Give us today...

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
 Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one." (Matthew 6: 9-13)

"Give us today our daily bread."  I don't know about you, but I've typically read this with an absolutely literal bent. I've always thought of this statement as dealing simply with my daily nutrition. Lately, though, I've come to look at it in a broader sense. My daily bread is not always what I need to put on my table to feed my family. Sometimes what I need for my fortification is encouragement. Or strength. Or courage. Or joy.

You see, this summer I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer. This wasn't supposed to happen to me. Not yet, anyway. I am 39, and I have two young daughters. I'm at the busiest time in my life, and I can't afford to be sick. Not like this. Not now. I have had surgery to remove my tumor, along with lymph nodes which were also cancerous, and have just begun my chemotherapy regimen. The first of six treatments. After that, I will face radiation, and hormone therapy. I have a long, hard road ahead. So far, I've suffered no more than reduced mobility from my surgery, and minor fatigue from my chemo, but I know it will get worse.

And yet, God has consistently supplied me with my daily bread. Or perhaps, more accurately, my daily manna.

¹⁴ After the dew had gone, the desert was covered with thin flakes that looked like frost. ¹⁵ The people had never seen anything like this, and they started asking each other, “What is it?” Moses answered, “This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ And he orders you to gather about two quarts for each person in your family—that should be more than enough.” ¹⁷ They did as they were told. Some gathered more and some gathered less, ¹⁸ according to their needs, and none was left over. ¹⁹ Moses told them not to keep any overnight. ³¹ The Israelites called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and delicious as wafers made with honey. (Exodus 16: 14-19, 31)

Like the manna in the Exodus story, it comes mysteriously, miraculously, not through the labor of my own hands or by my own planning. And it is always just enough for that particular need. On an afternoon when we discovered our bank account was nearly empty, the day after I had had a painful procedure, a friend showed up with a meal, not even knowing we had a need. We were given a gift card to a gas station for precisely the amount it takes to fill my car. We were gifted with a check, unasked for, that was the precise amount needed for a particular need. And those are only examples of material manna.

On the days when I feel afraid, or discouraged, or alone, or sad, or worth less because I can do less, God sends me a perfect word in a song, a Scripture, a phone call, or a card from a friend. This, too, is manna, but it is spiritual manna, and it is always just enough for the day. When I fail to seek His manna and expect to hold on to yesterday's, like the manna in the wilderness, it sours, or fails to hold the same meaning for me. Each day I need a new piece of manna. Each day I must seek Him out, and look for what He has for me for that day.

People ask me how I can stay so positive, even joyful, in the midst of my illness. My answer? My God is a God of enough. There is always enough joy, enough hope, enough strength, enough food, enough provision, enough love. And, to quote Mary Poppins, "Enough is as good as a feast."

So, wherever you find yourself, whatever struggles you find yourself in, search for God. Seek His manna. Feast on whatever "enough" God has for you. God has promised that you will be able to find Him. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
 

A little humor

Just to lighten things up, here are a few pictures from the Olympic Synchronized Swimming competitions, along with some personal captions my kids and I came up with this afternoon. Enjoy!

Ohai! We know you!

DAH-ling!

 

 

Stop pulling my hair!

OMG! Invisi-burgers!

I gave you THREE chances, and now I'm going to turn you into a GOON!

POP! Goes the weasel!

OMG! Air apples, too?!?

Invisi-burgers for everyone!

Wait - Invisi-burgers have HOW many calories?!?

Oh, no, you di-n't!

I haz a puppet!

Most disturbing picture. Ever.

Okay, I lied. This one's worse.

Braaaaaains..........

You kinda scare me.

Rawr!

You did WHAT with my boyfriend?!?

Oh! Ow! The sequins are tangled!

Photos courtesy of Buzzfeed

Strengthen the Hand of the Poor and Needy

"This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." Ezekiel 16:49

I recently read an article regarding welfare, by Pastor Art Kohl.  The above passage really stood out to me, and made me think.  Most translations use the words "help" or "support", but the Amplified, Young's Literal, and King James (used above) all use the phrase "strengthen the hand."  This is a completely different nuance to the idea presented.  It makes all the difference between a hand-out and a hand up.

Our current American system is one of hand-outs.  We have entitlement assistance programs that go a long way to providing for the poor and needy among us - Social Security, Welfare, Food Stamps, Medicare, Medicaid, and so on.  There is neither relationship nor responsibility involved in the assistance.  This may fill the hands of the poor and needy, but does it strengthen them?

Consider a man who recently had extensive surgery on his dominant arm.  For the next several weeks, he will be unable to use that arm at all - he will be destitute of strength in that arm, and will need to rely on his wife for everything from getting dressed in the morning to the cutting of his meat at dinner.  However, after this time he will be expected to start strengthening his arm through physical therapy and will, hopefully, regain full use and independence of that limb.

