Trials and Chicken Poop

For the last several years, my family has been growing tomatoes at a local community garden. With basic maintenance, we could get our plants to survive, and maybe even give a little fruit. But we want our plants to thrive and be filled with large, sweet, beautiful tomatoes. So we water them daily, and while they're still young, we surround them with wire cages to help them stand straight.

One of the hardest parts of growing tomatoes is pruning them. Several times a week, we examine our plants for suckers - branches growing where they shouldn't be - and remove them. In themselves, suckers aren't a bad thing, and sometimes it's a hard decision to remove them, because they've been allowed to grow for a while, they look healthy, and they may even have some fruit on them. However, they make the rest of the plant weaker, and take vital energy from the main branches and the larger fruits growing on them.

The first couple years we grew tomatoes, things went very smoothly. Our plants produced huge quantities of large, ripe fruits, with no effort beyond watering, weeding, and pruning. But then  several years ago we had a blight which ravaged the entire region. Everyone seemed to be struggling. No matter how carefully you attended to your tomatoes, the fruits would rot right on the vine. Every harvested tomato was a victory.

Ever since the blight, we've noticed that it's harder each season to get our plants to produce the large, beautiful fruits that we'd like to see. Oh, they're fruitful, but the tomatoes are small and seedy, and not terribly robust.

We've tried adding mushroom soil, we've tried adding lime, we've tried spritzing the leaves with Epsom salts. But nothing has been able to improve the production of our fruit.

Today at the garden store, I found an organic fertilizer specifically for growing tomatoes. I quickly scanned through the list of ingredients: potash, crushed oyster shells, chicken poop.... I was so excited about the prospect of a fertilizer that would address all the potential issues affecting the tomatoes that I didn't give much thought to the last ingredient. Chicken poop.

Once at the garden, I figured out the spacing for my plants, grabbed my spade, and dug the first hole. Then I opened the bag of fertilizer. And all I could smell was.... chicken poop. My eyes watered. I found myself gagging. I repented of ever having coveted my neighbor's chickens. I cried out, "Oh, Lord, save this poor old city girl and her tender nose from the smell of chicken poop!" Into each hole, I measured three scoops of this fertilizer. Halfway through my task I almost gave it up, closed up the bag, and planted the rest without the fertilizer. But I kept thinking about the nice, big tomatoes I'd like to harvest, so I kept scooping, and gagging, and repenting.

After the last plant was firmly in the ground, fertilized and watered, I heard the Lord reminding me of this verse: "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation." (Romans 5:3-4, NLT)

The Christian walk requires many things to help us to grow in faith and a right relationship with God. Most of them are disciplines and practices, like fellowship with other believers, meditation on the Word, and prayer. But an untested faith will never be as strong as one that has had to stand up under terrible circumstances, so God allows us to be challenged in order to make us strong. He allows us to be challenged so that we can see His strength when we're at the end of ours. He allows us to be challenged so that we can experience His faithfulness, even when things seem hopeless. James puts it this way: ^"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." (James 1:2-4, NLT)

We will all have problems and trials. And they really stink. I mean, they stink like chicken poop. Sometimes our problems and trials make our eyes water, and they're practically unbearable, and we want to just close up the Bible and stop trying so hard and go back to just doing the bare minimum in our walk with the Lord. But it's at that point that we need to remember the fruit that we're hoping for, and repent of the things holding us back, and cry out to God for the strength to keep going. Because sometimes, in order to really grow, we need just a little bit of... chicken poop.

Sugar In the Bowl

I like a little sugar in my coffee in the mornings. Okay, to be honest, I guess you could say I like a little coffee with my sugar in the mornings. This morning, though, I found that the sugar bowl was empty. I went to refill it from the canister, but that was also empty, so I had to find the new bag of sugar. I finally had sugar in both the canister and the sugar bowl. I stirred my coffee, took that first refreshing sip, and got a nasty surprise - I had forgotten to put sugar in my coffee!

This got me thinking a little bit about my relationship with God (who would ever have thought that bitter coffee could be a religious experience?). But in particular, it got me thinking about what happens when I fail to add God into my daily experiences.

Consider this: I have read my Bible verses for the morning. I have spent time in reflection and meditation on my study passage. I have even spent my ten minutes in morning prayer. And then.... the children act up. Or an unexpected bill comes in the mail. Or I get behind a slow driver. Or dinner burns. Or long-anticipated plans fall through. How do I react?

