One size fits… one.

Today's Old Testament reading, from the book of Nehemiah, shows an interesting contrast in the way different people experience God. In chapter 1 of his book, Nehemiah tells us that he was cupbearer (or wine-taster) for the king in Babylon. He heard about the condition of Jerusalem and was very upset that the walls were broken down and the gates destroyed.

In chapter 2, he asks the king to send him “to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.” He doesn't mention the name Jerusalem (there probably was some sensitivity about that particular city), but the part I found particularly interesting is what came next:

I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?”

And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

Nehemiah 2:7-9

What's so interesting about that? Well, maybe not so much in itself, but what I noticed was the contrast with Ezra, which was in the readings from some days past. The part of Ezra I'm thinking of was this:

There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him."

So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

Ezra 8:21-23

What I take from these two men of God is not that Ezra trusted God and Nehemiah trusted in military escorts. And it's not that Nehemiah was bold and Ezra was timid. What I get is that God deals with us in a way that's suited to us. He knows us individually, knows our personalities and inclinations and strengths and weaknesses (besides our joys and tears and aspirations and disappointments).

He does not treat us like interchangeable parts; he knows us and cares for each one of us. And the way we honor him is something that's unique to each one of us too. How do I love my children? I love each one for who she is. And that gives me a little picture, a little sense of appreciation for how God loves me—he loves me in a way that's different from the way he loves you, and our paths will be different, and that's okay; indeed, it is very good.

Many "gods" and many "lords"

The title for an engaging book comes from 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

This verse is part of a great chapter about freedom and responsibility, which also includes this gem: "Knowledge puffs up but love builds up" (from 2 Corinthians 8:1).

The passage is more specifically about food sacrificed to idols, but Paul mentions, almost in passing, what the point of our lives is, and what should direct us. Looking at verse 1, I have to ask myself sometimes, "Am I one of those people who wants to know more, so I can feel good about myself (puffed up)? Or am I seeking to build up those around me (as Romans 15:2 says)?"

It struck me, though, that if verses 5-6 are true of me—that is, if I live for God the Father and through Jesus Christ my Lord—then I won't be trying to puff myself up; rather, I'll want always to build others up. I'll be more concerned about the impact my actions have on others, and not so excited about insisting on my own way. And here's another trap I'll be able to avoid:

The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.

1 Corinthians 8:2-3

Rather than thinking too much about my own "knowledge," I'll rejoice in being known by God. And what do I know, anyway? More important than that: Who am I living for and through? And does He know me?

Self-pity, or...?

What do you do if you move to a foreign country, become permanently disabled, and your spouse dies?

It would certainly be understandable if you wanted to lie around feeling sorry for yourself for a while (hey, I probably would), but then what?

Today's New Testament reading is from 2 Corinthians 1, where Paul talks about troubles: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ... who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Two things stand out to me from this passage: first, that when troubles come, I need to seek comfort from God. He's willing to comfort but I need to be willing to accept it. This isn't as easy as it sounds; we sometimes blame God for the calamities we encounter -- even (as Proverbs 19:3 says) those we bring upon ourselves.

Something that has helped me in the (mostly minor) difficulties I've faced is remembering the Lord Jesus, who endured much hostility from sinners against himself (Hebrews 12:3), though he was and is free from sin. The psalms also tell us that "He knows our frame; he remembers that we are but dust" (Psalm 103:14). Jesus Christ, our high priest, can sympathize with our weakness, tempted as he was in all things as we are, yet without sin.

The second thing I need to remember is that God wants to use my troubles, and the comfort he's given me through them, to bless others. In other words, the comfort he's given me isn't for me alone -- it's to equip me to bring comfort and encouragement to others. I know what it's like to be laid off, I know what it's like to have a foolish boss, I've had pneumonia and sleepless nights and unanswered prayers -- not like the Apostle Paul (these didn't hit me while I was out preaching the gospel or planting churches), but I have had these experiences.

And when these things hit someone else, I can offer some understanding, and I can share some comfort that I've received. I don't know why these things hit people, or why they hit one person rather than another, but I know someone who cares, and that he's always taken care of me.

Prerequisites?

In today's New Testament reading, Jesus has a ships-passing-in-the-night conversation with a crowd that saw him feed the 5,000. Let's look at one part of this:

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

John 6:27-29

Verse 27 reminds me of an Old Testament passage -- which I see the NIV editors also marked as a cross-reference:

Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Isaiah 55:2

I'm pretty sure this crowd would have recognized the allusion. In that Old Testament passage, God is telling the Israelites that they're fundamentally on the wrong track, that they need a major course change. Jesus, of course, is telling them the same thing.

