9:1 But as touching the Eucharistic thanksgiving give thanks thus.
9:2 First, as regards the cup:
9:3 We give You thanks, O our Father, for the holy vine of Your son David, whom You made known to us through Your Son Jesus;
9:4 Yours is the glory for ever and ever.
9:5 Then as regards the broken bread:
9:6 We give You thanks, O our Father, for the life and knowledge which You did make known to us through Your Son Jesus;
9:7 Yours is the glory for ever and ever.
9:8 As this broken bread was scattered upon the mountains and being gathered together became one, so may Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom;
9:9 for Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
9:10 But let no one eat or drink of this Eucharistic thanksgiving, but they that have been baptized into the name of the Lord;
9:11 for concerning this also the Lord said:
9:12 {Give not that which is holy to the dogs.}
10:1 And after ye are satisfied thus give ye thanks:
10:2 We give You thanks, Holy Father, for Your holy name, which You have made to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You have made known to us through Your Son Jesus;
10:3 Yours is the glory for ever and ever.
10:4 You, Almighty Master, did create all things for Your name's sake, and did give food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might render thanks to You;
10:5 but did bestow upon us spiritual food and drink and eternal life through Your Son.
10:6 Before all things we give You thanks that You are powerful;
10:7 Yours is the glory for ever and ever.
10:8 Remember, Lord, Your Church, to deliver it from all evil and to perfect it in Your love;
10:9 and {gather it together from the four winds}--even the Church which has been sanctified--into Your kingdom which You have prepared for it;
10:10 for Yours is the power and the glory for ever and ever.
10:11 May grace come and may this world pass away.
10:12 Hosanna to the God of David.
10:13 If any man is holy, let him come;
10:14 if any man is not, let him repent. Amen.
10:15 But permit the prophets to offer thanksgiving as much as they desire
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
The Evasive Nature of Peace
It is within our legitimate desire for peace that we would dare to call upon the Israeli government to show restraint in its latest battle in Gaza. We can see for ourselves through the various media that there are innocent Palestinians caught in the crossfire who have nothing to do with Hamas, and we can be certain that children are getting hurt and killed. With equal certainty, we can see for ourselves that innocent Israelis are being hurt and killed as well. However, there is a significant difference that the world seems to be overlooking: Israeli civilians are not caught in the crossfire – they are the deliberate and intended targets of murderers seeking headlines. This can be the only logical explanation since Israel has made it clear by word and deed that they do not negotiate with terrorists, and their national will has not diminished over time. Western citizens would do well to bear this reality in mind before they offer criticism.
These misguided persons intent on terror as their means of waging war have become convinced that the will of Israel and of the world will somehow be weakened if just one more atrocity were to manifest itself in the slaughter of innocent civilians who are guilty of doing nothing more than living their lives and going about the daily business of living. This is not to be, however, and peace continues to elude us because of those who live by this credo.
We can call upon the Israelis to show some restraint for the sake of those innocent Palestinians who, like Israeli civilians, just want to live their lives in relative peace and safety, and I think in many instances the Israelis do just this. To criticize them, however, for taking stern measures to protect its citizens from indiscriminate attacks coming from Gaza is not reasonable, is not rational, and shows a great deal of naiveté, if not historical and political ignorance about the reality of terrorism.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank from Jordan, and the Gaza Strip from Egypt during the ’67 Mid East War not for the “spoils” or for the “booty” but for the sake of national security and for the protection of its citizens. Indiscriminate attacks had been launched against Israel from each of these nations in the past, and the land served well as a buffer against future attacks. Thankfully, these nations came to the peace table, if grudgingly, and Israel responded in good faith by offering back this captured land. Peace seemed possible.
Not much later, attacks began to mount from within Lebanon. It would seem that Syria was perhaps one of the “grudging” nations to have come forward since it has been shown that Hamas and Hezbollah had been well financed by Syria to mount attacks from Lebanon which, in turn, forced Israel yet again to move into Lebanon to put an end to these attacks against Israeli civilians who were, again, not caught in any crossfire but were being deliberately attacked. And yet again, for the sake of national security and because of the cowardly tactics of terrorists who hide among the civilian populations, Israel was again accused of atrocities against Lebanese civilians and refugees who had been caught in the crossfire of the new battle front.
Here we are today in the Gaza Strip. Israel had given over control of the territory to the Palestinians as an act of good faith, and they are rewarded with terror attacks not only against their army but, again, against their civilians. And because of the shooting and because Israel will always fire back when threatened or fired upon, innocent Palestinians are again caught in the crossfire because of the cowardly tactics of terror.
Peace is not possible for those who do not desire peace. Israel has given more than any other nation would consider being reasonable for the sake of living in peace. Yet time and again it is proved to the world that those who could benefit from laying down their arms refuse to do so, and critics of Israel do not seem to notice. I cannot help but to wonder if Israel really has this many enemies.
These misguided persons intent on terror as their means of waging war have become convinced that the will of Israel and of the world will somehow be weakened if just one more atrocity were to manifest itself in the slaughter of innocent civilians who are guilty of doing nothing more than living their lives and going about the daily business of living. This is not to be, however, and peace continues to elude us because of those who live by this credo.
We can call upon the Israelis to show some restraint for the sake of those innocent Palestinians who, like Israeli civilians, just want to live their lives in relative peace and safety, and I think in many instances the Israelis do just this. To criticize them, however, for taking stern measures to protect its citizens from indiscriminate attacks coming from Gaza is not reasonable, is not rational, and shows a great deal of naiveté, if not historical and political ignorance about the reality of terrorism.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank from Jordan, and the Gaza Strip from Egypt during the ’67 Mid East War not for the “spoils” or for the “booty” but for the sake of national security and for the protection of its citizens. Indiscriminate attacks had been launched against Israel from each of these nations in the past, and the land served well as a buffer against future attacks. Thankfully, these nations came to the peace table, if grudgingly, and Israel responded in good faith by offering back this captured land. Peace seemed possible.
Not much later, attacks began to mount from within Lebanon. It would seem that Syria was perhaps one of the “grudging” nations to have come forward since it has been shown that Hamas and Hezbollah had been well financed by Syria to mount attacks from Lebanon which, in turn, forced Israel yet again to move into Lebanon to put an end to these attacks against Israeli civilians who were, again, not caught in any crossfire but were being deliberately attacked. And yet again, for the sake of national security and because of the cowardly tactics of terrorists who hide among the civilian populations, Israel was again accused of atrocities against Lebanese civilians and refugees who had been caught in the crossfire of the new battle front.
Here we are today in the Gaza Strip. Israel had given over control of the territory to the Palestinians as an act of good faith, and they are rewarded with terror attacks not only against their army but, again, against their civilians. And because of the shooting and because Israel will always fire back when threatened or fired upon, innocent Palestinians are again caught in the crossfire because of the cowardly tactics of terror.
Peace is not possible for those who do not desire peace. Israel has given more than any other nation would consider being reasonable for the sake of living in peace. Yet time and again it is proved to the world that those who could benefit from laying down their arms refuse to do so, and critics of Israel do not seem to notice. I cannot help but to wonder if Israel really has this many enemies.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Losing Our Focus
The Arkansas Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down a state policy prohibiting gay persons from serving as foster parents has the governor “disappointed” in the ruling and perhaps disturbed about the direction that the state’s foster care program may take. The governor is quoted as saying, “There are a lot of issues that will need to be sorted through with the lawyers…” in Saturday’s (July 1, 2006) Arkansas Democrat-Gazette when asked whether a legislative special session might become necessary to address the ruling, presumably to figure out how to prevent gay persons from becoming foster parents.
“You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry and My wrath will become hot …” Exodus 22:23 NKJV
Surely this entire conflict is not as much about gay rights as it is about the rights of our children (and they are “ours” if we are God’s) to feel safe, secure, and cared for. Surely this conflict is not about whether a particular group of big people are getting their feelings hurt and are feeling left out or slighted in some way as it is about another particular group of little people who are getting their feelings hurt and are feeling left out, unwanted and uncared for.
It seems to me that the governor’s, and ultimately our own, focus is a bit skewed as to what we need to be talking about, and I am pretty sure that it’s not about whether gay persons have a right to serve as foster parents. Surely this whole discussion has not denigrated to a point in which we have forgotten that there are hundreds of children in dire need of a stable environment and parents, foster or otherwise, who will commit to their care and education. These are children, not pawns to be used as a means to a political end. And if it is truly a moral issue, we must then be prepared to ask ourselves what is immoral. Trying to use politics, and children’s lives, as a political barometer is about as immoral as it can get and does not address the legitimate problem of finding children good homes.
We pro-lifers are big about defending the rights of the unborn and being concerned about the well-being of the child while in the womb but seem to lose our focus when we forget that once the child is born into this world, we are charged by the God we claim to believe in to love and to care for these children, the “fatherless” whose cry will be heard by Him if they are “afflicted”. Being unloved or neglected in favor of political consideration is about as afflicted as one can get in this life and because we are concerned about a potentially negative, if immoral, influence, we will choose for the battle of “rights” above the battle for what IS right.
I do not necessarily advocate for the rights of homosexual persons to serve as foster parents or to adopt as much as I advocate for we who oppose such an idea to offer an alternative such as opening our lives and our homes to these children. If we oppose these children staying “there” but refuse to offer them a “here”, then what are we achieving except perhaps a hollow political victory which would serve no useful purpose and which will still not address the legitimate issue that requires our attention?
Make no mistake. This is not a gay rights issue and cannot be discussed with such an emphasis. This must be strictly addressed for what we hope to achieve: the best possible solution for the children of this state who have no home to call their own. There is nothing else. Sorry, gay rights people; this is not about you. And sorry, Governor Huckabee, but lawyers cannot answer the questions that require our attention because this is neither a legal issue. It is exclusively a moral issue about what is right, and it is all about the children. Let us choose to be focused on them.
“You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry and My wrath will become hot …” Exodus 22:23 NKJV
Surely this entire conflict is not as much about gay rights as it is about the rights of our children (and they are “ours” if we are God’s) to feel safe, secure, and cared for. Surely this conflict is not about whether a particular group of big people are getting their feelings hurt and are feeling left out or slighted in some way as it is about another particular group of little people who are getting their feelings hurt and are feeling left out, unwanted and uncared for.
It seems to me that the governor’s, and ultimately our own, focus is a bit skewed as to what we need to be talking about, and I am pretty sure that it’s not about whether gay persons have a right to serve as foster parents. Surely this whole discussion has not denigrated to a point in which we have forgotten that there are hundreds of children in dire need of a stable environment and parents, foster or otherwise, who will commit to their care and education. These are children, not pawns to be used as a means to a political end. And if it is truly a moral issue, we must then be prepared to ask ourselves what is immoral. Trying to use politics, and children’s lives, as a political barometer is about as immoral as it can get and does not address the legitimate problem of finding children good homes.
We pro-lifers are big about defending the rights of the unborn and being concerned about the well-being of the child while in the womb but seem to lose our focus when we forget that once the child is born into this world, we are charged by the God we claim to believe in to love and to care for these children, the “fatherless” whose cry will be heard by Him if they are “afflicted”. Being unloved or neglected in favor of political consideration is about as afflicted as one can get in this life and because we are concerned about a potentially negative, if immoral, influence, we will choose for the battle of “rights” above the battle for what IS right.
I do not necessarily advocate for the rights of homosexual persons to serve as foster parents or to adopt as much as I advocate for we who oppose such an idea to offer an alternative such as opening our lives and our homes to these children. If we oppose these children staying “there” but refuse to offer them a “here”, then what are we achieving except perhaps a hollow political victory which would serve no useful purpose and which will still not address the legitimate issue that requires our attention?
