God to back their team they would say, “no.” They don’t believe that much.
But, it seems to me that the theological crisis here (if there is one) is that for most people prayer seems to have lost all meaning. It has been reduced to a spiritual letter to a cosmic Santa Claus. A Santa that we aren’t even sure we believe in anymore.
The other problem in our increasingly secular world is that we have made prayer a sort of litmus test for God’s existence. It goes something like this…if I pray and God gets me what I want then it is proof that He exists. If I pray and I don’t get what I want then it is just another reason to not believe. The way I hear people talk, many of them are just one unanswered prayer away from atheism.
As the playoffs approach, and the prayers start to flow, let me see if I can simplify this whole prayer discussion.
If prayer is “talking to God” (like we tell our children) and if God is our heavenly Father (like we tell our children) then prayer is like talking to our father.
And when we talk to our father we talk about…? It kind of depends on what our relationship with our father is like. If we trust him we might tell him personal things. If we think he’s particularly wise then we might ask his advise. If we think that he is someone we would like to emulate we might want to know more about him. Like I said, it kind of depends on what our relationship with him is like.
Now, let’s pretend that our father is all knowing and all-powerful. Should I expect that he will give me everything I ask for? I hope not. I mean, if he knows more than me then I would want him to do for me what he thinks is best. Now we’re back to that “how much I trust him” conversation.
I guess what it comes down to for me is “relationship.” When I talk to my heavenly Father I get to know Him better. As I learn to know Him better then I learn to trust Him more. As I learn to trust Him more then the more willing I am to let Him decide for me.
As the game begins I might still say a simple prayer that my God (my heavenly Father) might help my favorite team. But, this little bit of heavenly conversation won’t really be about supernatural intervention. This will fall into the category of personal things that I trust Him with.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Hitting The Target
January 2:
As you may have guessed, I am rather new at this blogging thing and I am truly indebted to Google for making this whole process so easy. And “no’ that was not a shameless bit of sucking up to Google. I don’t think that sucking up to Google would get me much even if I tried and it would be really scary (really scary) to think that there was some Google employee somewhere whose only job was to read the millions of blogs that they sponsor looking for shameless promoters of all things Google. But, just in case, let me repeat, I am truly indebted to Google for making this whole process so very, very easy. Let’s move on.
One of the things that was offered (by Google) as I formatted this regular ramble was the opportunity to include targeted advertising. The promise was that “they” would pick ads that were appropriate to my site and every time someone visited my site and clicked on one of the links I would get paid. I’m planning on keeping my day job.
Anyway…when I checked back to see what types of appropriate, targeted ads were included with my blog I found that most of them were ads for weight loss programs. Weight loss programs? Somebody decided that the most appropriate, targeted advertising for a blog site called “Wesley’s Child” would be weight loss programs? Now I’m starting to think that somebody from Google saw my picture and is making a not so subtle comment on my apparent proportions. And I thought the black robe was kind of slimming.
OK…so this whole experienced has reminded me of how close to the surface my personal insecurities really live. I have said for years that I don’t like photographs because they look too much like me. It’s the kind of humor that is meant to cover up the reality of what the words say.
Here’s the good news. It was this same kind of personal awareness that moved me to recognize my need and then trust Jesus to help me. I am a different person today (and in a different place in life) because my personal discontent moved me to trust someone who is bigger than I am.
Some might say that this conversation is proof that my spiritual surrender hasn’t worked. I started out with poor self-esteem and I am still struggling with those same issues today. I still struggle, that is true, but, there is something about the honesty of where I am today that makes all the difference. Before I began my spiritual journey I spent most of my time lying to myself and trying to find temporary covers for what I didn’t want to see. Today I live in an honest relationship with both myself and my Savior. I wouldn’t trade this for anything.
So, in the mean time, I continue to diet because I want to be the best I can be. If it makes me look less fat that would be a bonus.
As you may have guessed, I am rather new at this blogging thing and I am truly indebted to Google for making this whole process so easy. And “no’ that was not a shameless bit of sucking up to Google. I don’t think that sucking up to Google would get me much even if I tried and it would be really scary (really scary) to think that there was some Google employee somewhere whose only job was to read the millions of blogs that they sponsor looking for shameless promoters of all things Google. But, just in case, let me repeat, I am truly indebted to Google for making this whole process so very, very easy. Let’s move on.
One of the things that was offered (by Google) as I formatted this regular ramble was the opportunity to include targeted advertising. The promise was that “they” would pick ads that were appropriate to my site and every time someone visited my site and clicked on one of the links I would get paid. I’m planning on keeping my day job.
Anyway…when I checked back to see what types of appropriate, targeted ads were included with my blog I found that most of them were ads for weight loss programs. Weight loss programs? Somebody decided that the most appropriate, targeted advertising for a blog site called “Wesley’s Child” would be weight loss programs? Now I’m starting to think that somebody from Google saw my picture and is making a not so subtle comment on my apparent proportions. And I thought the black robe was kind of slimming.