Consider also a baby, on the cusp of mobility.  How does she strengthen her legs for walking?  Her legs are strengthened by standing, a little at a time, doing as much as she can, while holding on to her mother's or father's hands.  She cannot get strong on her own; she needs a little help.  But after a time, her legs are strong enough to carry her, and soon she will be off and running.


Perhaps this is why my favorite charities to support are Habitat for Humanity and The Heifer Project.  These are organizations which seek to strengthen the hands of those receiving assistance.  In the case of Habitat, the needy family participates in the construction of the house to be donated.  With the Heifer Project, the family that receives animals is shown how to care for that animal, and the animals provide them with a livelihood where they can sell milk, eggs, wool, or other products.

In America, we have families which are third and fourth generation welfare recipients.  Time and again I hear statistics of how difficult it is to break free from the welfare system.  If the American welfare system is strengthening hands, why are so many left so weak and powerless?  But if our system is robbing people of their strength, why do we continue to fight for it?

By providing a livelihood for the able-bodied with no expectation of effort on their part, we enfeeble them.  Muscles left unused atrophy, and this is no different. 

So, what is a Biblical approach to strengthening the hands of the poor and needy?

1.  Allow people to choose to not be helped.

  The Apostle Paul in  2 Thessalonians 3 says,

⁶ In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
¹¹ We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. ¹² Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat.

 Note that this says "The one who is unwilling to work."  If you are capable of supporting yourself, you ought to do so, as much as possible.  There is a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin which says, "I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.  In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer."  When we choose to provide fully for those capable, yet unwilling, of helping themselves, we discourage them from feeling capable of sustaining themselves, and we allow their hands to become weak.

2.  Take care of your own family.

Before the Great Society was implemented by President Lyndon Johnson, giving us the entitlement programs we take for granted now, it was assumed that families would support one another in times of need.  Elderly parents would be cared for by adult children, orphans would be cared for by relatives, and so on.  This is actually the Biblical model set forth in 1 Timothy 5:

⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. ⁵ The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. ⁸ Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

When we take care of our own family, both nuclear and extended, there is no need to burden the government, and, by extension, the rest of society, with their needs.  Only the truly destitute, those with no one to care for them, would need to rely on help from society at large.

3.  Leave room for the needy to find meaningful work.

In the Old Testament, when God was setting forth the rules by which society was to be formed, He made provision for the poor and needy.  Leviticus 19:9-10 says,

⁹ When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰ Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.

It is because of this provision that Ruth and Naomi were able to survive when the returned to Israel from Moab.  It was not charity that provided for them, but Ruth was able to go and gather enough food to sustain them.  Her hands were strong because the Law provided room for her to sustain herself.

Yes, there is room for that today, too.  I know a couple whose friend has been out of work for some time.  This couple has health issues that keep them from some of the more challenging tasks in maintaining their property.  Rather than hire a lawn service, they have asked their friend to do this work for them, and they intend to pay him what they would have paid a lawn service.  They have made room for their friend to find meaningful work, to keep his hands strong, and so that he can have honor in his wages. 

4. Be generous, and hold your possessions lightly.

 All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Acts 2:44-45. 

 This early church model is not so much one of a socialist system or a commune as one of open-handed generosity.  When we see someone in need, we ought to give to them.  When this is done in relationship, as modeled by this early church description, then all hands are strengthened together. There is no shame in need, no boasting in giving; it is all simply the natural give-and-take of loving relationship.


Now, I'm sure there are some that will say, "But what about Jesus' words in Matthew? What about:

³⁵For 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, ³⁶ 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... 40Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Because again, this is a passage that is used to support government-run social welfare programs.  But Jesus never insisted that one person give to another.  He didn't demand that His disciples give to the widow who was offering her last mite to the temple.  He didn't requisition the loaves and fishes from the little boy.  Jesus' model was always one of sacrificial giving in relationship.

So the way I look at this passage from Matthew 25 is that these are those little opportunities that arise each and every day for strengthening the hands of those around us, whether those hands belong to the destitute, or only the weary.  It is up to you, and it is up to me, to strengthen the hands of the poor and needy.  And it doesn't need to be momentous to be meaningful.

What would happen if we stopped telling people, "You can't do it," and started telling them, "You must at least try"?  What would happen if we all left a little room in our dealings, so that those who are struggling could find wages with honor?  What would happen if we were all a little more generous with the stranger in our midst?  If each of us looked not only to our own needs, but also to the needs around us, would we still need the Great Society?

Perhaps we could all start looking at our homes, our extended families, our neighbors, and our towns to see how we can go beyond filling the hands of the needy, and actually making them strong.