Make no mistake. This is not a gay rights issue and cannot be discussed with such an emphasis. This must be strictly addressed for what we hope to achieve: the best possible solution for the children of this state who have no home to call their own. There is nothing else. Sorry, gay rights people; this is not about you. And sorry, Governor Huckabee, but lawyers cannot answer the questions that require our attention because this is neither a legal issue. It is exclusively a moral issue about what is right, and it is all about the children. Let us choose to be focused on them.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Constitutional Oxymoron
Depending on who is doing the talking, it turns out that voting on a proposed amendment to the US Constitution may be unconstitutional. It has honestly been said by some in the US Senate that the proposed Flag Protection Act is an affront to, if not a downright violation of, the first amendment's free speech clause. Those who had opposed this proposed amendment actually suggested that such a proposal cannot become law because it is unconstitutional to begin with. They missed the entire point of the effort.
Aside from the political nonsense that this measure brought out, it is an affront to the voting public that an elected official would actually make such a statement. The whole purpose of the amendment process is to determine the will of the people in a particular matter. This is why a proposal must not only get past the US Senate but must also have the support of thirty-eight states in order to become an amendment to the Constitution.
Like many, I am sensitive to the US flag because there is nothing that make me more aware of the blessing bestowed upon me by my having been born in this nation than to see the flag waving majestically in a gentle breeze. It makes me proud of my own service, and it makes me mindful of so many who have given their lives in defense of everything that mighty flag stands for. To desecrate the flag in any manner is, to me, to spit upon the faces of all who endured the horror of combat and are living with the memories. Though these men and women are not gods in any sense of the word and are not necessarily all heroes in the strictest definition, the very least they deserve from us is respect, admiration, and profound gratitude.
These are also some of the very reasons why I agree with the statement made by Michael Douglas in the movie, "The American President" about how the symbol of this nation has to be about more than just a flag. However, it must also be remembered that once a torch is set to the flag, those who might be at least inclined to listen to what protesters have to say will stop listening, and the cause - whatever it may be - will have lost some support that it otherwise might have been able to count on.
Destruction of property is not a legitimate means of protest under any circumstances, and seeking to cut to the very heart of the symbol so many hold so dear is not the way to win friends and influence people. But I think we've lost so much civility toward one another so much so that we do not care whom we hurt along the way so long as we get our way. It is not unlike Ann Coulter's latest book that is all the rage among extreme right-wingers. She is not trying to make a legitimate argument against liberalism; she's only trying to anger folks, preach to a choir that already agrees with her, and make a lot of money. So as success is measured, she's done this.
So it is with those who would choose to burn a flag in protest. The only ones who may not take offense are those who already agree with the protesters, and nothing will have been accomplished except perhaps to steel the resolve of those who might have otherwise been influenced.
Even if the proposed amendment had become law, it would have accomplished very little. Remember that it was once illegal to burn a US flag until a court decided that doing so was protected by the first amendment, so the first "law-breakers" were not afraid of going to jail then. Why would they be now?
Aside from the political nonsense that this measure brought out, it is an affront to the voting public that an elected official would actually make such a statement. The whole purpose of the amendment process is to determine the will of the people in a particular matter. This is why a proposal must not only get past the US Senate but must also have the support of thirty-eight states in order to become an amendment to the Constitution.
Like many, I am sensitive to the US flag because there is nothing that make me more aware of the blessing bestowed upon me by my having been born in this nation than to see the flag waving majestically in a gentle breeze. It makes me proud of my own service, and it makes me mindful of so many who have given their lives in defense of everything that mighty flag stands for. To desecrate the flag in any manner is, to me, to spit upon the faces of all who endured the horror of combat and are living with the memories. Though these men and women are not gods in any sense of the word and are not necessarily all heroes in the strictest definition, the very least they deserve from us is respect, admiration, and profound gratitude.
These are also some of the very reasons why I agree with the statement made by Michael Douglas in the movie, "The American President" about how the symbol of this nation has to be about more than just a flag. However, it must also be remembered that once a torch is set to the flag, those who might be at least inclined to listen to what protesters have to say will stop listening, and the cause - whatever it may be - will have lost some support that it otherwise might have been able to count on.
Destruction of property is not a legitimate means of protest under any circumstances, and seeking to cut to the very heart of the symbol so many hold so dear is not the way to win friends and influence people. But I think we've lost so much civility toward one another so much so that we do not care whom we hurt along the way so long as we get our way. It is not unlike Ann Coulter's latest book that is all the rage among extreme right-wingers. She is not trying to make a legitimate argument against liberalism; she's only trying to anger folks, preach to a choir that already agrees with her, and make a lot of money. So as success is measured, she's done this.
So it is with those who would choose to burn a flag in protest. The only ones who may not take offense are those who already agree with the protesters, and nothing will have been accomplished except perhaps to steel the resolve of those who might have otherwise been influenced.
Even if the proposed amendment had become law, it would have accomplished very little. Remember that it was once illegal to burn a US flag until a court decided that doing so was protected by the first amendment, so the first "law-breakers" were not afraid of going to jail then. Why would they be now?
Sunday, June 25, 2006
New Life
I finally made a discovery today. I suppose it could be considered an epiphany of sorts even though none of what occurred to me is necessarily new. Yet the implications of how neatly everything came together this Sabbath are so profound that I could barely contain my emotions.
I have been reappointed to another part-time charge, and the transition has been a challenging one for me and for my family. While I was on hiatus we began attending a United Methodist Church near our home, a much larger church than what we had become accustomed to due to my appointments to smaller rural churches. This church is big, it's relatively new, the pastor is a great guy, and the church has ministries for young and old alike. My children and my wife had gotten pretty deeply involved in Sunday school and were looking forward to really delving into the life of this new church.
When I was reappointed, my family became concerned that just as they were getting settled into this new church that I would expect them to stop what they were doing to follow me. As it turns out, my new church has a very early service and is not so far that I cannot join my family in worship later in the morning after enjoying worship with my new congregation. I even had time to stop at a nursing home to visit with a parishioner on my way to my "other" church! All this without even trying to rush.
In "big" church this morning we celebrated the baptism of a baby boy. Now I've seen many baptisms for infants and converts alike, and it is always a good time of celebration. Today, however, coupled with the other pastor's sermon about hope and witnessing the child being baptized with a word from the pastor about why we celebrate baptism at infancy - and after a visit to a nursing home where there seemed to be nothing but old faces with no more hope and no more life - the true meaning of what it is to be baptized (not what WE do but what the Lord does) came crashing in all around me.
I was never so consciously aware of my sins as I was today. Now you might wonder how such awareness can be a good thing with all the misery and despair that comes with such knowledge and conviction - and I assure you that I was a "convict" - but with the pastor's sermon about hope, my own sermon about what it means to live in humility and watching this precious child be baptized into the faith, I was never more sure of the Lord's grace even as I was aware of my own transgressions.
This life can easily overwhelm us. When we look around and see such a broken world, it is not hard to be so overcome with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness especially when in a nursing home with so many who are doing nothing more than waiting to die, so many who are not even aware of their surroundings. Yet in the midst of this chaos and brokenness and loneliness and pain, the Lord makes Himself known in the most subtle of ways, through the life of a newborn child, "for God created us for incorruption, and made us in the image of His own eternity". Wisdom of Solomon 2:23
Take heart, people of faith! The Lord is indeed with us!
I have been reappointed to another part-time charge, and the transition has been a challenging one for me and for my family. While I was on hiatus we began attending a United Methodist Church near our home, a much larger church than what we had become accustomed to due to my appointments to smaller rural churches. This church is big, it's relatively new, the pastor is a great guy, and the church has ministries for young and old alike. My children and my wife had gotten pretty deeply involved in Sunday school and were looking forward to really delving into the life of this new church.
When I was reappointed, my family became concerned that just as they were getting settled into this new church that I would expect them to stop what they were doing to follow me. As it turns out, my new church has a very early service and is not so far that I cannot join my family in worship later in the morning after enjoying worship with my new congregation. I even had time to stop at a nursing home to visit with a parishioner on my way to my "other" church! All this without even trying to rush.
In "big" church this morning we celebrated the baptism of a baby boy. Now I've seen many baptisms for infants and converts alike, and it is always a good time of celebration. Today, however, coupled with the other pastor's sermon about hope and witnessing the child being baptized with a word from the pastor about why we celebrate baptism at infancy - and after a visit to a nursing home where there seemed to be nothing but old faces with no more hope and no more life - the true meaning of what it is to be baptized (not what WE do but what the Lord does) came crashing in all around me.
I was never so consciously aware of my sins as I was today. Now you might wonder how such awareness can be a good thing with all the misery and despair that comes with such knowledge and conviction - and I assure you that I was a "convict" - but with the pastor's sermon about hope, my own sermon about what it means to live in humility and watching this precious child be baptized into the faith, I was never more sure of the Lord's grace even as I was aware of my own transgressions.
This life can easily overwhelm us. When we look around and see such a broken world, it is not hard to be so overcome with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness especially when in a nursing home with so many who are doing nothing more than waiting to die, so many who are not even aware of their surroundings. Yet in the midst of this chaos and brokenness and loneliness and pain, the Lord makes Himself known in the most subtle of ways, through the life of a newborn child, "for God created us for incorruption, and made us in the image of His own eternity". Wisdom of Solomon 2:23
Take heart, people of faith! The Lord is indeed with us!
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Meek and Humble
What does it mean to be humble, to act in a manner of humility? And why is such a trait admirable in a Christian beyond what is written in Philippians 2:8: “Being found in appearance as a man, Jesus humbled Himself and became OBEDIENT to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
Probably the hardest part about being humble or trying to be humble is that we associate humility with weakness without fully realizing or appreciating how much strength is required to bite our tongues when we would really rather say what’s on our minds!
What Paul is offering to the Philippians is an astounding portrait of Jesus in which He could have claimed His rightful place upon a throne where He really belonged but chose instead the ultimate portrait of humility. Why? It surely must have been to serve as an example for us. Why else would the God of all creation make such a choice? And this is a little hard for us to embrace because too many of us are so far removed from such a life that we cannot imagine backing down from a confrontation when so much may seem to be at stake.
Yet consider this. When we find ourselves in difficult situations in which we believe it to be in our best interests to “stand our ground”, what are we really trying to protect?
It’s not like we live in the “wild west” in which we are homesteading and trying to protect our property. Today there are legal means by which we can protect what is rightfully ours and yet Jesus challenges us beyond our property and what we THINK we own.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’, but I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Matthew 5:38-42
So when we get our backs up and we go into “protect-mode”, what are we really trying to protect? What do we really think is at stake? Considering my own life and work and my sometimes foul temper and knee-jerk reactions, the only thing I can seriously consider to be at stake when I’m challenged on any level is my own sense of pride. What else can it be? I have these little niches carved out in my life and in my family and in my work so much so that anything that seems to threaten that sense of order is a threat to …. what?
Yes, suggesting to many of us that we need to learn to live more humbly and stop trying to perfect a ‘tough’ image is a pretty tall order because ‘tough’ means ‘strength’. The problem with this kind of mindset, however, can be seen in how we tend to rely upon ourselves for our strength. We need a man-made image to make us feel good about ourselves and our lives. In other words, we decide that if we are going to survive in this world we will have to depend on “number one” in order to take care of “number one”. What does this say about our level of faith?
Even though I think that our refusal to work harder to be more humble in the truest Christ-like sense has more to do with protecting our PRIDE, I also think that being unwilling to be more humble in our lives speaks more about our FAITH. If we are truly convinced in our hearts that there is a better life to come after this one for persons of faith, why do we feel compelled to control our environments and protect our “stuff” or our pride?
We live in a sue-happy society in which the wrong word or a simple accident could land us in court with someone who is seeking monetary “damages” beyond what is reasonable. Our gut and cultural reaction would be to find an attorney to protect our interests. Yet Jesus says that if someone sues us for our coat, we hand it over without question AND with our cloak as well. There is no need to defend something that we think we need in this life and should be reasonably sure that we will not need it in the life to come, but we would defend to the death our right to protect ourselves!
“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The HUMBLE He guides in justice; and the HUMBLE He teaches His way.”