OK…so this whole experienced has reminded me of how close to the surface my personal insecurities really live. I have said for years that I don’t like photographs because they look too much like me. It’s the kind of humor that is meant to cover up the reality of what the words say.
Here’s the good news. It was this same kind of personal awareness that moved me to recognize my need and then trust Jesus to help me. I am a different person today (and in a different place in life) because my personal discontent moved me to trust someone who is bigger than I am.
Some might say that this conversation is proof that my spiritual surrender hasn’t worked. I started out with poor self-esteem and I am still struggling with those same issues today. I still struggle, that is true, but, there is something about the honesty of where I am today that makes all the difference. Before I began my spiritual journey I spent most of my time lying to myself and trying to find temporary covers for what I didn’t want to see. Today I live in an honest relationship with both myself and my Savior. I wouldn’t trade this for anything.
So, in the mean time, I continue to diet because I want to be the best I can be. If it makes me look less fat that would be a bonus.
Friday, January 1, 2010
So It's A New Year
January 1:
So, it's a new year. I can't help but ask again, "What's really new?" For most of us the only thing that separates today from every other day is that we have this day free from our regular work. And even that isn't "new" for all of those people who are presently between jobs.
The weather today is a lot like the weather we had yesterday and the forecast for tomorrow is much the same. I've been told that there is fractionally more daylight today than there was yesterday, but I didn't really notice. It has always struck me that the first day of the new year (no matter which year you choose) is remarkably similar to the last day of year that has just passed.
Having said all that...I am always amazed at how much HOPE is expressed on this extraordinarily ordinary day. For some reason we all feel that we have been given a chance to do things differently. We probably won't be making any more money than we did last year and we probably won't be having any more free time than we did 24 hours ago but, we walk into this new year determined to lose weight or get more exercise or call our mother more often. The new year comes filled up with an almost irrational HOPE that things will be all different.
This whole New Year's resolution process suggests to me that we are all looking for opportunities to be "better" than we have perceived ourselves to be and that we are willing to be honest with ourselves on this one day in a way that we tend to avoid for the 364 days that follow.
In the Christian faith we talk about how Jesus came to offer us an opportunity to change our lives. Our whole message is about hope and new life which sounds a lot like what all of us New Year's day people are longing for and yet the when we use words like "confession" which means being upfront about what needs to change in our lives and "repent" which means turning away from what has been, so that we can embrace new life, it is seen as narrow minded and uncaring. I wouldn't be the first person to suggest that the church has a marketing problem.
The real similarity between new year's and the Christian faith is that we all might want a new life, but we have a really hard time letting go of the old one. Losing weight sounds great until we realize that we might have to give up chips or beer or chocolate cake. Stepping away from our old life sounds good until we realize that all of our friends and our jobs and our entire way of life are connected to that old life. That's why new year's resolutions and the Christian faith are both opportunities we should never attempt to do alone. We need each other. We need support. We need strength that comes from beyond ourselves. After all, if we could make these changes easily we would have done it last year.
This one day of the year is the moment when our hope and our need both become the most apparent. Let's take advantage of this new day.
So, it's a new year. I can't help but ask again, "What's really new?" For most of us the only thing that separates today from every other day is that we have this day free from our regular work. And even that isn't "new" for all of those people who are presently between jobs.
The weather today is a lot like the weather we had yesterday and the forecast for tomorrow is much the same. I've been told that there is fractionally more daylight today than there was yesterday, but I didn't really notice. It has always struck me that the first day of the new year (no matter which year you choose) is remarkably similar to the last day of year that has just passed.
Having said all that...I am always amazed at how much HOPE is expressed on this extraordinarily ordinary day. For some reason we all feel that we have been given a chance to do things differently. We probably won't be making any more money than we did last year and we probably won't be having any more free time than we did 24 hours ago but, we walk into this new year determined to lose weight or get more exercise or call our mother more often. The new year comes filled up with an almost irrational HOPE that things will be all different.
This whole New Year's resolution process suggests to me that we are all looking for opportunities to be "better" than we have perceived ourselves to be and that we are willing to be honest with ourselves on this one day in a way that we tend to avoid for the 364 days that follow.
In the Christian faith we talk about how Jesus came to offer us an opportunity to change our lives. Our whole message is about hope and new life which sounds a lot like what all of us New Year's day people are longing for and yet the when we use words like "confession" which means being upfront about what needs to change in our lives and "repent" which means turning away from what has been, so that we can embrace new life, it is seen as narrow minded and uncaring. I wouldn't be the first person to suggest that the church has a marketing problem.
The real similarity between new year's and the Christian faith is that we all might want a new life, but we have a really hard time letting go of the old one. Losing weight sounds great until we realize that we might have to give up chips or beer or chocolate cake. Stepping away from our old life sounds good until we realize that all of our friends and our jobs and our entire way of life are connected to that old life. That's why new year's resolutions and the Christian faith are both opportunities we should never attempt to do alone. We need each other. We need support. We need strength that comes from beyond ourselves. After all, if we could make these changes easily we would have done it last year.
This one day of the year is the moment when our hope and our need both become the most apparent. Let's take advantage of this new day.
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