² Help each other in troubles and problems. This is the kind of law Christ asks us to obey. ⁴ Everyone should look at himself and see how he does his own work. Then he can be happy in what he has done. He should not compare himself with his neighbor. ⁵ Everyone must do his own work. Galatians 6:2, 4-5

 

 

The Ordinary Rules of Courtesy

"Fascist!"
"Socialist!"

"Greedy pig!"
"Lazy bum!"

"Warmonger!"
"Coward!"

"Hater!"
"Sinner!"

Shall I continue?   For whatever reason, disagreements seem to end with name calling more often than not, both in the media, and in on-line debates.  I keep hearing people say that people just need to be more tolerant of other people.  Personally, I think that what we need instead is a lesson in what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called "the ordinary rules of courtesy."

In 1963, during the Civil Rights movement, anyone who wanted to march with Dr. King was required to sign a commitment card, which contained the "Ten Commandments of Non-Violence."  I think in our current debates, we would do well to remember in particular numbers 3, 6, and 8, which are:

3. Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love.

6. Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.

8. Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.

We have forgotten how to respectfully disagree.  If you do not agree with me you must be stupid, brainwashed, intolerant, judging, or a hater.  We like to claim our First Amendment Right to say and believe whatever we want, but get our knickers in a knot when someone else claims that same right in a point contrary to our own.

When my rather "Christian Conservative" values come out, I am reminded by those who disagree to go back to Matthew 7:1a, which says,  “Do not judge..."  Apparently, this means I am not to say that I think someone or something is wrong.  However, the passage goes on to say:

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

This implies that there is a humble, respectful, right way to point out someone's error - a correct way to judge.  Consider also Galatians 6:1, which says, "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently."

This sent me on a bit of a hunt. 

First of all, I decided to look up what "judge" means.  According to Merriam-Webster, to judge is "to form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises," or "to form an estimate or evaluation of."   So, based on that, along with the etymology of the word, that can't be what Jesus is saying in this oft-quoted passage from Matthew.

Next, I turned to the Amplified Bible, to see how that translation would treat the text in question.  It reads, "Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves."

The nuance shown in this translation led me to believe that the original word used was not as straight-forward as the English "judge", so I went hunting for an on-line commentary.  BibleTools.org had this insight: "Some cite Matthew 7:1 as proof that we should do no judging whatsoever: "Judge not, that you be not judged." Here, the Greek word for "judge" is krino, meaning to condemn, avenge, damn, sentence, or levy a punishment."

In other words, if you disagree, do so respectfully without condemning or being harshly critical.  And allow others to disagree with you, observing the common rules of courtesy with friend and enemy alike.

Content to be a Blogosfailure

I've come to the conclusion lately that, to be a successful writer of any sort, you either need to have a certain skill at boasting, or hire someone to do your boasting for you.  Whether you are a novelist, a blogger, or the proud owner of a shiny website, you need to be ready to speak glowingly about yourself.  After all, success is measured by how many people read what you have written.  If you are an author, success is measured in book sales.  If you are a blogger, success is measured in how many people "follow" you.  If you are a Twitter....er (Tweeter? Twit?), success is achieved if your comments are re-Tweeted.  If you run a website, success is measured in how many hits your site gets.  Therefore, in order to achieve success, you must constantly self-promote.

Sometimes writers make me laugh.  There is one in particular who cannot seem to refrain from saying, during interviews, "Well, in my last book titled (whatever)", or, "I just wrote an article on my website (insert site name here)".  It's to the point now where my husband and I refer to him by the name of his website.  Bloggers do the same thing, constantly referencing or adding links to previous blogs during conversation, rather than going through the trouble of actually saying it again. 

Now, I understand that this is just how it's done.  After all, what's the point of writing something if nobody reads it?  And sometimes, you have something that came to you as you were writing that really, really fits the current conversation, and it is simply easier to reference what you wrote earlier than to try to re-state it.

But I just can't do it.

Do you know, I have never once looked at my information to see how many people I reach, or from how many countries?  I don't even know if I have any followers!

So here I sit, writing up a blog article, not knowing if anyone beyond my husband will even read it and, quite surprisingly, not even caring.  Why?  Well, because sometimes writing helps me to think.  And because maybe there will be someone interested in hearing what I am thinking about.  But I'm also under no grand delusion that my thoughts or opinions or perspective are particularly unique or profound or important.

I'm simply writing to express what I'm thinking.

And if nobody else ever reads this, that's okay.  I know it's here, and that's enough for me.

Whose Mission Are You On?