Psalm 25:9
The psalmist uses the word “humble” to make a point in his prayer when he pleads his case with the Lord. It is traditionally been taught and believed that many of the psalms were King David’s own prayers. Yet how many of us would consider King David to have been a humble man? Or is it that King David perhaps knew that he needed to be more humble, realizing that the Lord is most inclined to answer the prayer of the humble and more willing to teach those who live in humility?
But could it be said that the Lord is “more” willing to teach those who are humble, or would it be more accurate to say that the humble are more WILLING to be taught and are perhaps more susceptible to the Lord’s influence? Think about it. If we are too self-reliant in which we lean more toward our own education, our own experiences, our own environment, our own sense of justice, how open could we be to the influences of the Lord? How willing could we be to “be still” and let God be God?
“Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him – for the redemption of their souls is costly…”
Psalm 49:6-8
I do not want to give the impression that being humble is a simple matter of choosing between heaven and hell or between condemnation and redemption. I think it goes much deeper than even that. There is a life we are called to lead not just so we can be received favorably on the Day of Judgment. Would that not be more about depending on our own good works as the means of our salvation?
If we really believe in salvation by faith alone – that is, in trusting completely in the mercy of the Lord God – then our sense of humility and being humble before God AND man cannot be the kind of “false humility” that Paul warns the Colossians about when they are depending on “works” by their own hands.
Instead, our sense of humility must first be fed by our sense of needfulness. Our sense of needfulness must then be fed by our sense of faith and NOT IN OURSELVES and our self-reliance to overcome adversity by taking matters into our own hands and depending mostly upon our own resources.
Does this mean that we have to become patsies by our standards? Is there no way we can retain some measure of pride? We have families. Does all this mean that we risk the well-being of our families by simply rolling over and handing to every Tom, Dick, and Harry with his hand out our means by which we feed, cloth, and educate our families?
I’m not sure that Jesus is trying to force us to make choices in whether to allow ourselves to be overrun by anyone who would take advantage of our good, HUMBLE nature. But people of faith have yet another out.
Consider the story of Abraham and Isaac. In complete submissiveness and humility, Abraham – without question – was prepared to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac because he felt that the Lord called him to do this unthinkable thing. Of course we know how the story turns out. The Lord not only relented from His demand but He also provided the ram that had been caught in the thicket by its horns for the sacrifice.
Did Abraham know that the Lord would provide this sacrifice and protect him from having to do such a thing with Isaac? Of course there is no way to know. What we do know is that Abraham entered into this deal with no hesitation. And we must also remember that Abraham’s faith – and not works; remember there was no law yet – was “accounted to righteousness” for doing nothing more than simply BELIEVING - that is, trusting - the Lord, as it is written.
So it seems to me that if we are going to make a more intentional effort toward humility, then we must first examine our faith. Humility we can do with a little effort and a lot of will. Faith, however, will help us go a lot further to enable us to completely submit ourselves to the Lord and not to ourselves or to this world. FAITH will help to remind us not only that there is something for us much better beyond this life, but FAITH will also get us thru the day-to-day matters in which we may find ourselves handing over our coat AND our cloak – BELIEVING that it is the right thing to do and that even in this life, everything will be OK. After all, the Lord is not asking us to sacrifice our children or be nailed to a cross.
Probably the hardest part about being humble or trying to be humble is that we associate humility with weakness without fully realizing or appreciating how much strength is required to bite our tongues when we would really rather say what’s on our minds!
What Paul is offering to the Philippians is an astounding portrait of Jesus in which He could have claimed His rightful place upon a throne where He really belonged but chose instead the ultimate portrait of humility. Why? It surely must have been to serve as an example for us. Why else would the God of all creation make such a choice? And this is a little hard for us to embrace because too many of us are so far removed from such a life that we cannot imagine backing down from a confrontation when so much may seem to be at stake.
Yet consider this. When we find ourselves in difficult situations in which we believe it to be in our best interests to “stand our ground”, what are we really trying to protect?
It’s not like we live in the “wild west” in which we are homesteading and trying to protect our property. Today there are legal means by which we can protect what is rightfully ours and yet Jesus challenges us beyond our property and what we THINK we own.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’, but I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Matthew 5:38-42
So when we get our backs up and we go into “protect-mode”, what are we really trying to protect? What do we really think is at stake? Considering my own life and work and my sometimes foul temper and knee-jerk reactions, the only thing I can seriously consider to be at stake when I’m challenged on any level is my own sense of pride. What else can it be? I have these little niches carved out in my life and in my family and in my work so much so that anything that seems to threaten that sense of order is a threat to …. what?
Yes, suggesting to many of us that we need to learn to live more humbly and stop trying to perfect a ‘tough’ image is a pretty tall order because ‘tough’ means ‘strength’. The problem with this kind of mindset, however, can be seen in how we tend to rely upon ourselves for our strength. We need a man-made image to make us feel good about ourselves and our lives. In other words, we decide that if we are going to survive in this world we will have to depend on “number one” in order to take care of “number one”. What does this say about our level of faith?
Even though I think that our refusal to work harder to be more humble in the truest Christ-like sense has more to do with protecting our PRIDE, I also think that being unwilling to be more humble in our lives speaks more about our FAITH. If we are truly convinced in our hearts that there is a better life to come after this one for persons of faith, why do we feel compelled to control our environments and protect our “stuff” or our pride?
We live in a sue-happy society in which the wrong word or a simple accident could land us in court with someone who is seeking monetary “damages” beyond what is reasonable. Our gut and cultural reaction would be to find an attorney to protect our interests. Yet Jesus says that if someone sues us for our coat, we hand it over without question AND with our cloak as well. There is no need to defend something that we think we need in this life and should be reasonably sure that we will not need it in the life to come, but we would defend to the death our right to protect ourselves!
“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The HUMBLE He guides in justice; and the HUMBLE He teaches His way.”
Psalm 25:9
The psalmist uses the word “humble” to make a point in his prayer when he pleads his case with the Lord. It is traditionally been taught and believed that many of the psalms were King David’s own prayers. Yet how many of us would consider King David to have been a humble man? Or is it that King David perhaps knew that he needed to be more humble, realizing that the Lord is most inclined to answer the prayer of the humble and more willing to teach those who live in humility?
But could it be said that the Lord is “more” willing to teach those who are humble, or would it be more accurate to say that the humble are more WILLING to be taught and are perhaps more susceptible to the Lord’s influence? Think about it. If we are too self-reliant in which we lean more toward our own education, our own experiences, our own environment, our own sense of justice, how open could we be to the influences of the Lord? How willing could we be to “be still” and let God be God?
“Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him – for the redemption of their souls is costly…”
Psalm 49:6-8
I do not want to give the impression that being humble is a simple matter of choosing between heaven and hell or between condemnation and redemption. I think it goes much deeper than even that. There is a life we are called to lead not just so we can be received favorably on the Day of Judgment. Would that not be more about depending on our own good works as the means of our salvation?
If we really believe in salvation by faith alone – that is, in trusting completely in the mercy of the Lord God – then our sense of humility and being humble before God AND man cannot be the kind of “false humility” that Paul warns the Colossians about when they are depending on “works” by their own hands.
Instead, our sense of humility must first be fed by our sense of needfulness. Our sense of needfulness must then be fed by our sense of faith and NOT IN OURSELVES and our self-reliance to overcome adversity by taking matters into our own hands and depending mostly upon our own resources.
Does this mean that we have to become patsies by our standards? Is there no way we can retain some measure of pride? We have families. Does all this mean that we risk the well-being of our families by simply rolling over and handing to every Tom, Dick, and Harry with his hand out our means by which we feed, cloth, and educate our families?
I’m not sure that Jesus is trying to force us to make choices in whether to allow ourselves to be overrun by anyone who would take advantage of our good, HUMBLE nature. But people of faith have yet another out.
Consider the story of Abraham and Isaac. In complete submissiveness and humility, Abraham – without question – was prepared to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac because he felt that the Lord called him to do this unthinkable thing. Of course we know how the story turns out. The Lord not only relented from His demand but He also provided the ram that had been caught in the thicket by its horns for the sacrifice.
Did Abraham know that the Lord would provide this sacrifice and protect him from having to do such a thing with Isaac? Of course there is no way to know. What we do know is that Abraham entered into this deal with no hesitation. And we must also remember that Abraham’s faith – and not works; remember there was no law yet – was “accounted to righteousness” for doing nothing more than simply BELIEVING - that is, trusting - the Lord, as it is written.
So it seems to me that if we are going to make a more intentional effort toward humility, then we must first examine our faith. Humility we can do with a little effort and a lot of will. Faith, however, will help us go a lot further to enable us to completely submit ourselves to the Lord and not to ourselves or to this world. FAITH will help to remind us not only that there is something for us much better beyond this life, but FAITH will also get us thru the day-to-day matters in which we may find ourselves handing over our coat AND our cloak – BELIEVING that it is the right thing to do and that even in this life, everything will be OK. After all, the Lord is not asking us to sacrifice our children or be nailed to a cross.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Is It Really About Homosexuality?
There was a time when I relished a chance to mix it up. I could think of nothing better than to enter into a discussion about religion or politics (or BOTH!) in an effort to make my own positions known and then be forced not only to defend my positions but to destroy the opposing views with rational thought (my own).
I still enjoy the give-and-take of opposing ideas because even as a conservative, I know that there is a much broader viewpoint that I have yet to consider, some angle I’ve overlooked. Even if I never come around to the opposition, I usually feel a little more enriched and that something has actually been accomplished.
I have tried to be as broad and as open as I could be on social issues, believing that I will earn respect only if I choose to show respect and, ultimately, be heard as much as I am willing to hear. I have allowed and expected that there will be those who will take exception to my “soft” approach, and I have enjoyed those who have responded with a resounding “amen”. The time to be diplomatic and gracious must always be in the present. There is also a definitive spiritual “line in the sand” that must never be crossed, and I am afraid that we have not only crossed that line but have actually built a sturdy bridge to make it easier. In the end, we have done a greater disservice to the church, her people, and to our culture in general by allowing the “different strokes” mentality to enter into that portrait we call “grace”.
Having said this, however, I do not believe that homosexuality in and of itself can or should serve as a catalyst for more profound explorations on human sexuality and how we have become such a sex-oriented culture so much so that we celebrate men and women who leave their homes and spouses specifically because they have somehow embraced the misguided notion that “the Lord led me to this happiness” in the arms and bed of another. Even though homosexuality as an issue has permeated the Church so much so that we feel compelled to “discuss” and “dialogue” as a way to find some sort of middle ground upon which we can all agree, I still believe there is a greater and more compelling issue at heart.
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless. They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord. They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, ‘You shall have peace’’, and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’” Jeremiah 23:16-17
We have within our grasp a Bible in which was established long ago a strict moral code. Some would suggest that this was an “ancient text written for an ancient people who no longer exist”. In fact, Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson made such a statement I heard for myself as reported on CBN back when he was being considered for bishop. He does not stand alone, however. There have been instructors whom I have had to endure in Course of Study who felt it necessary to straighten out us uneducated rubes. After all, “I have a degree in biblical studies”, said one professor.
Sorry, teach, but I know atheists who can quote Scripture more quickly and readily than I. I also happen to believe you to be among them.
What does it say about us as a Christian people if we can so easily dismiss what was written long ago as “ancient” and thus no longer relevant? What does it say about us if we can decide for ourselves that “this is not what it really meant” but instead wait on someone with a degree in biblical studies to tell us that we’ve been wrong for thousands of years?
We fornicate, we gamble, we cheat, we lie, we judge, we drink. In fact, we will do pretty much what we darn well please when we darn well please. Anything, that is, except to discern a true biblical concept of ourselves as a people. We don’t know what “sin” really is, and we know even less about what “love” really means. In my limited reading of the Koran, I get a sense that Mohammad was more acutely aware of what it means to be a “people of the Book” than we ever will.
In a sense, it is about homosexuality but not to the end that all sin can be traced back to this one item, and sin is not singularly defined by that very unnatural physical act. Neither can homosexuality be excused as a means by which we may finally one day call ourselves truly “united” Methodists. But how can we dismiss homosexuality and embrace divorce and even abortion as excuses for a new lease on life and finally “true happiness”? How dare we let these off the hook while seeking to condemn a lifestyle that, while also morally objectionable, violates the very way we were physically designed?