If I am honest, more often than not I realize in the midst of my reaction that, while I may have filled my bowl with God, I have failed to stir Him into my day. And my reaction is bitter and leaves a terrible taste in my mouth.

James 1:22-24 says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." 

The context of this passage deals with our reactions to temptation, stress, and disappointment. If we are daily stirring God into the day, not only filling our bowl with His word but each moment with His flavor, our responses will be righteous ones. 

Putting God in the sugar bowl of your mind will never impact your day, no matter how large or beautiful the container you use. If the sweetness of His guidance, character, and promises aren't stirred into the coffee cup of your heart, and allowed to flavor your every experience, you will not be able to truly "taste and see that the Lord is good."

The Best Seasoning

 They were the first people I really noticed when we entered the ballroom of the hotel for the art exhibit: a lovely mother with her two lovely daughters, perched in a row on a cushioned ottoman in one of the seating areas. The daughters were dressed alike, with black dresses, black tights and shoes, black woolen coats, and stylish black berets all but covering their short wavy hair. The mother also was dressed all in black, her dyed black hair long and sleek and iridescent, like the feathers of a raven. They sat upon the ottoman for some time, speaking little and smiling less, until at last the rest of the family arrived: father in a well-cut black suit, and a young boy in black pants and sport coat with a black and grey scarf wound about his neck. My daughters noted them for their fine, matching clothes and interesting hats, but I was much more interested in their interactions, such as they were.

Some time later, my family and I sat at a little table to enjoy some of the refreshments provided, and it was then that another family caught my attention. The first I saw were a young father, with scruffy beard, baseball cap, and flannel shirt untucked from his baggy jeans, and his little girl, no more than two. She was wearing a simple jumper, and her curly hair was escaping wildly from a lopsided braid. She had a dish of ice cream, and he wanted her to sit to eat it. He looked at his child as if she were his greatest treasure, and lifted her into a seat as if she were made of porcelain. Moments later he was joined by a young woman in a simple green dress, her hair caught back in a hasty twist, a happy baby dandled on her hip. I noticed how they smiled at one another, how they laughed together, how happy the children seemed.

As I reflected on these two families, I remembered Proverbs 15:17 which says, "A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate." The first time I was introduced to this verse was at a friend's wedding. I must admit that I was a little amused by this very unconventional choice of Scripture reading for a wedding, but it didn't take me long to see the wisdom in it. Another friend put it this way recently: "Little is much when the Lord is in it."

Now, I don't know the financial situations of either family, so I am not judging on wealth or status. I am making observations on how each family presented itself. The first was so well put together, yet seemed so unhappy. The second family presented themselves very simply and casually, yet seemed so contented.

What is it that makes that "bowl of vegetables" seem as rich and satisfying as a choice steak? It is the seasonings of love and contentment. Even the best steak, if seasoned with strife and discontent, will taste dry and bitter, and be utterly unsatisfying.

As the Apostle Paul said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:12 NIV)

Whether your life holds little or much, whether you are sharing the simplest meals or the grandest feasts, remember that it is the seasoning you choose that makes them worth savoring.

Are you offended yet?

"Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man." Luke 6:22

I was watching the news this morning, and there was a spot about the latest anti-Christian controversy. Apparently, in Samuel Adam's Independence Day beer commercial this year there was a man quoting the Declaration of Independence, and they had the nerve to omit the phrase "by their Creator." Oh, the horror. Of course, they had to have a debate between the head of a secularist group and a pastor from Atlanta, GA. Of course, the pastor was offended and horrified. And I found myself rolling my eyes.

I have come to the conclusion that American believers are a spoiled lot, with a deeply ingrained entitlement mentality. We take for granted that, because we have religious liberty, and because we have had a favored status because of our majority, we will be above reproach, and will be spared mockery or insult. After all, does anyone make jokes like that about [insert non-Christian religious group of your choice]?

Not only are we deeply offended, quick to speak out and demand redress, and even ready to sue when someone, oh, tells us to take off a cross necklace at work, we then have the guts to call this "persecution." (I challenge you to go look up The Voice of the Martyrs. Read the stories of modern-day persecution - real persecution - and continue to refer to American unpopularity in the same way.)

Right.