My adult years have been spent attending an Anabaptist church with my husband.  This is a denomination that prizes service to those around us.  Over the years I have heard reports from a number of missionaries who have been involved in service projects domestically, as well as from those who have traveled around the world to the most remote and isolated and damaged places in the world.  These reports are filled with stories of interpersonal mediation and reconciliation, community rebuilding following natural disasters or war, and comfort given through medical services, education, blankets, school supplies, and food, just to brush the surface.  These are excellent things, worthwhile, and necessary.  However, maybe I'm missing something and it's simply understood, but I don't really hear much in these reports about God.

The mission reports I have heard over the last few years have dealt with where they are going, what the physical or interpersonal needs were there, and how the denominational mission organization is working with the people there.  When asked, "Why are you going?" I hear a lot of really good philanthropic reasons given, but no mention of God's leading or presence.  When asked, "What did you do there?" I hear a lot of really nice answers about how "we did" x, y, and z, but not much credit given to God for acts of the Spirit.  When asked, "How did the people respond?" I hear encouraging responses of enemies reconciled, or of gratitude to the organization involved, but almost nothing indicating lives changed for Christ.

I have even asked specifically, in smaller discussion-group type settings, how these missionaries have seen God at work, or how their faith was changed.  I am dismayed by the fact that most have not been able to answer these questions.  It all seems to come back to, "It's what we do."

So my question is, Whose mission are we on?  Is it enough as Christians to go out and do good things, to be philanthropic, to be servants, or does there need to be more?

Consider the following from Mark 9:41:

Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

 Or this, from 1 Peter 3:15:

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Now, in full disclosure, I grew up in a non-denominational church.  I can remember our Mission Weeks, where we would hear reports on the missionaries we supported around the world.  During this week, we would hear remarkable stories of souls saved, and miraculous interventions where missionaries in dangerous places were saved from certain death at the last minute.  Every report was saturated with the spread of the Gospel in far-flung lands, from setting up schools in remote primitive villages to sneaking Bibles into Soviet Russia and Communist China.  However, and maybe it's just because I was a child and the razzamatazz of the supernatural overshadowed the everyday,  I don't really remember hearing a whole lot of the practical in those reports, other than education through missionary schools.  And I don't think this is the right approach either.


I think that the balance is defined in James 2, which says:

¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that —and shudder.
²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? ²¹ Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. ²⁴ You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

Having the programs, the outreach, the good works without being ready to give a reason for it is not enough.  Anyone can be a philanthropist.  We cannot simply live servant lives without it being a direct outpouring of God's love, because then it is our own deeds and not Christ acting through us. 

At the same time, just "saving souls" isn't enough, and our words about the Good News of God's love for us must be demonstrated through our good works.  We cannot simply preach the Good News of God's love without living servant lives, because a faith devoid of acts of love and grace is meaningless.

As Christians, we have to find the balance.  One without the other becomes our mission, rather than God's.

So, whose mission are you on?

Gifts: A Parable

Several years ago, a girl was gifted with an instrument by a friend. Her friend had found the instrument, which had been unused for several years, and gave it away, knowing how much the girl loved music. The instrument needed a little work, but it was still a fine object. The girl accepted the gift with excitement and gratitude, and took it home with her. Once she got it home, however, she opened the case and stared with dismay at the instrument before her. She didn’t know how to play it, and the last time she had tried she had failed. She didn’t know how to replace the worn pieces, and couldn’t remember even the most basic thing about playing it! The girl tucked the case away in a corner of her room and tried to forget about it. Every now and then, she would look at it, collecting dust, still unused, and feel ashamed for never putting her gift to use. But in the end, her fears that it would be too difficult and she would fail again would get the best of her, and she would end up leaving it where it was.

Not long after, another girl was gifted with an instrument by a friend. This friend had likewise found her instrument, unused for several years, and given it away, knowing how much the girl loved music. This one also needed a little work, but was a fine instrument. Knowing that she didn’t have the power to fix it herself, she handed her instrument over to a master to replace the worn parts. The girl could not wait to try out her new instrument. As soon as she got the repaired instrument home, she opened the case and gazed at the instrument with joy and wonder. Asking for help from someone who knew about these things, she quickly got her instrument assembled and began experimenting with making tones. She dedicated herself to lessons, and practiced every chance she got. Her natural gift for the instrument quickly shone through. Her music lifted the spirits of all who heard her.

Each of us is given gifts by the Spirit, and we have the same choice to make as the girls in the stories had to make. Some of the gifts we are given seem completely beyond our ability. They may be things we have tried to do before, and failed at. They may be difficult, or cause us to have to replace some worn parts in our lives. But we must decide: Will we leave God’s gifts standing in the corner of our hearts, collecting dust, unused and neglected, and clinging to our fears? Or will we receive our gifts with joy, hand the broken parts to our Master to repair, and learn to use our gifts in a way that will lift the spirits of all who come into contact with us?