But they don't ask him how their hearts need to change; instead, they ask "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

I don't know why they asked it quite that way -- are they asking about prerequisites or qualifications? Or were they being oblique for some other reason? In any case, Jesus doesn't quite answer them. Rather than saying, "You have to do this (in order to accomplish what God desires)," he says: "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

The crowd continues to miss the point, but I want to stop here. What does he mean that the work of God is to believe in Jesus?

It's not an accident of wording; I believe Jesus is turning their question on its head. What he's saying, i think, is that God requires only that we believe in Jesus.

What would happen if I really believed in him? What does that mean?

If I really took Jesus as proof of God's great love for me, I wouldn't seek validation through other people. That is, I wouldn't try to use people to make myself feel good. I'd spend more effort in blessing them, and less effort trying to trick them into admiring or respecting me.

If I really took Jesus as proof of God's promise of eternal life, I'd be less anxious about seeking pleasure here in this life. I'd be more generous, and I'd indulge myself less.

And so on. So what am I saying then? That I don't believe?

I'm saying what the distraught father in Mark 9:24 said:

I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!

That father had it right -- help comes from God through Jesus; faith isn't something we can manufacture ourselves.

And so I agree with the old song:

    I need thee, O I need thee
    Ev’ry hour I need thee. 

There really is nothing of value I can do apart from Jesus. A good thing to remember.

Do you want to get well?

That's what Jesus asked the lame man lying near the pool at Bethesda after hearing he'd been in that condition for a long time (John 5:6). The correct answer to Jesus was, of course, Yes, Lord!" (or "Yes, please, Lord," for those with better manners than I). But what does the man say?

"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."

Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

from John 5:7-9

I used to think it odd that the man didn't actually answer Jesus' question. But it occurred to me this morning that Jesus might have asked that in order to gauge how depressed the man was. It could have been worse -- the man might have just given Jesus a deer-in-the-headlights look.

But let's step back a minute. What's all this about the water being stirred? Apparently, the waters of this pool would be disturbed from time to time, and there was a race to see who could be the first one in after such a stirring. People believed that the first one in would be healed. Was it true? Probably not.

So this guy was focused on a false hope for healing. And how many of us are, too? How often have I thought happiness would be found in a new toy or book, or later on in life, a new car, book or relationship?

Yet, as we see, Jesus did heal the man, as he wants to heal us today.

The other thing that comes to me is this: when I'm listening to someone's problems, and I see them focused on a false hope for healing, do I just get exasperated, or do I extend grace to them, as Jesus did?

An unsuccessful cover-up

Today's New Testament reading starts on Easter morning. The previous Friday, Joseph of Arimathea had placed Jesus's body in a tomb and rolled a big stone in front of the entrance (Matthew 27:58-60). Sunday morning, two women...

...went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angle of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

Matthew 28:1-4

I certainly can't blame the guards, as I'm sure they had never encountered anything like this before.

The angel gives the women some information and instructions, and they also meet Jesus himself. But I want to focus on what happens next with the guards.

[S]ome of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.

At this point in the story, a part of me hopes that the chief priests will slap their foreheads and cry out, "Holy smokes, guys, we've been wrong about this guy! He really was who he said he was! We'd better pray and ask God what to do!" (These guys are supposed to be priests of God for crying out loud!) Alas...

When the chief priests had met with the elders... they gave the soldiers... money, telling them, "You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."

from Matthew 28:11-14 (inset added)

The guards really did have something to worry about, as they would normally have been executed (see Acts 12:18-19 for example). But these chief priests and elders -- what were they thinking?

Whatever it was, I'm quite certain they didn't turn from earnest intercessors into God-deniers, from seekers of truth to purveyors of lies, overnight. They didn't, in other words, wake up one morning and say, "Yeah, I've had a career of representing people to God, but I'm going to chuck it all today and instead become a political shark, without changing my clothes."

No, they took little steps away from integrity toward compromise, away from the rarified air of the priestly calling and toward the comfort of status, prestige, power.

Most of us don't have the ability to go around corrupting government officials, but we certainly can corrupt ourselves. How often have you or I excused our own self-pitying thoughts or self-indulgent actions? How long has it been since the last time we spoke an unkind word or slighted someone we thought beneath ourselves?