So, whatever happened to the Beatitudes? Remember those, fellow believers? Let's review:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3-10, NIV)

Ah... But what happens in verse 11? “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." We are told, in fact, to expect to be unpopular - hated even!

"Everyone will hate you because of me." (Luke 21:17)

"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:19)

"Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." (1 John 3:13)

Why are we so quick to be offended? Why are we so surprised when we're mocked? Why do we have such a desperate need to be accepted by the world? Why do we feel like we need to defend our position in society? God is not going to be damaged by the insults of the world, as evidenced by the nations where being a Christian can get you killed, and where the church is flourishing. But our message will be damaged by whining and complaining when people aren't nice to us.

I like the way the Message Bible ends Matthew 5:

^43-47 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
⁴⁸ “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

The Other Side of Tragedy

I'm listening to the news as the second Boston Bomber is being pursued.

A moment ago, the reporter mentioned that the father of these young men, who is in Russia, has been contacted. He described his younger son as incredibly bright... a second year med student. He was expecting his sons to come home soon for the summer holidays.

And then it struck me: the other side of this tragedy.

This father has lost a son, too. This father is half a world away, knowing one son is dead, and the other is in mortal danger. This father is dealing with the enormity of what his children have done.

There are two sides to every tragedy, and it is easy to forget the families of those who do evil as we focus on the victims and those who have been victimized.

I am not glad that the older brother is dead. I do not hope that the younger dies, either. I find no joy or satisfaction in any violent death. I long for justice, yes. But I also long for redemption, for a change of heart, for as many opportunities as possible for this man to receive with open arms the same grace and forgiveness as is offered to each of us.

These men did evil. But they are men. They were a mother's babies. They are someone's children, someone's nephews, someone's best friends.And I grieve for those who must live with what these boys have become.

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy on us all.

Today I Planted Pansies

Today I planted pansies. This is, honestly, nothing out of the ordinary. I have planted pansies every year since I married and moved away from my parents' home. It is something of a tradition; my mother has always had pansies in memory of her mother, who always planted pansies.

My garden is one of my "happy places". I love the feeling of dirt in my hands, the smell of the rich soil, and watching as the things I plant grow and develop and flourish into beautiful flowers or tasty vegetables.

Last spring, I made the hard decision to not plant any annuals in my little backyard flower bed. My irises have become overgrown, and there really isn't much room in which to plant anything else. So I made the decision to simply let them be my garden last year, with the intention of digging them up late in the summer, discarding some, and replanting a few select bulbs. My pansies went into the large pots out front, around my large chrysanthemums.

It was a difficult spring for me, because my flower bed is a source of pride for me, so it was hard to see it looking ragged. Worse yet, because of the overcrowding of the irises, few of them bloomed, and the leaves looked wilted and holey. Beyond that, the children's sunflowers refused to sprout in their little garden, and my pansies out front failed to thrive and eventually died.

My untended flower bed became a constant source of irritation and sadness, yet I kept looking forward to the end of the summer, when I could dig up those bulbs, and make everything right for this year.

And then, in July, I discovered that lump in my breast, and everything stopped.

My summer became nothing more than endless rounds of doctors appointments. I was in a state of shock; complete emotional and physical inertia.

I underwent surgery in early autumn, and all chances of digging up the bulbs were lost for the year. Not only had I wasted my opportunity for a beautiful garden that year, I realized that this would also affect this year. My irises are still overcrowded. My garden is still overgrown.

Today I planted pansies. They were on sale at the store, 3 packs for $10. I couldn't resist! I bought two packs to plant out front in my large planters, with the hope that this year they will do better. The third pack is planted in my garden. Two little groups of three little purple pansies.

My garden is overrun with irises; there is very little room to plant anything else. Really, those two little pansy patches take up the majority of my free space. In fact, those little pansy patches may make it quite difficult to dig up those bulbs later this summer. But who knows what will happen today, or tomorrow, or next month that may keep me from digging up the overgrowth again?

It is a new year. A new spring. A new set of opportunities. And no matter what comes my way in the days ahead, at least I have my pansies.

The No-No List

For those of you who don't know me or are new to my blog, I embarked on the Breast Cancer Journey eight months ago, when I discovered a lump in my left breast. I have had a successful lumpectomy, and have completed eighteen weeks of chemotherapy, and began my radiation treatments this week, which will take me into May.

Those of you who do know me know that I have made it a point to approach this journey with a healthy amount of humor. It's amazing how much better things seem when you can find something to laugh about.