I don’t want to talk about homosexuality anymore. What I really want is for someone to tell me what “love” in the biblical context really means because I only know what it does NOT mean: seeking to satisfy one’s own desires. I also know that homosexual persons are not exclusively guilty. How can a man honestly say he “loves” God but still leaves his wife to take up with another woman? How can a woman say she “loves” God but thinks nothing of bedding down with another woman’s husband? How can anyone bet hundreds of dollars at a race track or casino and say they “love” God but fail to understand that these same dollars will go much further in the collection plate or at, say, Heifer Project?
We do not know what “love” really means. I’m not so sure we even know who “God” really is.
I still enjoy the give-and-take of opposing ideas because even as a conservative, I know that there is a much broader viewpoint that I have yet to consider, some angle I’ve overlooked. Even if I never come around to the opposition, I usually feel a little more enriched and that something has actually been accomplished.
I have tried to be as broad and as open as I could be on social issues, believing that I will earn respect only if I choose to show respect and, ultimately, be heard as much as I am willing to hear. I have allowed and expected that there will be those who will take exception to my “soft” approach, and I have enjoyed those who have responded with a resounding “amen”. The time to be diplomatic and gracious must always be in the present. There is also a definitive spiritual “line in the sand” that must never be crossed, and I am afraid that we have not only crossed that line but have actually built a sturdy bridge to make it easier. In the end, we have done a greater disservice to the church, her people, and to our culture in general by allowing the “different strokes” mentality to enter into that portrait we call “grace”.
Having said this, however, I do not believe that homosexuality in and of itself can or should serve as a catalyst for more profound explorations on human sexuality and how we have become such a sex-oriented culture so much so that we celebrate men and women who leave their homes and spouses specifically because they have somehow embraced the misguided notion that “the Lord led me to this happiness” in the arms and bed of another. Even though homosexuality as an issue has permeated the Church so much so that we feel compelled to “discuss” and “dialogue” as a way to find some sort of middle ground upon which we can all agree, I still believe there is a greater and more compelling issue at heart.
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless. They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord. They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, ‘You shall have peace’’, and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’” Jeremiah 23:16-17
We have within our grasp a Bible in which was established long ago a strict moral code. Some would suggest that this was an “ancient text written for an ancient people who no longer exist”. In fact, Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson made such a statement I heard for myself as reported on CBN back when he was being considered for bishop. He does not stand alone, however. There have been instructors whom I have had to endure in Course of Study who felt it necessary to straighten out us uneducated rubes. After all, “I have a degree in biblical studies”, said one professor.
Sorry, teach, but I know atheists who can quote Scripture more quickly and readily than I. I also happen to believe you to be among them.
What does it say about us as a Christian people if we can so easily dismiss what was written long ago as “ancient” and thus no longer relevant? What does it say about us if we can decide for ourselves that “this is not what it really meant” but instead wait on someone with a degree in biblical studies to tell us that we’ve been wrong for thousands of years?
We fornicate, we gamble, we cheat, we lie, we judge, we drink. In fact, we will do pretty much what we darn well please when we darn well please. Anything, that is, except to discern a true biblical concept of ourselves as a people. We don’t know what “sin” really is, and we know even less about what “love” really means. In my limited reading of the Koran, I get a sense that Mohammad was more acutely aware of what it means to be a “people of the Book” than we ever will.
In a sense, it is about homosexuality but not to the end that all sin can be traced back to this one item, and sin is not singularly defined by that very unnatural physical act. Neither can homosexuality be excused as a means by which we may finally one day call ourselves truly “united” Methodists. But how can we dismiss homosexuality and embrace divorce and even abortion as excuses for a new lease on life and finally “true happiness”? How dare we let these off the hook while seeking to condemn a lifestyle that, while also morally objectionable, violates the very way we were physically designed?
I don’t want to talk about homosexuality anymore. What I really want is for someone to tell me what “love” in the biblical context really means because I only know what it does NOT mean: seeking to satisfy one’s own desires. I also know that homosexual persons are not exclusively guilty. How can a man honestly say he “loves” God but still leaves his wife to take up with another woman? How can a woman say she “loves” God but thinks nothing of bedding down with another woman’s husband? How can anyone bet hundreds of dollars at a race track or casino and say they “love” God but fail to understand that these same dollars will go much further in the collection plate or at, say, Heifer Project?
We do not know what “love” really means. I’m not so sure we even know who “God” really is.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Hair of the Dog
Numbers 21:4-9
John 3:1-17
Something does not add up. When the Lord calls Moses up to receive the Law, the first recorded commandments involve a rejection of “other gods” which would include the so-called “graven images” lest our focus be diverted from the Holy One who delivered a people and created for Himself a nation.
Yet in Numbers 21:4-9, a graven image is prescribed by the Lord in order for this same nation to be saved from their judgment. All they need to do is look upon this bronze serpent, and they will survive the serpent’s bite – the “judgment”. Sort of like the “hair of the dog that bit you”.
In John 3:14, Nicodemus is reminded by Jesus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
The parallel that Jesus makes between the serpent and surely what is about to happen to Him is not hard to spot, and He is speaking to a Pharisee who would have known the Numbers passage well. The oxymoron lies in the Israelites’ ability to look upon a serpent, actually an image of a serpent, in order to be spared their judgment. Jesus specifically refers to this image in trying to make His point with Nicodemus.
It is not as if something sinister is going on, yet there is a marker somewhere in this parallel or in the incident in the wilderness with the serpents that requires our attention.
Jesus’ life was filled with purpose, so such a discussion would not have been a matter of idle chit-chat. Nicodemus came to Jesus, maybe on behalf of the Sanhedrin but maybe more for himself, to determine what Jesus was really trying to accomplish by His ministry. There is a point that Jesus is making with the reference to the bronze serpent.
But does the reference take into consideration that King Hezekiah ordered this bronze serpent to be destroyed (2 Kings 18) because the people were burning incense to this bronze serpent and worshiping it, having forgotten of its origin and reason for existence? Or maybe it is that they remembered all too well that this serpent was at one time the focus of their judgment as well as of their deliverance from that same judgment. If this bronze serpent was at one time the commanded focus of attention – and this seems to be the case - it would be an easy mistake to make.
Moses was their point-man with the Lord, and he brought this bronze serpent to them and told them what to do in the name of the Lord. Yet a righteous king ordered its destruction because the people of the Lord were giving this bronze serpent too much attention.
Could it be possible that there is such a thing as “too much” focus on the Son of Man, that one day our focus could somehow become distorted? After all, Jesus specifically states, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (the bronze serpent that was ordered destroyed), so must the Son of Man be lifted up …”
In a time when there are scores of Christian denominations that cannot seem to agree on much of anything and in a world seemingly gone mad, the one thing we can surely agree on is that there can be no such thing as “too much” Jesus. If anything, there is not enough of Him in our hearts even though there is plenty of Him to go around. Yet I cannot help but to be confused with the parallel.
In the Revelation, John wrote of his vision of the Lord in chapter one: “I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands and in the midst of the seven lamp stands, One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, white as snow, and His eyes like the flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters. He had in His right hand seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp TWO-EDGED sword…”
It has been traditionally understood that not only was a two-edged sword the typical design of the contemporary weapon but that having a cutting edge on each side served an imagery purpose as well as a practical one: it can cut BOTH WAYS. That is to say, what is coming from the mouth of the Lord is that which can DELIVER US or CONDEMN us depending entirely upon how we choose to receive His Word and respond to it. Either way, we can be sure that what comes from the mouth of the Lord is true and just.
According to the account in Numbers, Moses fashioned this bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole by command of the Lord God himself; it was not Moses’ idea but, rather, the result of Moses’ prayer to the Lord on behalf of the Israelites. So even as the serpents were sent by the Lord as punishment, or judgment, for their transgressions, the ordered image was also from the same Mouth from which is spoken words of hope and forgiveness – STILL IN THE IMAGE OF A SERPENT! The same image that King Hezekiah ordered destroyed because it was being worshiped by the people. So what?
What is our focus at worship time? What do we intend to accomplish when we gather together? How is our state of mind and soul when we arrive? And when we do arrive, is our focus where it should be? Are we “burning incense” to the bronze serpent, or are we lifting our hearts to the Lord God? Are we focused on the music or the “entertainment” that may be provided, or are we focused on the Holy Spirit who can speak to our troubled souls?
I’ve often wondered about the point of worship when we become so focused on “recruiting” folks to come join us rather than focus on the presence and power of the Lord and allow that to be our primary focus. There are no easy answers but there is one thing we can be sure of: the Lord is present among people of faith. And this may sound callous and hard-hearted but if this Almighty Presence is not good enough for other seekers, then there may not be much more that we can do.
As Christians, we should be so filled with this GOOD NEWS that we cannot wait to share it with someone. Yet I fear that we become complacent because our faith has become a lifeless religion and has become nothing more than a part of a weekly ritual to which we have become accustomed and that maybe our focus is already distorted.
United Methodists are, in my humble opinion, falling behind by failing to celebrate the Holy Eucharist each time we are gathered. There is no reason why we should not celebrate and commemorate this time together in union with Christ and with one another as often as we possibly can. Yet we fail to do this for one reason or another. Surely we do not think it to be too much of a bother or "too Catholic" or too mundane. Surely we can have no fear that we will get too caught up in the "ritual" and not enough into the blessing. It is a time of worship, and I can think of nothing on this earth that we should be more mindful of as our focus of worship.
Everything we do in worship will be a genuine reflection of what is truly in our hearts and in our minds and in our souls. Let us begin anew in the Lord’s Eternal Covenant who is Christ, His Holy Son.
Amen.
John 3:1-17
Something does not add up. When the Lord calls Moses up to receive the Law, the first recorded commandments involve a rejection of “other gods” which would include the so-called “graven images” lest our focus be diverted from the Holy One who delivered a people and created for Himself a nation.
Yet in Numbers 21:4-9, a graven image is prescribed by the Lord in order for this same nation to be saved from their judgment. All they need to do is look upon this bronze serpent, and they will survive the serpent’s bite – the “judgment”. Sort of like the “hair of the dog that bit you”.
In John 3:14, Nicodemus is reminded by Jesus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
The parallel that Jesus makes between the serpent and surely what is about to happen to Him is not hard to spot, and He is speaking to a Pharisee who would have known the Numbers passage well. The oxymoron lies in the Israelites’ ability to look upon a serpent, actually an image of a serpent, in order to be spared their judgment. Jesus specifically refers to this image in trying to make His point with Nicodemus.
It is not as if something sinister is going on, yet there is a marker somewhere in this parallel or in the incident in the wilderness with the serpents that requires our attention.
Jesus’ life was filled with purpose, so such a discussion would not have been a matter of idle chit-chat. Nicodemus came to Jesus, maybe on behalf of the Sanhedrin but maybe more for himself, to determine what Jesus was really trying to accomplish by His ministry. There is a point that Jesus is making with the reference to the bronze serpent.
But does the reference take into consideration that King Hezekiah ordered this bronze serpent to be destroyed (2 Kings 18) because the people were burning incense to this bronze serpent and worshiping it, having forgotten of its origin and reason for existence? Or maybe it is that they remembered all too well that this serpent was at one time the focus of their judgment as well as of their deliverance from that same judgment. If this bronze serpent was at one time the commanded focus of attention – and this seems to be the case - it would be an easy mistake to make.
Moses was their point-man with the Lord, and he brought this bronze serpent to them and told them what to do in the name of the Lord. Yet a righteous king ordered its destruction because the people of the Lord were giving this bronze serpent too much attention.
Could it be possible that there is such a thing as “too much” focus on the Son of Man, that one day our focus could somehow become distorted? After all, Jesus specifically states, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (the bronze serpent that was ordered destroyed), so must the Son of Man be lifted up …”
In a time when there are scores of Christian denominations that cannot seem to agree on much of anything and in a world seemingly gone mad, the one thing we can surely agree on is that there can be no such thing as “too much” Jesus. If anything, there is not enough of Him in our hearts even though there is plenty of Him to go around. Yet I cannot help but to be confused with the parallel.