Greater Love

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."  John 15:13

 The above Bible verse is one that I remember learning as a child.  It is a great example of the kind of selfless, sacrificial love to which God's children are called to show one another.  And it used to be pretty much the cultural norm, that the strong would protect the weak, a man would protect a woman, everyone protected a child.  Those who did so were hailed as heroes, honored, respected, held up as role models.

Lately, though, I have been feeling as though self-sacrificial love, laying down one's life for another, is not only being discouraged, but punished.

Consider, please, the following stories:

1. From San Francisco, June 2011:

Fire crews and police could only watch after a man waded into San Francisco Bay, stood up to his neck and waited. They wanted to do something, but a policy tied to earlier budget cuts strictly forbade them from trying to save the 50-year-old, officials said

A witness finally pulled the apparently suicidal man's lifeless body from the 54-degree water.

The man, later identified as Raymond Zack, spent nearly an hour in the water before he drowned.

The Coast Guard was called to the scene, but the water was too shallow for its boat. A Coast Guard helicopter arrived more than an hour later because it had been on another call and had to refuel.

As for police, they didn't have the gear for the cold water and couldn't risk being pulled under.
"Certainly this was tragic, but police officers are tasked with ensuring public safety, including the safety of personnel who are sent to try to resolve these kinds of situations," Alameda police Lt. Sean Lynch said.

2. From Monterey County, California, May 2012:

 Safeway has suspended an employee at a Monterey County store, despite being called a hero by police for stopping a domestic assault in the store last month.
Ryan Young, a meat clerk at the Safeway in Del Rey Oaks, said he was doing his job when he saw Quyen Van Tran beating his girlfriend, who is six months pregnant.
“Every few seconds he would turn around and push her and then he actually kicked her,” Young said. “I told him to calm down and he was just irate.”
Chief Ron Langford of the Del Ray Oaks Police said if Ryan did not intervene, things could have become much worse for the victim.
But Young said Safeway has suspended him without pay, for supposedly violating company policy. The store has not given word on if or when he will be allowed back.

3. From New Jersey, May 2012:

A dad jumped into action to save his son's life and ended up getting two tickets from a traffic officer because of it, according to a Monday report.
Frank Roder took his son to a park in New Jersey to feed the ducks.
He was inside his Jeep when he noticed his son running toward a steep embankment that plunged down into water.
Frank reacted quickly.
He leapt out of the vehicle, ran after his son, and grabbed him just feet from the edge.
He must have had a sinking feeling in his gut, when he turned around and watched his Jeep roll down the same embankment.
Adding insult to the injury to his vehicle, Frank was ticketed by a police officer, not once but twice.
The first ticket was for failure to use his parking brake, the other was for failure to produce his insurance card, which was in his waterlogged vehicle.

4. From Hampshire, England, February 2012:

A man who fell into a lake drowned after firefighters called to the scene said they could not enter the water if it was higher than ankle deep for health and safety reasons, an inquest has been told.
Simon Burgess, a 41-year-old charity shop worker died at Walpole Park, in Gosport, Hampshire, on 10 March. He is believed to have had an epileptic seizure either before or after falling into the water while feeding swans.
Witnesses raised the alarm, but the hearing was told on Tuesday that members of a fire crew refused to get to him because the water was more than ankle deep. Instead, they waited for a specialist water rescue team and Burgess was only taken out of the lake 28 minutes after the alarm was raised.

So, what does this say about "laying down your life for your friends?"  And what is happening in our culture that Policy is so much more important that saving lives?  How can we have rescue workers who cannot rescue?  Are we so concerned with our Lives and Liabilities that we are afraid to be sacrificial?

The second and third stories have men who were willing to lay down their lives - one to protect a pregnant woman, the other to save his son's life.  They have been punished for doing so, but say they would not have done anything differently.  But in the first and last stories, the rescuers allowed themselves to stand by and watch men drown, in order to save - not their own lives - but their jobs.

Even more disturbing are the stories where people go beyond simply standing idly by, their instinct instead being to record violence on their phones to post later to YouTube.  Probably the most disturbing to me was the story of a young woman beaten in a Maryland McDonald's until she went into a seizure.  Not one person stood up for her.  Not one person tried to stop the attack.  Instead, it was recorded and posted, and the attackers were warned to leave before the police arrived.

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." 

Looking Back, Moving Forward

 The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them.  Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity.  They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. (Acts 2: 42-47, CEB)

What do you think of when you hear the word "church"?  If you're anything like me, you probably think of a building with pews and a pulpit, the place you go on Sunday morning to sing hymns or worship songs and have Sunday school, or associated words such as "worship" and "prayer."