So let us beware -- it's all too easy to wake up one morning, see a stranger in the mirror, and wonder how we got that way. A day at a time, a small step at a time -- that's how. As the Apostle Paul wrote: "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 7:24-25)

The other bit of good news is that if we seek him, we'll find him (as the Lord promised the Israelites in Jeremiah 29) and that he will forgive (Isaiah 55:5-8) and clean us up (1 John 1:9).

Which is good news!
posted 2008-12-20

Watch out!

Today's reading from Proverbs reads like a scene from some action/adventure film:

I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.... Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.... She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: "... Come, let's drink deep of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love! My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey...."

With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose ....

from Proverbs 7:7-22

What is going on here? Is Solomon a misogynist? Why is the young man a victim and the (older) woman a predator? Is he saying this is the usual pattern, that young men are normally led astray by older women?

And what is the danger he is talking about? It's a danger largely forgotten these days, though occasionally a prophet speaks, even outside the church -- someone like Donald Hall, in a poem like "When the Young Husband" -- about the disastrous consequences of adultery. "tears, treachery, anger, betrayal; / marriages and houses destroyed; / small children abandoned and inconsolable."

Here is what I think. Solomon was writing to a son (as Proverbs 1:8 says, "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction..." ); if he were writing to a daughter, the example would probably differ. Now I don't think this is some sort of allegory, where the woman stands for other religions, her husband stands for some false god, etc. But I think the warning against adultery can be profitably applied to other things.

In other words, beware of temptations -- sexual temptations, temptations to vanity (wouldn't a young man be flattered by the attentions of a sophisticated woman, even if she were a little older?), the temptation to fudge or cheat a little on his tax returns or expense reports, etc. Sexual temptations, yes, but not only sexual temptations. Sexual temptations aren't just about sex anyway; they're about ego and vanity too.

Here's something else. Maybe the point of this was, "Son, this isn't the usual pattern, but trouble can happen this way, too!" Well, maybe not. But this particular pattern certainly has happened -- just ask Joseph (Genesis 39:7).

As far as what this means to me, well, I think it's generalizable. Sometimes a thing that appeals to my vanity, that looks like it'll be fun or a pleasant experience -- sometimes things like this are dangerous. And people who, like me, sometimes lack judgment -- people can get into trouble by paying too much attention to the attraction and not enough to the danger.

I think the young man in the passage from Proverbs simply wasn't aware of the danger. This is something we can ask God to help us with -- to help us see danger (not risk for Christ's sake, but danger in temptations to immorality) and flee it.

What's in it for me?

A rich young man came to Jesus, wanting to know the way of eternal life, and went away sad. But today I want to focus on the disciples, who are surprised by Jesus's comments.

"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

Matthew 19:24-27

I love these guys. I love how, at least in this passage, they engage with Jesus fully, asking him about what troubles them.

"What's in it for me?" says Peter, speaking for the rest of them -- and for us too, if we're honest. What is he hoping Jesus will say? Does Peter hope for fame? He got that -- beyond his dreams! Did he hope for wealth? I don't think he got that one -- or long life on earth either. But if he had it to do over again, would he pass on Jesus's invitation? Not a chance!

What do I hope Jesus will say to me? What do you and I want from Jesus?

What I want first of all is to want what he wants for me. I want to be changed, to be purified. Because right now, the security and wealth thing is more attractive to me than it deserves to be.

A tough customer -- or a dumb one

You probably know the story: Moses and Aaron go to Pharoah king of Egypt. "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: Let my people go," they say, and Pharoah is unimpressed.

"Who is the Lord?" he says. "I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go." (Exodus 5:1-2).

That was dumb but understandable. Today's reading makes me think Pharoah was more than dumb:

He (Aaron) raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.

But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

from Exodus 7:20-22

I found this astonishing. Moses and Aaron created an ecological catastrophe, and what did Pharoah do to prove his superiority? Did he reverse it? Oddly, he has his staff do more of the same.

Now why was this a Good Idea?

• God says, "Let my people go."
• Pharoah says, "I won't and you can't make me."
• God says, "If you don't, I will ruin your country"
• Pharoah says, "Ha! I can do that too!"

then the country is ruined (but I'm getting ahead of myself).

Here's my take on it: Pharoah is locked into his position. He's trying to show how tough he is -- that is, testosterone, rather than his brain, is doing his thinking. Put differently, he's in a power struggle. This struggle makes him stupid.