Sometimes, the things I laugh about are people's reactions to my cancer, and the things that they say. Probably my favorite comment, which I heard from numerous people during my chemotherapy, was, "You have great color!" I always wondered what color I was supposed to be, if my actual color was unexpected. Purple, perhaps, or a very becoming chartreuse. Over time, I realized that the comment was intended to refer to the fact that I had rosy cheeks despite my treatments, a realization that was cemented after my third treatment when I began suffering from terrible anemia. From that point on, we referred to it as "misplacing my melanin."

I did a quick internet search this morning to see if there were any articles on "What Not to Say to Cancer Patients," and I found several. However, I found them all lacking. For one thing, not one of them mentioned misplaced melanin and therefore were, in my book, incomplete. So I decided to make up my own "No-No" list, based on some of the things I have come across this year.

1. When you find out your friend has cancer, please do not relate horror stories. At all. Ever.

There is nothing worse for a cancer patient than hearing, "Oh, gosh! My mother's father-in-law's seventh grade gym teacher had a cancer completely unlike yours, and he grew two extra heads before his flesh melted off of his bones!" Listen, honey, my grandfather died of pneumonia, brought on by his compromised immune system from chemotherapy, and I am very well aware of Good Morning America's Robin Roberts who ended up with secondary cancer after chemotherapy for breast cancer. I know the risks. I know the worst-case scenarios. If your story doesn't have a happy ending, don't go there.

2. Don't question or criticize the cancer patient's choices of treatment...

...particularly after the procedure is a fait accompli. Once the word Cancer is pasted to your forehead, life becomes a multiple choice test, and each answer has its own level of unpleasantness. There is no decision that does not contain some amount of risk, and there is so much information thrown at the patient that every day feels like finals week in college. So when the little black dots have already been filled in with the #2 pencil and the paper has been turned in, it's not going to be very helpful to hear, "You know, I read a story last week that says that this procedure you had done two weeks ago is going to make your feet fall off, and turn your earwax fuscia."

3. Unless you've gone through, literally, the same process, give advice at your own risk.

Please do not suggest to a woman undergoing chemotherapy that she should not eat chocolate. Ditto bacon. Double-ditto coffee. You do not want to go there. Trust me, it's not pretty.

Also, this is a Really Bad Time to bring up obscure little-researched alternative and/or homeopathic treatments with absolutely no solid facts behind them. Now, you may be a firm believer in the healing power of powdered elk-antler. In fact, most people would probably be quite curious should you ask if they've heard of the miraculous healing powers of powdered elk-antler. But presenting a cancer patient with, "Only powdered elk-antlers have the power to cure cancer! Any other treatment is going to make your feet fall off, and turn your earwax fuscia!" will probably not end well for you.

4. Don't ask if you don't really want to know.

"How are you doing - really?" and "How are your treatments going?" are dangerous questions. You're really opening yourself up to learning more about the body than you'd prefer to know. You might get a very safe answer about goats throwing themselves off the hills of Gilead (See Song of Solomon...), or a slightly more disturbing relation of fingernails randomly falling off, or... well, trust me, it gets worse. There is no procedure in the breast cancer journey that is not either embarrassing, painful, or gruesome. Or some combination of two of those. Or all three. And after a while, the patient loses all sense of shock, and may be... blunt. So, unless you really want to know, stick with something safe and vague. And don't be afraid to say, "TMI!"

5. For the love of all that's chocolate, enough with the Facebook Cancer Support Pictures already!

Now, I think most cancer patients will understand and appreciate the sentiment, knowing they're being thought of by their facebook friends as they're going through their treatments. But, speaking for myself, when my friends post every prayer, dove, flower, rainbow, candle, butterfly, and fluffy kitten picture "honoring someone who has fought or is fighting cancer", all it does it make facebook one more place where I can't escape the reality of my disease.


If you really want to honor those fighting cancer, if you really want to bless me, go out and do something tangible. Call your local cancer center and offer to put together some goodie bags for people starting on their chemo journey (I got one, and it blessed me enormously!). Grow your hair long, and then cut it for Locks of Love. Knit or crochet soft caps with fun yarns for women who are left with zombie hair. Volunteer to drive cancer patients to their treatments. These things will have so much more impact on the lives of cancer patients than a picture on your facebook wall.