Next question: What do you think of when you hear the word "fellowship"?  That probably conjures up images of the periodic pot-luck meal in the church hall, the chatter that happens in the foyer after service, maybe even your small group gathering.

Go back and read the passage I began with, from Acts 2.  This passage describes the fellowship of the early church.  I have to be perfectly honest.  My mental pictures of "church" and "fellowship" don't bear much resemblance to the picture from Acts 2.

Now let me be clear on one thing: This is not a discussion of denomination, worship style, or congregation vs. house church.  Frankly, I think those arguments have become a distraction and a huge stumbling block.  What I want to discuss is Daily Living Church vs. Sunday Morning Church.


Currently, I am reading "Pompeii" by T. L. Higley, a Christian historical novel, set in the days of the Roman empire and the early church.  For some reason, this morning I started really thinking deeply about what I was reading, nd I realized something: The early church is described nearly identically in all of the novels in this genre, regardless of author.  And the "fellowship of believers" I read about bears very little resemblance to the "fellowship of believers" I see today.

Consider this excerpt from the book:

Discreet inquiries around town had uncovered more than concern for those possessed by evil, trapped in prison, or hungry.  It seemed they also cared for orphans or widows, shared their wealth with the poor, performed healings, and welcomed prostitutes into their midst... And above all this humanitarian effort, or perhaps behind it, was something even more.  It was the look he had seen on the faces of those [believers] who had perished in the games of the arena.  Their willingness to die for what they believed made him ache for something so powerful, so important, something to live for. (p. 148)

I don't know about you, but this novelized portrayal reads a lot like the fellowship I read about in Acts and the epistles of Paul.  They didn't put up fliers describing all the great things they were doing.  They weren't in positions of political power, trying to alter the policies to be more socially just.  They weren't in committee meetings, trying to define an exciting new program to get people interested in attending.  They didn't just get together once or twice a week for a nice sermon and some great music and three minutes of corporate prayer out of obligation or habit, and then set it all aside in the business of the week.   They were part of a Daily Living Church.

When I read in Acts and the epistles about the early church, I read about people who lived everyday lives.  There are people who are rich, poor, and in between.  There are people with character flaws, forgiven and forgiving.  There are people in power and people who are powerless.  There are people, in fact, just like us.

And while some of them preached in the square and the temple, most of them just... lived.  But they lived in such a way that people were drawn to them.  They were filled with peace and joy.  They were generous and compassionate.  They very quietly attended to the neediest in their society, without seeking either permission or attention.  They sought to treat everyone with love and respect, regardless of social or economic status.  Wouldn't you be drawn to someone who lived that way? 

Now imagine if you yourself were given the ability to draw people to Christ.  Imagine if you could make people so curious about a peculiar peace and joy, without a single program, or tract, or verbal testimony.  Imagine if you had the power to change opinions, hearts, lives, without any political platform or position of power or a single protest walk.  Imagine so close and deep and strong a fellowship that you can be constantly encouraged as you encouraged, constantly learning as you teach, constantly lifted up in prayer as you lift others up in prayer, constantly forgiven as you forgive.  Imagine a fearless faith, confident of being generously supplied with your needs as you generously give.  Imagine a community so infused with love that you desire to be with each other as much as possible, and involved in every facet of each other's lives. 

Look back.  It happened in the days of the early church. 
Look around.  It still happens in the church around the world. 

Look ahead.  It  can happen right where you are.

Can we move forward together, seeking this exciting, empowering, fearless, powerful Daily Living Church?  Can we move forward together, allowing others into our intimate fellowship?
Can we move forward together, seeking God's Word, His face, His Spirit, His presence, His power?
Can we move forward together, living lives so filled with love and compassion, so aware of and engaged with the needs of those around us, so passionate about demonstrating to others all the blessings we ourselves have received,  that we cannot be ignored?

Imagine.

My Facebook World

I was pondering this afternoon my Facebook experience.  It's life, but condensed, compacted, all in one small screen.

Consider the friends and connections you may have on Facebook, or whatever social medium you choose.  When you send a friend request, do you really know what you're going to get?

You may "friend" someone you have known your entire life and discover that you really never knew them at all.  Or someone you've only known marginally and discover depth that you never knew was there.  You may find your closest friend from years ago and find that you no longer have anything in common, or someone whose name is vaguely familiar and find your new best friend.  Will you join them at the beginning of an exciting new life journey, or meet them in the midst of a crisis?

In the course of the last few weeks, I have seen a new relationship bud, and an old relationship crumble.  I have seen the announcements of a new pregnancy, an imminent birth, an imminent death, the fresh loss of a loved one.