In the Revelation, John wrote of his vision of the Lord in chapter one: “I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp stands and in the midst of the seven lamp stands, One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, white as snow, and His eyes like the flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters. He had in His right hand seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp TWO-EDGED sword…”
It has been traditionally understood that not only was a two-edged sword the typical design of the contemporary weapon but that having a cutting edge on each side served an imagery purpose as well as a practical one: it can cut BOTH WAYS. That is to say, what is coming from the mouth of the Lord is that which can DELIVER US or CONDEMN us depending entirely upon how we choose to receive His Word and respond to it. Either way, we can be sure that what comes from the mouth of the Lord is true and just.
According to the account in Numbers, Moses fashioned this bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole by command of the Lord God himself; it was not Moses’ idea but, rather, the result of Moses’ prayer to the Lord on behalf of the Israelites. So even as the serpents were sent by the Lord as punishment, or judgment, for their transgressions, the ordered image was also from the same Mouth from which is spoken words of hope and forgiveness – STILL IN THE IMAGE OF A SERPENT! The same image that King Hezekiah ordered destroyed because it was being worshiped by the people. So what?
What is our focus at worship time? What do we intend to accomplish when we gather together? How is our state of mind and soul when we arrive? And when we do arrive, is our focus where it should be? Are we “burning incense” to the bronze serpent, or are we lifting our hearts to the Lord God? Are we focused on the music or the “entertainment” that may be provided, or are we focused on the Holy Spirit who can speak to our troubled souls?
I’ve often wondered about the point of worship when we become so focused on “recruiting” folks to come join us rather than focus on the presence and power of the Lord and allow that to be our primary focus. There are no easy answers but there is one thing we can be sure of: the Lord is present among people of faith. And this may sound callous and hard-hearted but if this Almighty Presence is not good enough for other seekers, then there may not be much more that we can do.
As Christians, we should be so filled with this GOOD NEWS that we cannot wait to share it with someone. Yet I fear that we become complacent because our faith has become a lifeless religion and has become nothing more than a part of a weekly ritual to which we have become accustomed and that maybe our focus is already distorted.
United Methodists are, in my humble opinion, falling behind by failing to celebrate the Holy Eucharist each time we are gathered. There is no reason why we should not celebrate and commemorate this time together in union with Christ and with one another as often as we possibly can. Yet we fail to do this for one reason or another. Surely we do not think it to be too much of a bother or "too Catholic" or too mundane. Surely we can have no fear that we will get too caught up in the "ritual" and not enough into the blessing. It is a time of worship, and I can think of nothing on this earth that we should be more mindful of as our focus of worship.
Everything we do in worship will be a genuine reflection of what is truly in our hearts and in our minds and in our souls. Let us begin anew in the Lord’s Eternal Covenant who is Christ, His Holy Son.
Amen.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
A Sense of Justice
I've fallen behind in my writing mainly because I've been down and out and back and forth to the doctor. Two weeks ago I was treated for strep. Shortly after that I had a bad case of bronchitis. Now I'm having a problem with my stomach that has yet to be determined exactly what the problem is. Although the acute pain has diminished somewhat, I still have to go back tomorrow for yet another follow-up to determine whether hospitalization and further tests are in order. To top off this perfect day, my A/C caught on fire this evening. It was mostly the wiring that burned and the damage appears minimal. I will know more tomorrow when I summon the repair service to find out if the entire unit will have to be replaced.
Aside from the bad luck with the air conditioner, I am reminded each time a member of my family or I require a doctor that we are in such a position that our insurance takes care of the brunt of these costs. Consider that I was prescribed three (or maybe four, I lost count!) different pills for my ailments. These expenses are in addition to the office visit costs for which I pay a $25 co-pay, and the drugs were had for a song though I am fully aware that my portion was only a small percentage of the actual cost of the drugs.
Health care and health insurance are two mega-bazillion-dollar industries making money hand over fist because these are two vital services we cannot live without. And while some might tell us that we cannot put a price tag on quality care and coverage, I would argue that the price tag is indeed intact and somewhat substantial. My wife and I make a pretty fair income between the two of us, and yet I am painfully aware that if we had to pay 100% of these costs out of pocket, we would likely be in a position to choose whether to do without some or all of the treatments.
Is it just that only those who can afford to pay are entitled only to the finest health care and insurance available? There are income limits that determine whether one would qualify for Medicare or Medicaid and how much coverage and how much out-of-pocket one would be stuck with. It seems to me, however, that good health care has become much more a privilege of those blessed enough to afford it and not a fundamental human right.
Discussions crop up from time to time about health care and insurance costs especially at election times when politicians are in the promise-whatever-it-takes mode to get elected, but the truth is this is an issue that should come up every single day. Decent, quality health care should not be a debatable topic, and its cost cannot be allowed to be determined by what the market will bear because insurance coverage for we who are blessed enough to have it cannot fully appreciate what good health care really costs; we are only aware of our co-pay costs.
Even the Clinton-era attempt at providing government sponsored universal coverage, though attractive and tempting, would have accomplished nothing as it pertains to actual health care costs. Providing every citizen with health insurance does not address the rising costs of health care and prescription drugs. And please do not bore me with "it's Bush's fault". These discussions have been going on for a very long time, and costs continue to rise.
It is said that we have the finest health care system in the world. For me, this kind of statement is subjective only in the sense that those who can afford it can make such a statement. For those who cannot afford to go to the doctor each time a visit would be recommended or get prescriptions filled, the quality is not even an issue because they are forced to do without.
I wish I had a solid proposal to offer. Right now I just need to get this off my chest. I'll be just fine after all is said and done because I am able to use my insurance to get the care that I need, but does my financial blessing make me more entitled to good care as opposed to those who are not so lucky?
Aside from the bad luck with the air conditioner, I am reminded each time a member of my family or I require a doctor that we are in such a position that our insurance takes care of the brunt of these costs. Consider that I was prescribed three (or maybe four, I lost count!) different pills for my ailments. These expenses are in addition to the office visit costs for which I pay a $25 co-pay, and the drugs were had for a song though I am fully aware that my portion was only a small percentage of the actual cost of the drugs.
Health care and health insurance are two mega-bazillion-dollar industries making money hand over fist because these are two vital services we cannot live without. And while some might tell us that we cannot put a price tag on quality care and coverage, I would argue that the price tag is indeed intact and somewhat substantial. My wife and I make a pretty fair income between the two of us, and yet I am painfully aware that if we had to pay 100% of these costs out of pocket, we would likely be in a position to choose whether to do without some or all of the treatments.
Is it just that only those who can afford to pay are entitled only to the finest health care and insurance available? There are income limits that determine whether one would qualify for Medicare or Medicaid and how much coverage and how much out-of-pocket one would be stuck with. It seems to me, however, that good health care has become much more a privilege of those blessed enough to afford it and not a fundamental human right.
Discussions crop up from time to time about health care and insurance costs especially at election times when politicians are in the promise-whatever-it-takes mode to get elected, but the truth is this is an issue that should come up every single day. Decent, quality health care should not be a debatable topic, and its cost cannot be allowed to be determined by what the market will bear because insurance coverage for we who are blessed enough to have it cannot fully appreciate what good health care really costs; we are only aware of our co-pay costs.
Even the Clinton-era attempt at providing government sponsored universal coverage, though attractive and tempting, would have accomplished nothing as it pertains to actual health care costs. Providing every citizen with health insurance does not address the rising costs of health care and prescription drugs. And please do not bore me with "it's Bush's fault". These discussions have been going on for a very long time, and costs continue to rise.
It is said that we have the finest health care system in the world. For me, this kind of statement is subjective only in the sense that those who can afford it can make such a statement. For those who cannot afford to go to the doctor each time a visit would be recommended or get prescriptions filled, the quality is not even an issue because they are forced to do without.
I wish I had a solid proposal to offer. Right now I just need to get this off my chest. I'll be just fine after all is said and done because I am able to use my insurance to get the care that I need, but does my financial blessing make me more entitled to good care as opposed to those who are not so lucky?
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Thoughts on Political Campaigns
Arkansas just finished up a round of primaries and will have run-off elections to futher narrow the field of candidates who will move into the general elections in November. Most notable among the candidates was the misguided notion that it is apparently necessary to speak negatively about one's opponent than to speak positively about oneself.
In any election is the potential for change. Voters are a funny lot and are sometimes hard to predict. Yet we voters are sometimes so predictable that it stops being funny. We will gripe and complain about the current state of affairs, and then we will step into the voting booth and select "more of the same".
I say "more of the same" because voters lean more toward name recongnition that anything else. I believe this to be the primary reason why incumbents enjoy such tremendous advantage. It is not that they are doing an exceptional job. In fact, it is the only thing that can help to explain why the general congressional approval rating among registered voters is less than 30% and yet most of these incumbents will return to their cozy offices.
There is a notable race in Arkansas in which a young Republican is working to unseat a very popular - and sometimes unchallenged - Democrat who has won reelection handily in his last five campaigns. It is a good and noble thing that there are men and women who are willing to enter into a race at such an extreme and apparent disadvantage. It is good for voters to have choices and to know that they do not have to continue the "more of the same" unless they so choose.
Mr. Andy Mayberry is running against incumbent Vic Snyder; pro-life vs pro-choice even though the pro-choice incumbent and his wife just celebrated the birth of their first child and the pro-life candidate has a young child who was born with spina bifida and is as full of life and love as any other child of grateful parents (the Mayberrys are!).
Mr. Snyder has managed to dodge the "he's a liberal" bullet in each of his campaigns and has survived challenges to his seat because of his opponents' tendencies to talk negatively about Mr. Snyder rather than positively about their own campaigns and platforms. These candidates also tend to ignore the reality that Mr. Snyder is well-deserving of the enormous respect that he enjoys in his district because of his character and integrity even if voters strongly disagree with him (many do).
It may be sad to say that Mr. Snyder will probably continue to serve in the House for as long as he likes until or unless his opponents wake up and realize that attacking this man will only work against them and never for them.
Mr. Snyder is no friend of abortion opponents, believing more in the doctrine of "choice" than in the sanctity of life that deserves our every consideration, respect, and protection especially at state and national levels. Mr. Snyder has also voted for more tax increases than tax cuts, believing in the power of the government and the necessity of seemingly unlimited funding at the expense of the public. Yet this man who seems "liberal" to some will enjoy reelection in a walk because he engages the public in issues discussions and not character assassinations.
OPPONENTS OF CONGRESSMAN SNYDER, PAY ATTENTION! You cannot challenge the character and integrity of a man whose character and integrity are beyond reproach. Notice how he continues to ignore you as you continually nip at his heels like some jealous poodle that can make a lot of noise but be of no real threat. And do not insult ME, an informed voter who actually pays attention to issues, by suggesting that simply being a "liberal" is enough to make me vote for the alternative.
For the record, this very shallow thought process is the reason why I believe the Republicans will lose their majority in at least one house of Congress if not both. Many voters are not interested in labels, and there is more than one issue at stake. Remember this and enjoy at least a more serious consideration from those who will listen as soon as you begin saying something - anything - of substance.
In any election is the potential for change. Voters are a funny lot and are sometimes hard to predict. Yet we voters are sometimes so predictable that it stops being funny. We will gripe and complain about the current state of affairs, and then we will step into the voting booth and select "more of the same".
I say "more of the same" because voters lean more toward name recongnition that anything else. I believe this to be the primary reason why incumbents enjoy such tremendous advantage. It is not that they are doing an exceptional job. In fact, it is the only thing that can help to explain why the general congressional approval rating among registered voters is less than 30% and yet most of these incumbents will return to their cozy offices.