6. Don't assign your emotions to the cancer patient.

No, really. Do you have any idea how ridiculous it is to have an argument with someone who won't believe that I'm not depressed? That I'm fatigued because of the medication, not because of emotional distress? There have been times where I've gotten a little hot under the collar trying to get someone to believe that, actually, I'm quite happy, and have a supernatural amount of joy and peace, goshdarnit!!!!!

Ahem.

7. Don't wait for the cancer patient to initiate contact.

I'll admit that I've become a bit of a recluse since I was diagnosed with cancer. Part of this is because I simply don't have the energy to think past what I need to do. Good grief, I'll sit here for half an hour thinking about something I need to do before I actually get up and do it.

Part of it can also be completely explained with the words Chemo Brain. This is for real, folks. Chemo completely messes with your brain. My trains of thought have been known to get lost on a straight track. They have derailed before pulling out of the station. It's really sad.

So if you haven't heard from me, it may be because I sat by the phone for half an hour thinking about calling you, but by the time I get around to picking up the receiver, I've forgotten what I was going to do.

Don't be afraid to take the initiative of calling, thinking they need their rest, or want to be left alone. The chances are pretty good that a call from a friend would be just what the doctor ordered!


************************

I hope you have been able to read this article with the humor and humility with which it was written. I recognize that I have also said and done all the wrong things when I have come across someone going through tragedy or illness. So this was not written to be either critical or sarcastic. These are, honestly, things which have made me smile because I have seen how much my friends and my family care for me. This is not a journey I would have chosen, but I am so much stronger for it.

Unapologetically Pro Life

You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13

Murder. Retzach (Hebrew): to break, to dash to pieces, to destroy; to slay, kill, murder. The taking of innocent life.

We can look at our American history, and find one incident after another of retzach on a mass scale.

• On April 19, 1995, the Oklahoma City bombing claimed 168 lives, including 19 children under the age of six.  
• On April 20, 1999, two teenaged boys murdered twelve fellow students and a teacher at the Columbine High School in Colorado.
• On September 11, 2001, 2,753 men, women, and children lost their lives when hijackers flew three airliners into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.
• On October 2, 2006 a man murdered five girls at an Amish one-room schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, PA.
• Twelve people, one of them a six year old girl, were lost when a gunman opened fire in a packed theater in Aurora, CO on July 20, 2012.
• The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012 claimed the lives of twenty first-graders and six adults.

You must not make the land where you live unclean. The land is not holy when people are killed. And only the blood of him who is guilty can pay to make the land free from the blood that has fallen on it. Numbers 35:33 NLV

I don't believe there is one among us who is not appalled, repulsed, and horrified by those six examples listed above. These are unthinkable events. The loss of innocent life through murder is astounding.

An area more debated is that of wartime loss of life, particularly when we judge the loss of life of our "enemies." Many people are not aware that the US has been executing airstrikes - both manned and unmanned - on the nations of Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia at an increasing pace. Consider the following statistics from these three nations:

• From 2004 to September, 2012, Pakistan has lost 2,570-3,337 people. 474-884 were listed as civilians; 176 of them were children.
• From 2002 to September, 2012, as many as 1,026 have been killed in Yemen through airstrikes. Between 60 and 163 of those killed were civilians, 24-34 of them children
• From 2007 to September, 2012 US airstrikes have claimed 56-170 lives in Somalia, as many as 57 of them civilians, three of those children.

Now, when you see how much greater the number of casualties is than the number of civilians, consider the following: When tallying casualties, the CIA counts all military-aged men as combatants. This is a mind-blowing thing to consider. This is unthinkable loss of life.

Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed;
for in the image of God has God made mankind. Genesis 9:6

 The destruction of innocent life grieves me. This is why I am completely, unapologetically, pro-life.

This week, I turn 40. 40 years ago, I was born with a severely clubbed foot. I underwent two corrective surgeries, and had a childhood of corrective shoes and physical therapy and doctor's appointments, which must have been an immense financial burden to my parents.

This week also sees the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, legislation which made abortion legalized in this nation. In the last 40 years, the United States has seen approximately 54 million abortions.

 Because of Roe v. Wade, I was given the option to terminate my pregnancies, should they be inconvenient, difficult, or result in damaged children. I will never, ever forget my first visit with my obstetrician in the early glow of my first pregnancy thirteen years ago. I will never, ever forget the horror with which I heard him ask me, "If your baby is seen to have a clubbed foot, will you choose to terminate the pregnancy?" In other words, if your baby is inconvenient, imperfect, of less worth, like you, do you want to scrap it and try over?