Have you done that? I certainly have -- arguing with somebody about something and at some point realizing the other person is right, but continuing to argue anyway because that was my position. Dumb? Yeah. Unique? Nope; it's been going on for over 3000 years.

May God help us to have soft hearts, so that we can turn toward him in repentance where needed, rather than running from him in denial!

"I am the greatest" -- NOT

I have a disease. Not a physical one, but a spiritual one. You have it, too. So did Jesus's disciples:

At that time the disciples asked Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

Matthew 18:1

They ask Jesus, "Who is the greatest?" rather than "Who is great?" for the same reason kids ask their parents, "Who do you love best?" rather than "Who do you love?"

Why do they do that? Why do we compare ourselves with others? In Searching for God Knows What, Miller remarks that we humans compare ourselves with others all the time, as though that would somehow ease the vague insecurity inside us. It's one of those really dumb and ineffective things we do, because even if I decide I'm better than someone else in some respect (a questionable conclusion in any case), there are lots more people in the world, or even just in my state, and so the vague insecurity would just keep coming back. There is no way to really be sure that I really am the greatest. But even if I was, then what? Ten minutes or ten years from now, I might not be.

It's a disease, it's an epedemic -- worse, it's endemic! In No Two Alike, Harris describes this tendency as a mental organ. The tendency to compare is part of the human condition. And it causes all kinds of problems. James tells us that from jealousy and selfish ambition, disorder and every evil thing follow. The proverbs say that jealousy is worse than anger or wrath. And of course all that comes from comparing ourselves with others.

So this comparison thing is a really bad deal. It's a kind of idol -- it has power over me, but only as much power as I give it. To break this power, I have just a few ideas.

First, when I'm tempted to say, "At least I'm better at <something> than ________ is" or "I'm glad I'm not as bad as ________" then I can try to remember the mistakes I've made, the people I've hurt, or whatever. This helps me to be less arrogant that I might otherwise be.

Similarly, when I'm feeling envious about somebody who has more money, a bigger house, a better-looking body (etc.) than I do, I can try to remember that many in this world, or even in my neighborhood, have less money or more problems or poorer health (etc) than I do. This helps me to be more grateful.

Finally, in all these things, I can choose to remember that everything I have is from God. Did I earn a lot of money? Who gave me the skills, the health, the good looks that allowed me to do that? (OK, never mind the good looks.)

That's about it for my ideas to fight this awful tendency to compare myself with others.

How many did you come up with? Just kidding!

Turnaround

Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, but he's become Prime Minister of Egypt and now has power over them. When their father Israel (Jacob) dies, they're afraid, but look at how Joseph responds:

His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.

But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Genesis 50:18-21

Joseph is a great example to me of grace and mercy. Grace because he gives them good things they don't deserve -- mercy because he doesn't give them bad things they do deserve.

Now by being in Egypt, Joseph saved many lives, probably including his brothers', by interpreting the king's dreams and taking action on them. (Genesis 41:29-36). So who is the real hero in all this? Isn't it God, who sent the dream to the king to warn him of famine, who gave Joseph the ability to interpret the dream, granted him favor in the eyes of the officials so his plan would be adopted?

I've heard it said that God is the hero in every Biblical narrative. And isn't that true in our lives today?

Mild? I don't think so.

Have you seen paintings of Jesus in lovely pastoral scenes? His face is serene, and docile animals and children are nearby. These paintings, besides presenting Jesus as rather a boring (if sweet) character, leave out a whole lot about Jesus. Today's New Testament reading for example shows Jesus as anything but sweet and boring:

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"

Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

Matthew 15:1-3

He goes on to describe exactly how they do that; he calls them hypocrites and blind guides.

Jesus doesn't come across as urbane or mild in this passage. He certainly isn't boring -- he is, as the Narnia characters say, "not a tame Lion."

Indeed, he doesn't suffer hypocrites gladly. Pious hypocrites seem especially to irk him. So I take this passage as a warning -- of an error to avoid.

But no Pharisee woke up one morning and said, "I want to become a pious hypocrite"; probably most of them started well, seeking to follow God. Somewhere along the way, they started focusing too much on the rules and not enough on knowing God himself -- so much so that when he came in person they didn't even recognize him.

I'm afraid there's a bit of the Pharisee in me: I tend to like rules. If I follow the rules, I feel like I'm all right, and if you don't follow them, I feel better than you.