There is a notable race in Arkansas in which a young Republican is working to unseat a very popular - and sometimes unchallenged - Democrat who has won reelection handily in his last five campaigns. It is a good and noble thing that there are men and women who are willing to enter into a race at such an extreme and apparent disadvantage. It is good for voters to have choices and to know that they do not have to continue the "more of the same" unless they so choose.
Mr. Andy Mayberry is running against incumbent Vic Snyder; pro-life vs pro-choice even though the pro-choice incumbent and his wife just celebrated the birth of their first child and the pro-life candidate has a young child who was born with spina bifida and is as full of life and love as any other child of grateful parents (the Mayberrys are!).
Mr. Snyder has managed to dodge the "he's a liberal" bullet in each of his campaigns and has survived challenges to his seat because of his opponents' tendencies to talk negatively about Mr. Snyder rather than positively about their own campaigns and platforms. These candidates also tend to ignore the reality that Mr. Snyder is well-deserving of the enormous respect that he enjoys in his district because of his character and integrity even if voters strongly disagree with him (many do).
It may be sad to say that Mr. Snyder will probably continue to serve in the House for as long as he likes until or unless his opponents wake up and realize that attacking this man will only work against them and never for them.
Mr. Snyder is no friend of abortion opponents, believing more in the doctrine of "choice" than in the sanctity of life that deserves our every consideration, respect, and protection especially at state and national levels. Mr. Snyder has also voted for more tax increases than tax cuts, believing in the power of the government and the necessity of seemingly unlimited funding at the expense of the public. Yet this man who seems "liberal" to some will enjoy reelection in a walk because he engages the public in issues discussions and not character assassinations.
OPPONENTS OF CONGRESSMAN SNYDER, PAY ATTENTION! You cannot challenge the character and integrity of a man whose character and integrity are beyond reproach. Notice how he continues to ignore you as you continually nip at his heels like some jealous poodle that can make a lot of noise but be of no real threat. And do not insult ME, an informed voter who actually pays attention to issues, by suggesting that simply being a "liberal" is enough to make me vote for the alternative.
For the record, this very shallow thought process is the reason why I believe the Republicans will lose their majority in at least one house of Congress if not both. Many voters are not interested in labels, and there is more than one issue at stake. Remember this and enjoy at least a more serious consideration from those who will listen as soon as you begin saying something - anything - of substance.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
What Was Stephen Seeing?
Acts 7:55-60
What was it that the apostle Stephen was seeing when he told that angry crowd, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God”? I’ve often wondered what sort of vision he was being granted as his life was about to end.
Stephen knew he was turning some screws a little too tight. What else was he going to do? He knew what needed to be said, and he seemed unafraid to say it. I still wonder what he was seeing.
It would easy to close our eyes and imagine the clouds parting just a bit, and suddenly a blinding ray of light appearing like after a storm and the sun peeking out. In fact, some might suggest that this is exactly what happened. Some suggest that Stephen didn’t really see Jesus at all, and we can’t say for sure that Stephen saw the Lord God Himself. Isn’t that kind of a stretch considering that John writes in the Gospel that “no one has seen God at any time”?
We have to remember also that Stephen never saw Jesus. Stephen’s time was after the Ascension. So what exactly was he looking at? Whatever it was, it overwhelmed him. It would seem that somehow he was looking at something, or SOMEONE, more glorious that anything he’d ever seen before. It was also such a vision that, as he was being literally beaten to death with rocks, he was still able to say, “Lord, forgive them.”
Do you ever wonder if you could ever be so gracious if you were being pelted with stones big enough to crush your head or break your bones? I don’t think this would be my first choice if I could choose the way I will leave this earth.
Still, Stephen had to have seen something, and he certainly must have known the risk he was taking. His message of redemption in Christ was still considered to be “blasphemous” according to the Law.
There is no way that a man, any man standing alone, could withstand such punishment. A normal person would be running for cover, cowering, instinctively covering himself in an effort to protect. It’s what any of us would do naturally without thinking. There are very few of us who would not flinch even just a tiny bit if we could see something flying toward our face! Still, Stephen must be seeing something pretty incredible.
Whatever it was, it is pretty clear in John’s Gospel that Philip wasn’t seeing the same thing. “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” And Jesus seems almost incredulous at this statement! “Philip, what, or WHO, do you think you’ve been looking at all this time?” It is clear by what is written that the disciples are still completely clueless about what is happening in their lives, in their society, in their culture, and in history at this particular time. They seem to be looking for something “bigger”.
Thomas, the ever-present “doubting” Thomas has missed the boat as well. “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?”
What is everyone missing that Stephen seems to see so clearly?
Is it possible that sometimes we try so hard to see something that we completely look past whatever it is we are truly seeking in search of something MUCH BIGGER? It could very well be that when we have a mental vision of our expectations, the reality is not quite up to where we WANT it to be. In other words, we have likely built up in our minds a vision on such a grand scale that when we are finally confronted with the truth, it’s just not as magnanimous as we had hoped.
It’s not unlike what I and so many others have done with high school and college algebra. Whenever I looked at a problem, the answer SEEMED simple enough but I wanted to know more about where this particular formula had come from. Maybe it was a fair question, but all it did was make the work harder than it needed to be. The answer was right in front of me, but I was somehow looking for something much bigger.
Philip and Thomas are both obviously looking and searching much more deeply than they need to. The truth of what they seek is standing right in front of them, and they don’t see it. Or they don't want to see it.
If God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all one and the same, how is it that Stephen was able to see and describe two distinct, and apparently individual, Beings, being “filled with the Holy Spirit”, as it is written in Acts? And if God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one and the same, how is it that Philip and Thomas were looking directly at the Son but could not see the Father?
We can get caught up in trying to discern for ourselves the doctrine of the Holy Trinity if we want. However, I think it would miss the point of what it is that each of these disciples were seeing, or NOT seeing, and why. Could it be as simple as the difference between what we would LIKE to see against what we NEED to see?
Stephen is looking death in the face; he’s about to die, and he knows it. After all, the punishment for blasphemy is death, and Stephen must surely know that his message is considered by many to be blasphemy. The Gospel, the GOOD NEWS, however, dictates that he hold nothing back. Stephen is not seeking anything for HIS OWN SAKE – he is trying to offer the GOOD NEWS of salvation for anyone who will listen. And he is among a very hostile crowd.
Philip and Thomas, on the other hand, seem to be more concerned with how what Jesus is saying will affect THEM. “Show us the Father, and WE will be satisfied.” “Lord, WE do not know where You are going. How can WE know the way?”
I don’t know about you, but this sounds pretty selfish, self-centered, and self-serving; at least, compared to Stephen and his situation. It seems to me that Philip and Thomas, and perhaps all the rest who are present, are more concerned with how all this affects THEM as a group or as individuals. There does not seem to be much thought as to how this will affect OTHERS outside the group, though an argument could be made that they are wondering how to share this message, I suppose.
Notice, also, that Philip and Thomas – and the rest – are in a relatively friendly environment. They are among like-minded friends. There is no danger for them in asking questions amongst themselves or freely speaking their minds.
To be fair, however, when we gather with friends and family, it is more likely that we are of one mind and not necessarily hostile toward others in that group nor do we feel threatened. If we felt any such threat at all, there is a good chance we just wouldn’t go. The decision not to go, however, would not likely be due to any sense of physical danger although I know of some family gatherings that ought to require armed security!
When we consider our calling as witnesses, however, how many of us can honestly say that we would willingly and voluntarily venture into hostile territory and into a hostile crowd? If you try to answer to yourself that you would not be afraid to do so, then my next question would then be, “Why then have you not done it?”
It is within our nature to survive. Our instincts are geared toward self-preservation. It’s just as I suggested about being stoned to death. How many do you know who would stand still for it? Not many, I would venture to say. I am pretty sure that I will not knowingly enter into “hostile” territory. Does this mean that I am afraid? Does it make me “smart”? Does this mean that I exercise good judgment?
These are things the WORLD would tell me. More specifically, these are things that WORLDLY Christians would tell me. “Why go in ASKING for trouble,” they would say.
But it might very well be that I would choose NOT to enter into hostile territory because I do not have the clear vision or sense of calling that Stephen had. This lack of clarity would explain why almost all the disciples abandoned Jesus when He was arrested.
There are vital ministries in which we do take care of one another. These ministries are relatively safe, and they are also necessary. Each of us needs some support from time to time, and there is no shame in asking for it or receiving it. Think about this, though: when was the last time you actually took a RISK for the sake of the Gospel? It’s easy to say that we are not all called to be missionaries. And I’ll grant you that those who serve as missionaries are a special breed, and my hat is off to them.
However, in celebrating the life and the calling of missionaries, are we simply using the “special calling” they seem to have as a means for excusing ourselves? And I’m not just talking about overseas missionaries; that need is indeed great. But is the need for the Gospel any less so in our own communities?
It seems to me that what we SEE – or NOT – will depend entirely on the risk we are willing to take for the cause of Christ.
What was it that the apostle Stephen was seeing when he told that angry crowd, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God”? I’ve often wondered what sort of vision he was being granted as his life was about to end.
Stephen knew he was turning some screws a little too tight. What else was he going to do? He knew what needed to be said, and he seemed unafraid to say it. I still wonder what he was seeing.
It would easy to close our eyes and imagine the clouds parting just a bit, and suddenly a blinding ray of light appearing like after a storm and the sun peeking out. In fact, some might suggest that this is exactly what happened. Some suggest that Stephen didn’t really see Jesus at all, and we can’t say for sure that Stephen saw the Lord God Himself. Isn’t that kind of a stretch considering that John writes in the Gospel that “no one has seen God at any time”?
We have to remember also that Stephen never saw Jesus. Stephen’s time was after the Ascension. So what exactly was he looking at? Whatever it was, it overwhelmed him. It would seem that somehow he was looking at something, or SOMEONE, more glorious that anything he’d ever seen before. It was also such a vision that, as he was being literally beaten to death with rocks, he was still able to say, “Lord, forgive them.”
Do you ever wonder if you could ever be so gracious if you were being pelted with stones big enough to crush your head or break your bones? I don’t think this would be my first choice if I could choose the way I will leave this earth.
Still, Stephen had to have seen something, and he certainly must have known the risk he was taking. His message of redemption in Christ was still considered to be “blasphemous” according to the Law.
There is no way that a man, any man standing alone, could withstand such punishment. A normal person would be running for cover, cowering, instinctively covering himself in an effort to protect. It’s what any of us would do naturally without thinking. There are very few of us who would not flinch even just a tiny bit if we could see something flying toward our face! Still, Stephen must be seeing something pretty incredible.
Whatever it was, it is pretty clear in John’s Gospel that Philip wasn’t seeing the same thing. “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” And Jesus seems almost incredulous at this statement! “Philip, what, or WHO, do you think you’ve been looking at all this time?” It is clear by what is written that the disciples are still completely clueless about what is happening in their lives, in their society, in their culture, and in history at this particular time. They seem to be looking for something “bigger”.
Thomas, the ever-present “doubting” Thomas has missed the boat as well. “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?”
What is everyone missing that Stephen seems to see so clearly?
Is it possible that sometimes we try so hard to see something that we completely look past whatever it is we are truly seeking in search of something MUCH BIGGER? It could very well be that when we have a mental vision of our expectations, the reality is not quite up to where we WANT it to be. In other words, we have likely built up in our minds a vision on such a grand scale that when we are finally confronted with the truth, it’s just not as magnanimous as we had hoped.
It’s not unlike what I and so many others have done with high school and college algebra. Whenever I looked at a problem, the answer SEEMED simple enough but I wanted to know more about where this particular formula had come from. Maybe it was a fair question, but all it did was make the work harder than it needed to be. The answer was right in front of me, but I was somehow looking for something much bigger.
Philip and Thomas are both obviously looking and searching much more deeply than they need to. The truth of what they seek is standing right in front of them, and they don’t see it. Or they don't want to see it.
If God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all one and the same, how is it that Stephen was able to see and describe two distinct, and apparently individual, Beings, being “filled with the Holy Spirit”, as it is written in Acts? And if God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one and the same, how is it that Philip and Thomas were looking directly at the Son but could not see the Father?