We have been taught and conditioned to believe that abortion has nothing to do with ending a life. We have been taught and conditioned to believe that it's simply expelling a complex tissue mass. And I believed that those who champion "choice" believed that to be true; that they could not possibly champion a cause believing in their hearts that each abortion ended a baby's life. Then I came across an article that contained the following quotes:

"I performed abortions, I have had an abortion and I am in favor of women having abortions when we choose to do so. But we should never disregard the fact that being pregnant means there is a baby growing inside of a woman, a baby whose life is ended. We ought not to pretend this is not happening." Judith Arcana, 1999

"[The idea of] dismembering a baby and pulling it out in pieces … is obviously horrific. But at the same time, it is easy to get caught up in that emotion." Julia Black, 2004 ABC interview regarding her film, My Fetus

"Abortion is in some sense an act of violence, and indisputably results in the termination of a life." Kathleen McDonnell, 2003, from her book Not An Easy Choice: A Feminist Re-examines Abortion

"Most of the abortions in America are about convenience. People need to accept abortion for what it is: a valid part of the reproductive spectrum. I want it to be seen as normal; if 1.3 million women in this country have one every year, it’s gotta be normal... I remember feeling conflicted about the magic of being pregnant. I felt electricity running through my body. Not for a minute did I not think of it as a life. I knew it was a baby." Penny Lane, 2004 Salon Magazine interview

In my heart of hearts, I believe abortion of convenience is murder. It is retzach. I have felt life growing within me, felt the flutters and kicks beneath my heart, seen my twelve-week-gestational jelly beans and heard their hearts beat. And as we observe this milestone anniversary, my heart breaks.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day. Psalm 139:13-16 MSG

It's Not a Matter of "If"

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him... Job 13: 15a

This phrase is what ran through my head as I drove home from the cancer center on Friday. I required a shot to boost my immune system, which I knew would be painful for days to come. I had been so excited when my oncologist said I could do without it after my last treatment; now I was deeply disappointed to have required this shot after all, and drove home knowing that my compromised immunity might very well mean that my return to teaching preschool was premature, and that this source of joy in my week may well be taken from me once again.

Now, I know this is very different from being slain, but it's a matter of choosing how I am going to respond to bad news, even when it's the worst-case scenario. And what really struck me, as I looked at this passage a little more, is that Job is not saying "if." This verse is more accurately phrased, "He will surely slay me; I have no hope..."

So, what do I do when it's not a matter of "if"? Here are the things I could insert, on my Job days:

Though [the pain is hard to bear; my strength fails; my courage slips; joy is hard to hold onto; the tears flow; sleep is hard and waking is harder; the mirror is hard to face; discouragement threatens], yet will I [hope in him; trust in him; praise him; thank him; seek him; call to him; cry to him; sing for him; work for him].

You turned my wailing into dancing;
    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 
 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
    Lord my God, I will praise you forever. Psalm 30:11-12

How about you? How will you respond when it's not a matter of "if"?

Honesty: Still the Best Policy

"Even children show what they are by what they do; you can tell if they are honest and good." Proverbs 20:11

Let me begin with a confession: Honesty is not something that has ever been easy for me. As a child in particular, I had a terrible time with telling the truth. Even today, when I am in a bind, my first instinct is to bend the truth a bit in order to save face; it is a victory every time I overcome that inclination and choose the truth. I have learned the hard way, living with people's lack of trust and my own guilt, how important honesty and integrity are, so perhaps this hard-won battle is why I am so firm with my children on the topic of honesty, and why the following discussion is weighing so heavily on my mind.

You see, this week I asserted that lying, particularly deliberate misrepresentation of who you are, is bad. For this, I was called narrow-minded and judgmental. I even had Matthew 7:1 quoted to me. Now, there are times when I can concede that my way might not work for someone else, that it's up for interpretation, that your perspective is valid, and so on. However, I simply cannot reconcile teaching my children to tell the truth all the time, teaching them that personal honesty and integrity in all parts of their lives is essential, and deliberate misrepresentation.

So, what is this weighty topic which spurred this intense debate?

Facebook. Namely, allowing your child to have a Facebook account before they are thirteen.