But that's a completely wrong way of looking at life, and it's a temptation I must beware of, because I really don't want to end up like these pious hypocrites.

Jesus lived to bless others; he was focused on God, not on himself. Doesn't that sound like a better way to live? May God help you and me to go in that direction.

How Important is Self-Image?

The third chapter of Proverbs opens with a half-dozen commands dealing with what one PBC pastor called "skills":

• remembering (3.1: "do not forget my teaching...")
• faithfulness (3.3: "Let love and faithfulness never leave you")
• trusting (3.5: "Trust in the Lord")
• humility (3.7 "Do not be wise in your own eyes")
• stewardship (3.9: "Honor the Lord with your wealth")
• accepting reproof (3.11: "do not despise the Lord's discipline")

One of today's readings comes from this section:

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

Proverbs 3:7-8

Like most of the other commands here, this one comes with a promise. The promise isn't absolute (it is possible to be humble, fear the Lord, shun evil, and yet die from cancer--even bone cancer), but they give a picture of the way things generally work.

What has my attention from today's passage, though, is the contrast between

• the prohibition:
  • Do not be wise in your own eyes
• and the precepts:
  • fear the Lord,
  • and shun evil.

The writer seems to be telling us that being wise in our own eyes is contrary to fearing the Lord.

And why is that? Because we're wrong so much of the time, and pride blinds us to our own folly. Unlike Einstein, many of us would rather think we're right than to find out where we're wrong.

So how are we doing? When you or I hear that we've been doing the wrong thing, do we stop doing it and change our course?

At the office, I've been working with some folks to change the way we develop software. Several weeks ago, we hired someone who started telling me he was concerned about the direction we're headed with these changes: basically, we're headed in the wrong direction. He didn't say it like that--he was tactful and professional--but that was the import of his remarks.

Did I tell him it was too late to change? At least this time I didn't--maybe because the Lord knew I'd be writing about this passage soon? It was a little hard to take, but I had to admit there was something to what he said. So I had to think about how to say, "I think I've been steering us in the wrong direction" -- essentially "I was wrong then, but I'm not wrong now."

Not the easiest thing, but probably better than the alternative.

And you know what? I don't know about nourishment in my bones, but having come clean, I feel better.

Prepare for action

How many times after some conversation have I thought to myself, "I wish I had said ____________!" Or "Next time I'm going to remember tell him ___________!"

And when I think that, am I wishing I had given some word of encouragement from the Lord? Am I thinking about a testimony of God's faithfulness or mercy that I want to tell them about next time?

Well... sometimes. I hope it's true more often as I get older, that my mind is more often focused on how to bless others, to bear witness to the Lord's goodness, to speak words from him, in keeping with today's New Testament reading:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:13

Yesterday's reading tells us that angels long to look into the salvation that we have. Certainly we can rejoice in that, but that's not the whole point. Rather than just sitting on our laurels, Peter tells us here to "prepare our minds for action."

What might that look like? I'm not sure, but here are a few ideas that come to mind:

• Let my mind dwell on whatever is true, noble, excellent, etc. (Philippians 4:8)
• Pray and give thanks all the time (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, Colossians 4:2-3, etc.)
• Meditate on the Scriptures (Psalm 119:11, Joshua 1:8, etc.)

Of course, those things aren't easy, but at least they're concrete.

Sound like a good idea? I'll give it a try.

This isn't for sissies

Today's New Testament reading is not for the faint of heart. Here's an excerpt:

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

James 5:7-8

So I used to think that a lot of these passages were so many commands and exhortations stuck together in some random sort of order. Which this one is most certainly not. One clue is in its first three words: "Be patient, then, ...." If that's the "then," what's the "since"? Well, that's the tough part.

Verses 1-6 talk about how the rich are headed for trouble -- big trouble. He's talking to those who have become rich through oppression and injustice, and telling them that misery and retribution are coming their way: "weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you."

And that's why we should be patient; judgment is coming to the oppressors. A couple of things come to mind:

• The rich have been oppressing the church, according to James chapter 2.
• Some rejoice at the thought of judgment:

  ...let them sing before the Lord
  for he comes to judge the earth.
  He will judge the world in righteousness
  and the peoples with equity.
  