I have seen friends laugh, cry, rage, and rejoice.  Struggle and triumph, beauty and tragedy, success and failure... all this flashes before my eyes on a daily basis.

Is it any wonder our society is changing so rapidly in the age of social media?  It's almost too much to absorb and react to in any meaningful way.  It's so easy to "hide" those things which are uncomfortable, or challenging, or painful, and only pay attention to what makes us laugh or smile or feel good inside.

Perhaps it's time for me to take another look at my Facebook world and consider my responsibilities within this little cosmos.  Am I salt and light, making things flavorful and bright for those who read my posts? (Matthew 5:13-16)  Am I reflecting the noble and Godly thoughts that I am supposed to focus on? (Philippians 4:8)  Am I participating in the community of believers, mindful that where two or three are gathered in Jesus' name, He is there as well? (Matthew 18:20)

Perhaps it's time to pay attention to what I see - really pay attention - and be more diligent about praying for and uplifting and encouraging and listening to the people in my Facebook world, remembering that behind every new story is another child of God.

Are You Blessed?

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?  Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!  So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. (Matthew 7: 7-11, NLT)

I read a story from the news this morning that got me thinking about gifts and blessings.  The founders of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Paul and Jan Crouch, are accused of misappropriating the funds from their network, using the donations to finance an opulent lifestyle.

 Let me begin by saying that I do not think that financial success and wealth are sins.  Sometimes God chooses to bless people with abundance.

I am terribly uncomfortable with the Crouches, however, and others who preach Prosperity Gospel.  Prosperity Gospel seems to be about getting and having.  If I am faithful, I will be wealthy, healthy, and powerful.  I am entitled to a life of ease and riches, happiness and personal empowerment.  It is my right to pursue and retain as much financial blessing as I can.  This mindset is specifically warned against.  1 Timothy 6: 6-10 says,

Actually, godliness is a great source of profit when it is combined with being happy with what you already have.  We didn’t bring anything into the world and so we can’t take anything out of it:  we’ll be happy with food and clothing.  But people who are trying to get rich fall into temptation. They are trapped by many stupid and harmful passions that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some have wandered away from the faith and have impaled themselves with a lot of pain because they made money their goal. (CEB)

God does promise to bless us if we are faithful.  And we are encouraged to ask for things, but our motives do matter.  "You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 2: 2b-3, NIV).  We are told to focus on God's Kingdom and His will, and leave the blessing up to Him. 

And our blessings will not always be in the form of financial abundance.  Some of us are blessed with an abundance of mercy, gentleness, or compassion.  Some of us are blessed with an abundance of artistic talent.  Some of us are blessed with abundant crops.  Some of us are blessed with an abundance of knowledge, wisdom, or insight.  But the abundant blessings promised to all, if we are faithful and seek God above all, are joy, contentment, and peace. 

I found myself thinking about Mister Rogers after reading about the Crouches and TBN.  Mister Rogers was a pastor who had a deep love and concern for children.  He did not seek wealth and fame, but followed his calling to minister through a television show to children, speaking to them gently and openly.  He emphasized their worth as people, he spoke lovingly to them, and made a point of being honest with them, not assuming a screen persona, but simply being himself.  He went on to be blessed with a huge following and immense fame, but that was never his aim.  He was kind and patient, never boastful, proud, or rude.  He wasn't selfish or quick tempered.  He rejoiced in the truth, but not in evil. Mr Rogers was always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. He lived out the definition of love on screen every day, and was blessed for his faithfulness.

Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness.  God will bless you abundantly.  It may not be what you expect, but it will always be good. 

Get Up, Get Out, and Live!

"We are not a Christian nation."

This has been a refrain for the last several years.  It is the reason why we must be tolerant of people of all faiths, accept people of all lifestyles, and respectful of people's choices of values and morality.  And I will say that I agree, for the most part.  While our nation's values are rooted in Judeo-Christianity, the point was never to have us all be under one faith, but to allow people of all walks of life the space to live as they so choose.

I find it highly ironic, however, that the same people who emphasize our diversity point to Jesus as to why our nation must be run with Judeo-Christian values.  It is the rationale for extended unemployment, income redistribution, immigration amnesty, universal health care, the end of our multiple wars, and the increasing entitlements under our welfare system.

This morning in church, the text of Jesus chasing the money changers out of the temple was used as part of the sermon.  The point made was that Jesus spoke out against evil, and in the same way, the church should speak out against evil.  What if the church had spoken out against going in to Iraq and Afghanistan?  What if the church had spoken up more in defense of the undocumented immigrants among us? What if the church were more active in the Occupy movements?

What struck me as odd in the conversation this morning is this: Jesus never once spoke to the politics of the day.  Not once.