We can get caught up in trying to discern for ourselves the doctrine of the Holy Trinity if we want. However, I think it would miss the point of what it is that each of these disciples were seeing, or NOT seeing, and why. Could it be as simple as the difference between what we would LIKE to see against what we NEED to see?
Stephen is looking death in the face; he’s about to die, and he knows it. After all, the punishment for blasphemy is death, and Stephen must surely know that his message is considered by many to be blasphemy. The Gospel, the GOOD NEWS, however, dictates that he hold nothing back. Stephen is not seeking anything for HIS OWN SAKE – he is trying to offer the GOOD NEWS of salvation for anyone who will listen. And he is among a very hostile crowd.
Philip and Thomas, on the other hand, seem to be more concerned with how what Jesus is saying will affect THEM. “Show us the Father, and WE will be satisfied.” “Lord, WE do not know where You are going. How can WE know the way?”
I don’t know about you, but this sounds pretty selfish, self-centered, and self-serving; at least, compared to Stephen and his situation. It seems to me that Philip and Thomas, and perhaps all the rest who are present, are more concerned with how all this affects THEM as a group or as individuals. There does not seem to be much thought as to how this will affect OTHERS outside the group, though an argument could be made that they are wondering how to share this message, I suppose.
Notice, also, that Philip and Thomas – and the rest – are in a relatively friendly environment. They are among like-minded friends. There is no danger for them in asking questions amongst themselves or freely speaking their minds.
To be fair, however, when we gather with friends and family, it is more likely that we are of one mind and not necessarily hostile toward others in that group nor do we feel threatened. If we felt any such threat at all, there is a good chance we just wouldn’t go. The decision not to go, however, would not likely be due to any sense of physical danger although I know of some family gatherings that ought to require armed security!
When we consider our calling as witnesses, however, how many of us can honestly say that we would willingly and voluntarily venture into hostile territory and into a hostile crowd? If you try to answer to yourself that you would not be afraid to do so, then my next question would then be, “Why then have you not done it?”
It is within our nature to survive. Our instincts are geared toward self-preservation. It’s just as I suggested about being stoned to death. How many do you know who would stand still for it? Not many, I would venture to say. I am pretty sure that I will not knowingly enter into “hostile” territory. Does this mean that I am afraid? Does it make me “smart”? Does this mean that I exercise good judgment?
These are things the WORLD would tell me. More specifically, these are things that WORLDLY Christians would tell me. “Why go in ASKING for trouble,” they would say.
But it might very well be that I would choose NOT to enter into hostile territory because I do not have the clear vision or sense of calling that Stephen had. This lack of clarity would explain why almost all the disciples abandoned Jesus when He was arrested.
There are vital ministries in which we do take care of one another. These ministries are relatively safe, and they are also necessary. Each of us needs some support from time to time, and there is no shame in asking for it or receiving it. Think about this, though: when was the last time you actually took a RISK for the sake of the Gospel? It’s easy to say that we are not all called to be missionaries. And I’ll grant you that those who serve as missionaries are a special breed, and my hat is off to them.
However, in celebrating the life and the calling of missionaries, are we simply using the “special calling” they seem to have as a means for excusing ourselves? And I’m not just talking about overseas missionaries; that need is indeed great. But is the need for the Gospel any less so in our own communities?
It seems to me that what we SEE – or NOT – will depend entirely on the risk we are willing to take for the cause of Christ.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Memorial Day 2006
I watched the flag pass by one day,
it fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform so young,
so tall, so proud.
With hair cut square and eyes alert,
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil,
how many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.
I heard the sound of Taps one night,
when everything was still.
I listened to the bugler play
and felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
of the mothers and the wives,
of fathers, sons and husbands
with interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
at the bottom of the sea,
of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.
- Author unknown
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Exclusive Rights
Reading all that has been written about immigration and the rule of law from lay persons as well as “experts” in the fields of constitutional law and immigration, I have wondered what more could possibly be said. It would seem that every base has been covered: we want secure borders, we like low prices, we hate the poor being exploited for the sake of cheap lettuce but we like relatively inexpensive produce. We hate the undue burden placed on the welfare system by those illegal immigrants who happen to be pregnant when they cross the border and giving birth to US citizens before we’ve had a chance to deport them and their unborn children, we wonder “what part of ILLEGAL is misunderstood”, and we hate that members of Congress from both sides of the aisle are seemingly playing to the “immigrant crowd”. We want our nation of laws to be fair, but we hate the shameless way members of Congress seem to be delaying the inevitable while pandering for favor with minority voters.
What finally struck me as unique, however, was a letter written to a newspaper’s editor in which the writer had insisted that US laws are intended exclusively and specifically for US citizens. The writer had maintained that law and order and the protections afforded us by this same constitution was a privilege intended for those select few who could honestly call themselves US citizens.
Was the US Constitution, as well as the Declaration of Independence, designed and written to be an exclusive document to be applicable only to a specific people, or were these documents meant to serve as rules of law and order for a nation as well as documents of emancipation in which “ALL men (and not exclusively Americans) are created equal”? I happen to think we can be a nation of laws and maintain the integrity of that law while also recognizing that these documents serve a dual purpose. Not only are there rules of law defining our system of government as a means of protecting citizens from a heavy-handed dictatorship, but there are also rules defining the dignity of man and the sanctity of life regardless of citizenship status.
It is short-sighted and immoral to suggest that the dignity of the human person is protected only by US law and meant exclusively for US citizens. We have become US citizens ONLY by choices our parents made. Had we been born in, say, Mexico, would we be clamoring for a chance to cross the Rio Grande and find a better life in the US? What sort of claim do we have on this nation beyond the fact that our mothers gave birth to us here?
The Torah constantly reminds us that we are subject to the ultimate authority of YHWH and that part of our obligation as citizens is to welcome the stranger as one of our own since we were “once strangers in a strange land”.
Still, a nation must control its borders but according to the principles of our immigrant past, what must we protect ourselves from? Yes, 9/11 changed our perceptions about almost everything foreign, but we cannot lose sight of the fact that those responsible for that dreadful day were in this country legally.
I was shaken from a complacent “sleep” when I was reminded by a letter writer of the immortal words on the Statue of Liberty:
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand a mighty woman with a torch, whose flameis the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she with silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Perhaps it is for the sake of American principles and ideals that we must rethink what it means to be “one nation under God”.
What finally struck me as unique, however, was a letter written to a newspaper’s editor in which the writer had insisted that US laws are intended exclusively and specifically for US citizens. The writer had maintained that law and order and the protections afforded us by this same constitution was a privilege intended for those select few who could honestly call themselves US citizens.
Was the US Constitution, as well as the Declaration of Independence, designed and written to be an exclusive document to be applicable only to a specific people, or were these documents meant to serve as rules of law and order for a nation as well as documents of emancipation in which “ALL men (and not exclusively Americans) are created equal”? I happen to think we can be a nation of laws and maintain the integrity of that law while also recognizing that these documents serve a dual purpose. Not only are there rules of law defining our system of government as a means of protecting citizens from a heavy-handed dictatorship, but there are also rules defining the dignity of man and the sanctity of life regardless of citizenship status.
It is short-sighted and immoral to suggest that the dignity of the human person is protected only by US law and meant exclusively for US citizens. We have become US citizens ONLY by choices our parents made. Had we been born in, say, Mexico, would we be clamoring for a chance to cross the Rio Grande and find a better life in the US? What sort of claim do we have on this nation beyond the fact that our mothers gave birth to us here?
The Torah constantly reminds us that we are subject to the ultimate authority of YHWH and that part of our obligation as citizens is to welcome the stranger as one of our own since we were “once strangers in a strange land”.
Still, a nation must control its borders but according to the principles of our immigrant past, what must we protect ourselves from? Yes, 9/11 changed our perceptions about almost everything foreign, but we cannot lose sight of the fact that those responsible for that dreadful day were in this country legally.
I was shaken from a complacent “sleep” when I was reminded by a letter writer of the immortal words on the Statue of Liberty:
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand a mighty woman with a torch, whose flameis the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she with silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Perhaps it is for the sake of American principles and ideals that we must rethink what it means to be “one nation under God”.
The Height of Arrogance
Louisiana congressman William Jefferson is in trouble with the law (I do not distinguish his party affiliation because it is completely irrelevant). It appears that because of testimony from others, Mr. Jefferson became the target of a Justice Department investigation during which Mr. Jefferson was recorded taking bribes. In light of this evidence, a warrant was issued and Mr. Jefferson’s congressional office was searched and some items seized. It must also be remembered that part of what was recorded was Mr. Jefferson receiving a large amount of cash, some of which was found hidden in his freezer at home.
Prominent members of the Congress have expressed their collective concern over the FBI’s search of Mr. Jefferson’s congressional office. It seems there is some well-intentioned but misguided tradition by which the executive branch of the government cannot do such a thing to the legislative branch. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (again, party affiliation completely irrelevant) declared the search of Mr. Jefferson’s office to be “unconstitutional”; constitutional experts seem to disagree.
While the “hands-off” tradition between branches of the government is probably a good idea to some degree, this particular search involved all three branches: a judge (judicial) issued a search warrant to the FBI (executive) to search a congressman’s (legislative) office. Politics being what it is, there is a reason why laws exist to protect legislators from being harassed, manipulated, intimidated, or detained by the executive branch on not only the federal level but state levels as well.
Legislators are “we the people”. They are “us”. Instead of everyone going to the state capital to represent our concerns, we choose someone to attend in our stead. It is all part of the checks and balances system which exists within our system of government. One branch of the government cannot hold sway over another branch without due process. This is one of many very good reasons why judges should not be subject to the will of the people by popular vote.
Aside from political consideration between branches of the US government, however, there is also a reason why members of Congress should be concerned about what is happening. The current US president has an extremely low approval rating at this time. The approval rating of the US Congress is even lower. An argument can be made that the low congressional rating is a result of Republicans being in the majority, but this sort of argument would only go as far as partisan voters’ minds. In the end, there seems to be a general mistrust and suspicion of the Congress by the American people, and partisan politics cannot be blamed as the sole culprit.
The public’s mistrust of the Congress can be traced back to the term limits proposals that were enacted in some states as well as other proposals which were attempted at the federal level. That effort failed but not without great cost to former House Speaker Tom Foley. He was a leading opponent of citizen’s efforts to impose term limits on the federal level. Even though the measure was declared unconstitutional (it is) by the judicial branch, the voters reacted to what was perceived at the time as the very height of arrogance. The will of the people clashed with the will of a seemingly arrogant politician who seemed to suggest that the Congress does not have to answer to the voting public. The voters of Washington state, who denied Mr. Foley another term in office, reminded him that the Congress does in fact answer to the voters.
There may be legitimate legal concerns about Mr. Jefferson’s office having been searched and, we presume, documents relevant to the investigation seized, but these legal concerns must be traced to the branch of government responsible for creating laws, the Congress (legislative). The executive branch (FBI) is responsible for enforcing these same laws, and the judicial branch (the judge who issued the search warrant) is responsible for interpreting these laws.
The only “legitimate” concern that members of Congress should have at this point is that they are being reminded that they are not above the laws they created and that they are, indeed, “of the people”. The very essence of arrogance is to suggest that the search of an office of a member of Congress who is under investigation is not allowed under some misguided rules that are not specifically addressed in the US Constitution.
At this point, Mr. Jefferson may not be the only member of Congress who is in trouble with the law.
Prominent members of the Congress have expressed their collective concern over the FBI’s search of Mr. Jefferson’s congressional office. It seems there is some well-intentioned but misguided tradition by which the executive branch of the government cannot do such a thing to the legislative branch. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (again, party affiliation completely irrelevant) declared the search of Mr. Jefferson’s office to be “unconstitutional”; constitutional experts seem to disagree.
While the “hands-off” tradition between branches of the government is probably a good idea to some degree, this particular search involved all three branches: a judge (judicial) issued a search warrant to the FBI (executive) to search a congressman’s (legislative) office. Politics being what it is, there is a reason why laws exist to protect legislators from being harassed, manipulated, intimidated, or detained by the executive branch on not only the federal level but state levels as well.