  Psalm 98:9

So we can sing and rejoice because the Lord is coming to judge the earth, but that doesn't mean it's OK to gloat; as James says in the next verse, "Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!" (James 5:9)

This is of a piece with what Paul says in Galatians 6: "Brothers, if one of you is caught in any sin, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, 'cause it could have been you."

It could have been you. Or me. Patience, then. And humility.

written 11/18

Faith that works? Faith vs works?

It was Luther I think who said we are saved “by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.” That was a reaction to some practices and doctrines of the Catholic (in both senses) church of his day, and a key tenet that distinguishes our faith from other religions.

But Luther's statement seems at odds with this passage from today's New Testament reading:

¹⁸But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. ¹⁹You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.

James 2:18-19

Two points stand out to me here. In my typical fashion, let me start at the back of this passage, in verse 19.

James may be caricaturing the kind of faith that doesn't commit to anything but only affirms propositional truth. The Jews often recite the "Shema" from Deuteronomy 6, which begins like this:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

I'm going to guess James was saying, "It's not enough to recite the ‘Shema’ you have to do the acts faith requires."

The second point is something I got from Donald Miller's Searching for God Knows What, which says that becoming a Christian, that is deciding to follow Jesus, is more like getting married than joining an organization. Following that analogy, what would it be like if I told the lovely Carol I love her, but ignored her except when I wanted something? I might say I want a relationship with her, but if I don't listen when she talks to me, if I don't tell her what's on my mind, etc. what kind of relationship would that be? In what sense could it be said that I love her? I could even agree with certain truths about her -- that she's educated, spiritual, compassionate for example (which she is, and she is also cute and fine) -- but if that agreement, that belief, that assent (to those truths) isn't accompanied by deeds reflecting my love for her, then there's not much of a relationship there.

Our marriage is held together by love and commitment, not by some checklist of deeds. But what kind of love produces no visible signs? What kind of commitment?

So I agree with Luther that we're saved by grace alone through faith alone, and I also agree with James that without deeds, there can't be much faith. Of course it's not as simple as all that (you can be sure that Luther was smarter than I am) but this works for me.

two ears, one mouth

I heard somewhere that God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we could listen more than we speak. That's not exactly in the Bible, but this is:

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

James 1:19-20

Have you ever noticed someone not really listening to you, but rather waiting for their turn to speak? Or have you ever been "listening" to someone, but actually formulating what you were going to say next, or wishing they would finish so you could get your turn?

For me it's yes on both counts. I can't do much about the first one, but I can about the second. It's not easy, though!

There's that prayer attributed to Francis of Assisi, which includes this:

O, Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek ... to be understood as to understand...

Of course he prayed that because he needed help from the Lord; it's not an easy thing. If it were easy, why pray it -- and why would it resonate so much with us centuries later?

So then, to be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger, as James says -- this is a good thing, but we need help -- which calls for prayer. Besides praying, we can also try to be aware. (We can pray for help in that, too: "Lord, help me to be aware of it when I'm not really listening." He is delighted to help with that!) And suppose I do become aware of when I'm not really listening... what then? I've got to surrender my desire to be understood. I've got to crucify the demand that others listen to me. I've got to become less selfish, in other words.

Yow -- yet more prayer needed for that one! Fortunately, what's impossible for a man is no problem for our Lord.

A Vision of the Lord

I don't know how many times I've read this famous passage before, or heard others teach about it, but the lovely Carol said something about this passage I hadn't heard before:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted...."

from Isaiah 6:1

Isaiah sees six-winged seraphs; he cries, "Woe is me" (6.5); he is cleansed by a live coal (6.7); and receives a commission (6.9) from the Lord to preach incomprehension to the people of Israel. The chapter has inspired many sermons and much puzzlement, but I want to focus on that first verse.

Here's what Carol said: "What was it like for Isaiah when his boss, King Uzziah, died? What was he feeling?"

Uzziah was the first king Isaiah worked for, according to Isaiah 1:1. Why was it at that time that the Lord gave him this vision? (By the way, whether it was 11 months separated from Uzziah's death or just a few days, and whatever else happened that year, the vision struck Isaiah in such a way that he referred to its timing with "In the year that King Uzziah died.")

And was the king more than just a boss to Isaiah? There was surely a transition in Isaiah's life. I am going to guess that this was a time when Isaiah really "needed" a vision from the Lord, to the extent that any of us does -- and that's why the Lord sent it to him at this time.