When Jesus decried evil, it was not to the political sphere, but to the religious.  It was directed towards the temple, which was corrupt, dead to compassion, and too cozy with the secular political structure of the day.   

Did Jesus condemn the Roman centurion, who came to him in faith?  Did he ever speak about the depravity of the Roman culture, or the oppressiveness of the emperor?  Did he ever once urge his followers to get involved and change the system?

It was the priests, the teachers, and the religious thinkers against whom he lodged his complaints.  The only politics he criticized were temple politics.

And so I wondered: If Jesus were here, walking around 21st century America, to whom would he turn his attention?  Would he go to Washington, DC and chide the politicians for corruption and greed and moral failure?  Would he go to Wall Street and protest outside the banks, decrying the outrageous wealth represented therein?  Would he join Code Pink or La Raza and crusade for peace and open borders?

Somehow, I don't think so. 

Here's what I think would happen instead.

I think Jesus would spend time feeding the homeless.  I think Jesus would spend time among the Occupy encampments, getting to know the people there.  I think Jesus would have a nice lunch with some corporate bigwigs.  I think Jesus would accept invitations to dinners with politicians.  I think Jesus would talk to women in crisis pregnancies.

And then, I think he would come to our churches and knock a few heads together.  I think Jesus would call his churches "broods of vipers", making it difficult for people to enter the kingdom and chasing away those who have tried to speak truth to them.  I think Jesus would call his churches "whitewashed tombs", clean and shiny on the outside, but filled with double-talk, gossip, greed, and chronic sin.  I think he would call his churches "hypocrites", careful to follow the rules and demanding that everyone do the work of Christ, yet devoid of mercy, refusing to get out and do anything ourselves.

Brothers and sisters, we are called to be "doers of the Word".  Going to church every week, tithing, charitable giving, letters to the editor, protest marches... These are not enough if we are not also living the Word of God in every thing that we do.  Jesus gave his disciples two simple commandments to follow: Love God faithfully and completely, and treat your neighbors (that being, every single human being with whom you come into contact) with love.  Get up, get out, and live the Kingdom.  That is the example set by Jesus.

Justice for all?

This week, the media is full of conversation regarding the tragic death of seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman.  There has been a massive outcry for justice for this young man, as the family has felt that the circumstances surrounding his death were inadequately investigated and that Zimmerman should have been arrested.

From the start of the conversation, my position has been neither to defend Zimmerman nor to assume his guilt.  I was not there, I do not have all of the facts, I do not know.  What I do want is swift and certain justice from the authorities.  At this point, the Department of Justice is involved.  I believe they need to have the space to do their job, and we need to give them the time to do so.

Unfortunately, emotions are messy and tend to spill out.  Overwhelmingly, I have seen people responding to the emotions of a life taken too soon, and the emotions of racial tensions still sadly raw.  I am not criticizing these emotions.  These are valid reactions.  But they are clouding judgement, obscuring the view to other injustices also being perpetrated by these very same emotional outpourings.

Consider this:  The strongest indictment against Zimmerman is the accusation of vigilantism.  Against the express recommendation of the 911 operator, Zimmerman pursued Trayvon, while carrying a loaded weapon.  Following a set of circumstances, which are still not clear, he discharged his weapon, killing an unarmed boy.  He was suspicious, he pursued, a young man died.

Now, consider the following three events:

1.  On March 19, an organization called the New Black Liberation Militia declared that they will be attempting a "citizen's arrest" in order to bring George Zimmerman to justice.  Here's the problem: such a seizure would, at this point, be considered illegal.  It would be kidnapping.  This is vigilantism, as well.

2.  Last weekend, the New Black Panther party offered a $10,000 bounty for Zimmerman's capture, adding, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," and "He should be fearful for his life."  This is a death threat.  This is vigilantism.

3.  Several days ago, Spike Lee re-tweeted an address that was believed to be Zimmerman's residence.  That home was subsequently flooded with threatening phone calls, vile hate-filled mail, and a swarm of media and bounty-hunters looking for George Zimmerman.  The problem is that this home was miles from where George Zimmerman lives.  It is, in fact, the home of an elderly couple; her son is William George Zimmerman, aged 41, who has not lived there for seven years.  These people have had to flee their home and take up residence in a hotel, in fear for their lives.  This is also vigilantism.

So as you read and link and tweet and post references to "Justice for Trayvon" be aware that this hunger for justice at any cost does indeed have a high price:  It is costing Elaine and David McClaine the just use of their own property and the right to a freedom from unjust persecution and threat of harm.  It is costing George Zimmerman his opportunity for due process under the law, because, frankly, the emotion is getting in the way.

Justice for Trayvon, certainly.  Let the justice system work.  Don't be blinded by your emotional responses.  Because justice for one must not be at the expense of justice for many.