Now, I'm sure some of you are looking at the screen saying, "Seriously? That's not a big deal at all!" In fact, some of you may have helped your child get an account early yourselves.

I dealt with this question last year, when my twelve-year-old daughter's best friend, who was eleven at the time, got a Facebook account. I was told that it was "not fair." However, I told her that to get her an account I would have to lie about her age. Did she want me to be a liar? She still is unhappy about not being on Facebook, and simply cannot wait for her birthday this spring, but she no longer asks for one, because she recognizes that my integrity is at stake.

I understand that Facebook is not a huge issue, in the grand scheme of things. The person with whom I had the conflict this week even had a reasonable excuse for getting her child on early - namely, to keep her child in contact with long-distance relatives. Her reasoning goes back to a concept called "situational ethics," which basically asserts that there are no universal rights or wrongs; that each situation demands its own application of values.

Episcopal pastor Joseph Fletcher phrased situation ethics in a clearly Christian context, which says that love is the only absolute value. In his "Naturalism, situation ethics, and value theory," Fletcher asserts:

Since 'circumstances alter cases', situationism holds that in practice what in some times and places we call right is in other times and places wrong... For example, lying is not ordinarily in the best interest of interpersonal communication and social integrity, but is justifiable nevertheless in certain situations.

 I will agree with Fletcher, to a point. If telling the truth will cost someone their life or safety, I would probably lie. For example, those many people who sheltered Jews from the Nazis lied to save lives. Even Rahab lied to save the lives of the Hebrew spies in the book of Joshua. It must be understood, however, that even these "good" lies carried the potential of dire consequences.

But for the sake of convenience? Because I "know better"? Because it's something I want, or deserve, or am entitled to?

Allow me to take this issue of personal misrepresentation a little further. Allow me to offer some other scenarios, similar to getting an underage child on Facebook. We will start with the sentence, "Because I want my child to have contact with his/ her grandparents, I will lie about his/ her age to get him/ her a Facebook account." Now, I will take that sentence and substitute certain words:

•  Because I want my child to have a positive social experience, I will lie about his/ her age to get him/ her into the latest R-rated movie with his/ her friends.
• Because I want my child to have an excellent education, I will lie on his/ her college application to get him/ her into a better school.
• Because I want my child to have a good job, I will help him/ her lie about his/ her experience on his/ her resume.

 Do these sound as reasonable? Just like the Facebook account, they are all rooted in a loving motivation - the best social, academic, and employment opportunities possible. But are they right?

I heard a man on the radio this morning assert that, while Lance Armstrong was wrong to destroy the character of those who accused him of doping, he was justified in cheating and lying about it, because he had a hard life, and besides they kept making the courses harder. Situationalism. Is it right to lie and cheat because it's hard, and it's the only way to get ahead?

And consider the current case of college football star Manti Te'o. Either he misrepresented himself and devised the elaborate hoax of a fictional girlfriend in order to gin up sympathy and fame, or he had such a hoax perpetrated on him by people who misrepresented themselves to him.

Or how about politicians, who misrepresent themselves and their positions in order to get elected?

Suddenly, finding yourself on the receiving end of personal misrepresentation (dishonesty, lying) doesn't seem so reasonable.

It is positively amazing how many passages can be found in the Bible on the topics of integrity and honesty and uprightness.

"But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.  Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.” (Zechariah 8:16-17, NLT)

Here is another:

Guard my life and rescue me;
    do not let me be put to shame,
    for I take refuge in you.

May integrity and uprightness protect me,
    because my hope, Lord, is in you.  (Psalm 25:20-21)

From Proverbs 10:

Honest people are safe and secure, but the dishonest will be caught. (verse 9)

Storms come, and the wicked are blown away, but honest people are always safe. (verse 25)

The Lord protects honest people, but destroys those who do wrong. (verse 29)

Situationalism surrounds us. Our culture is filled with individualism, relative morality, and "ends justifies the means" thinking. But for me, I am choosing to develop a lifestyle of honesty and integrity, and will continue to cultivate the same in my daughters. While some things may be up to interpretation, I will continue to maintain that lying, dishonesty, misrepresentation, are wrong. It may be more difficult sometimes, but an "upright life" is actually the freer life - free from guilt, free from fear of being caught, free from loss of trust. Honesty, as they say, is the best policy.

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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?