I'm not ignoring the other stuff in the vision -- Isaiah's consciousness of his own sin (you can be sure he obeyed the ceremonial laws but he must have known that these did not perfect him), his commission, and so on -- but as far as "why now"? -- well, those are my thoughts on that.

Now that I think of it, I had a (former) boss die about a dozen years ago. I had worked for her about five years, and though by then I was living and working in Japan, I felt abandoned. (I'm not sure she ever forgave me for going to Japan in the first place.) I guess I needed a vision from the Lord then, too, though I wasn't exactly in a transition in my own life -- Jean's death didn't disrupt my day-to-day life the way Uzziah's disrupted Isaiah's. And maybe I got one.

I still remember a day, I think around that time, when I was walking to take the bus to work, and I was overwhelmed with the sense of being where I belonged -- for that time anyway. And though I didn't see or hear anything, I guess the Lord knew that sense -- the assurance of being in the right place -- was what I needed at the time.

May the Lord give you and me what we need today -- the intersection of "Give us this day our daily bread" with "Man does not live on bread alone."

Don't waste your time

Ray wasn't sure if he wanted to meet with these church people. He was a mentor to the pastor of our church in Japan and had come a long ways to see him, so when these others wanted to talk, Ray asked a few questions. Were they doing things while seeking improvements in the church, or did they just want to complain? Once he figured out that they were just complaining, he told them he was reserving his time for people actually doing things to advance the kingdom of God.

That all happened maybe ten years ago, but it came to mind when we heard a sermon a couple of weeks ago on Nehemiah -- particularly this passage:

When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it -- though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates -- Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono."

But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

Nehemiah 6.1-4

The point our pastor made from this passage was this: Don't waste time trying to placate people who will not be placated.

Recently I've talked with people who are unhappy about certain things at our church. Was I wasting my time? I don't think so, because:

• they're doing things to advance the kingdom of God -- they are not whiners; and
• they're seeking solutions, not looking for things to complain about.

So it occurs to me that there are two kinds of mistakes we can make in these situations. The first class of mistakes, which both Nehemiah and "Ray" avoided, is to treat whiners as though they're really seeking solutions. I think people with the "priest" personality might tend to err in this direction.

If I haven't mentioned this before, a priest talks about men to God; a prophet talks about God to men.

The second class of mistake would of course be to treat kingdom laborers having suggestions as though they were merely whiners. I suspect those with the more prophetic kind of personality would tend to err in this direction.

So my prayer for today is: Lord, help me to be like Nehemiah by working for you, by avoiding whiners and enemies, and by working together with laborers seeking solutions. And give me wisdom and humility to see the difference (between whiners and laborers).

posted 2006-08-15. Revised 2007-08-25 with some helpful hints from the lovely Carol

Did God call the world to come to church?

A couple of weeks ago, a former pastor came back and gave the sermon. He made the point there that "God did not call the world to come to church; he called the church to go out into the world."

So today a bunch of us -- maybe a couple dozen -- went out to clear weeds and junk from a vacant lot in a less-wealthy part of town, in cooperation with a church in that neighborhood. Gas-powered string trimmers and human-powered pruning shears were in evidence, as well as spades, and rakes to make "small" piles of the stuff. Monday some sort of machinery will be out there to remove said piles and make the lot less of a fire hazard and also less of an eyesore.

That was great, but what is our church's primary plan to get the good news into the world? We have a celebrity preacher who explains the good news very convincingly. There's a reason he's a celebrity preacher: he's a brilliant speaker. It doesn't hurt that he's a brilliant guy either. We plan to "scale" this thing by having the sermon piped to two other locations with live worship leaders, etc.

So what am I worried about? A few things. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul says he doesn't speak elegantly or eloquently or persuasively; he wants their faith to be based upon the power of God rather than on the wisdom of men. If people come to a worship-and-teaching service and meet God there, then faith will be based upon the eloquence/whatever of the preacher. How is the power of God demonstrated? I'm about to exaggerate to make a point, but I think it's in, as Scott (our former pastor) said, it's by Christians serving our friends and neighbors and families in the name of Jesus -- much more so than by brilliant (truly brilliant) presentations in a worship service.

A corollary of that "worry" is that the strategy depends upon one or a few key individuals.

The other thing, and I've got to stop right about now, is that the model of having people come to a gathering of hundreds on a Sunday morning -- that seems to be a 20th-century model for how people appropriate truth. Can it work now, on the San Francisco peninsula?

I guess we'll see.