Legislators are “we the people”. They are “us”. Instead of everyone going to the state capital to represent our concerns, we choose someone to attend in our stead. It is all part of the checks and balances system which exists within our system of government. One branch of the government cannot hold sway over another branch without due process. This is one of many very good reasons why judges should not be subject to the will of the people by popular vote.
Aside from political consideration between branches of the US government, however, there is also a reason why members of Congress should be concerned about what is happening. The current US president has an extremely low approval rating at this time. The approval rating of the US Congress is even lower. An argument can be made that the low congressional rating is a result of Republicans being in the majority, but this sort of argument would only go as far as partisan voters’ minds. In the end, there seems to be a general mistrust and suspicion of the Congress by the American people, and partisan politics cannot be blamed as the sole culprit.
The public’s mistrust of the Congress can be traced back to the term limits proposals that were enacted in some states as well as other proposals which were attempted at the federal level. That effort failed but not without great cost to former House Speaker Tom Foley. He was a leading opponent of citizen’s efforts to impose term limits on the federal level. Even though the measure was declared unconstitutional (it is) by the judicial branch, the voters reacted to what was perceived at the time as the very height of arrogance. The will of the people clashed with the will of a seemingly arrogant politician who seemed to suggest that the Congress does not have to answer to the voting public. The voters of Washington state, who denied Mr. Foley another term in office, reminded him that the Congress does in fact answer to the voters.
There may be legitimate legal concerns about Mr. Jefferson’s office having been searched and, we presume, documents relevant to the investigation seized, but these legal concerns must be traced to the branch of government responsible for creating laws, the Congress (legislative). The executive branch (FBI) is responsible for enforcing these same laws, and the judicial branch (the judge who issued the search warrant) is responsible for interpreting these laws.
The only “legitimate” concern that members of Congress should have at this point is that they are being reminded that they are not above the laws they created and that they are, indeed, “of the people”. The very essence of arrogance is to suggest that the search of an office of a member of Congress who is under investigation is not allowed under some misguided rules that are not specifically addressed in the US Constitution.
At this point, Mr. Jefferson may not be the only member of Congress who is in trouble with the law.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Gotta Wonder
This evening the new American Idol, Taylor Hicks, was crowned. More remarkable was the fact that 63 million votes were tallied and ready less than 24 hours later. The host of the show made mention that this is more votes than for any US president in history. What he failed to mention was that in presidential elections, we are (typically) only allowed to vote ONCE. I seriously doubt that 63 individuals voted in that election. (My wife and I were unable to vote because our 11-year-old daughter was playing softball, and she is the only one who knows how to text the vote!)
Meanwhile back in Arkansas, one county had some trouble with their new voting machines and ended up having to hand-count each ballot; they were expected to finish up sometime this evening. Not being real handy with numbers, I am still going to jump out on a limb and guess that the votes in that county will come in somewhere UNDER 63 million votes.
Even still, why is it that Hollywood and one accounting firm can tabulate this many votes in less than 24 hours but a government cannot manage a mid-term election vote tally? Is it the machines? Is it technology? Is it the expense of machines and technology? Or could it be that this accounting firm was under the gun of perhaps not being paid until the vote was final AND under threat of never again getting a chance to work for this TV show? Hmmm.
Just wondering.
Meanwhile back in Arkansas, one county had some trouble with their new voting machines and ended up having to hand-count each ballot; they were expected to finish up sometime this evening. Not being real handy with numbers, I am still going to jump out on a limb and guess that the votes in that county will come in somewhere UNDER 63 million votes.
Even still, why is it that Hollywood and one accounting firm can tabulate this many votes in less than 24 hours but a government cannot manage a mid-term election vote tally? Is it the machines? Is it technology? Is it the expense of machines and technology? Or could it be that this accounting firm was under the gun of perhaps not being paid until the vote was final AND under threat of never again getting a chance to work for this TV show? Hmmm.
Just wondering.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Legalisms
John Battern encountered a difficult situation and asked a question that actually has profound implications far beyond his host’s back yard and as I was leaving him a comment on his post, I was reminded of a situation only a few days ago as I was driving across town.
I am a listener of talk radio, and in my listening area the station is extremely conservative. On this particular day, the talk was centered around Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s comment that our aversion to illegal immigration may have more to do with our prejudices than with our concern about the law.
Just about the time the radio host was blasting the governor about HIS prejudiced comments, the driver in front of me rolled down his window and tossed his cigarette butt onto the street. Now I have no idea about the politics of the person who committed this crime, but my own prejudiced mind took in the older model pick up truck and the general appearance of the offender and came to the conclusion that this person could well be amongst that crowd that “don’t want no damn Mexicans coming into OUR country, but that don’t make me no bigot”. I know, I know; the Lord loves him, too.
Still, the loudest and most prevalent objections to illegal immigration that have been so eloquently stated come from those who cry out, “What part of ‘illegal’ don’t you understand?”
Tossing even a tiny cigarette butt onto the street is littering, pure and simple. And in Arkansas, littering is a crime. In all states, there are posted speed limits and even though state police usually don’t seem to bother with we who choose to go “just a tad” over the speed limit, the bottom line is that the law places a definitive limit on how fast we are allowed to drive on our streets and highways.
That “everyone does it” as the common argument does not make any of these acts any less a violation of a prescribed law, and yet we are clear in our objections that “we ain’t no damn bigots; we’se law-abidin’ citizens”.
This all goes beyond what we think and what we do and what we believe. It moves into the lives of our children whose futures we influence by what we teach them and how we teach them. By word does not have the same impact as by deed; children watch much better than they listen, and they learn by both.
In John’s case, a keg of beer was being served at a party for high school graduates at the home of a parent. What sort of message does this convey to those young people? And what would it say if a concerned neighbor had bothered to call the police and report that minors were being served alcohol and the parents had been taken away in handcuffs? You can argue that the kids would have just been drinking somewhere else, but that makes this offense no more right. The law is the law, yes? On private property? So? Beating one’s spouse or abusing one’s children even on private property is still illegal. There is no imminent domain in this case in which parents can provide alcohol to the class of 2006 and be exempt from the law that prohibits such acts.
If we are going to be honest about obeying the law, let’s at least look to ourselves and our own communities and our future generation of law breakers or law abiders (entirely our choice!) before we begin to worry about “them damn Mexicans”.
I am a listener of talk radio, and in my listening area the station is extremely conservative. On this particular day, the talk was centered around Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s comment that our aversion to illegal immigration may have more to do with our prejudices than with our concern about the law.
Just about the time the radio host was blasting the governor about HIS prejudiced comments, the driver in front of me rolled down his window and tossed his cigarette butt onto the street. Now I have no idea about the politics of the person who committed this crime, but my own prejudiced mind took in the older model pick up truck and the general appearance of the offender and came to the conclusion that this person could well be amongst that crowd that “don’t want no damn Mexicans coming into OUR country, but that don’t make me no bigot”. I know, I know; the Lord loves him, too.
Still, the loudest and most prevalent objections to illegal immigration that have been so eloquently stated come from those who cry out, “What part of ‘illegal’ don’t you understand?”
Tossing even a tiny cigarette butt onto the street is littering, pure and simple. And in Arkansas, littering is a crime. In all states, there are posted speed limits and even though state police usually don’t seem to bother with we who choose to go “just a tad” over the speed limit, the bottom line is that the law places a definitive limit on how fast we are allowed to drive on our streets and highways.
That “everyone does it” as the common argument does not make any of these acts any less a violation of a prescribed law, and yet we are clear in our objections that “we ain’t no damn bigots; we’se law-abidin’ citizens”.
This all goes beyond what we think and what we do and what we believe. It moves into the lives of our children whose futures we influence by what we teach them and how we teach them. By word does not have the same impact as by deed; children watch much better than they listen, and they learn by both.
In John’s case, a keg of beer was being served at a party for high school graduates at the home of a parent. What sort of message does this convey to those young people? And what would it say if a concerned neighbor had bothered to call the police and report that minors were being served alcohol and the parents had been taken away in handcuffs? You can argue that the kids would have just been drinking somewhere else, but that makes this offense no more right. The law is the law, yes? On private property? So? Beating one’s spouse or abusing one’s children even on private property is still illegal. There is no imminent domain in this case in which parents can provide alcohol to the class of 2006 and be exempt from the law that prohibits such acts.
If we are going to be honest about obeying the law, let’s at least look to ourselves and our own communities and our future generation of law breakers or law abiders (entirely our choice!) before we begin to worry about “them damn Mexicans”.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Choosing Priorities
John 14:1-11
I will be the first to admit that I absolutely LOVED The Da Vinci Code! I read the book a couple of years ago shortly after it first came out and literally could not put it down until I was finished. I found the story to be put together very well and the plot line very exciting. I will also admit that some items in the book gave me more to think about than my comfort zone at the time would allow.
Now that the movie has been released, I am not yet sure if I will go see it because I am afraid that it will not be as good as the book was for me. Through it all, however, I have never doubted that the whole story is ***FICTION***. Oh, there were a few trouble spots in the story line that forced me to go back more than once in the book to try and find the place where I might have missed something. You see, the author does use some historic pieces here and there that are used as nothing more than reference points. And there are some acknowledgments of past conflicts between orthodox Christianity and Gnosticism that can get the reader bogged down. Other than that, however, the story is entirely made up.
Prior to the release of the movie, church folks from all over have gotten more and more excited about what “harm” the movie might do to the Church and Christianity in general. In this the so-called church “leaders” have virtually insulted the masses – sort of like politicians – by suggesting that we cannot think for ourselves and must be “protected”.
Now I will grant you that the Church as a whole has been far too silent for far too long about some moral and social issues, and I also believe that the Church as a whole has come dangerously close to surrendering to society and our secular culture in a misguided effort to appease some. So maybe it is that these church folks who are trying to “protect” us from The Da Vinci Code are just a little too late, having surrendered a measure of credibility long ago, to speak of what is “right” and what is “wrong” now.
“Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.”
For those who may have been left confused about the premise of the book, Jesus has a word of encouragement. “Do not be alarmed”, He is saying. There is a core truth. Even back then Jesus was comforting His disciples because He knew full well that there will be moments of doubt about His mission, His ministry, and even His divinity. And Gnosticism challenges the divinity of Jesus as the Christ. What we are facing today with all the confusion about this novel is nothing new. I don’t believe for one moment that this book or movie poses any significant threat to the Church or to orthodox Christianity in general.
If there is any threat to the teachings of the Church as a whole, I assure you that the threat comes from within. In John 14:15, Jesus calls on His followers to prove their love for Him by obeying His commandments. Now we can speculate about WHICH commandments Jesus may be referring to and we can also speculate about the true definition of “love”, but what we cannot do is challenge what He means by this unless we are willing to admit that we are more “Gnostic” than we are “orthodox” because to challenge such a statement as this is to challenge the divinity of the Christ Himself.
When questioned about the “greatest” commandment of them all, Jesus responds in Matthew 22:37: “You shall love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the FIRST and great commandment and the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
So it would seem that before we worry too much about what Dan Brown says, we might want to pay a little more attention to what Jesus is saying. Some might suggest that Dan Brown’s novel threatens the credibility of the Gospels. I say to you AGAIN that the threat to the Gospel – the GOOD NEWS – of Christ comes from we who consistently fail to live up to the very high standards that Jesus established.
The Church in its rich and storied history has a lot to be pleased with – and much to be ashamed of. The Church’s past is filled with men of power who ordered others killed because they didn’t think “right” or worship “right” or believe “right”. Thankfully, this is all in the past.
Or is it?
Contrary to what others have said, Dan Brown makes no remarkable “claims” to truth. As a writer, he set out to write a book that would sell and make him a living; he’s done that and THEN some. As for historic “claims”, it is a matter of pure speculation. He makes it clear in the beginning that his is a book of PURE FICTION and nothing more.
Jesus, on the other hand, does make some rather remarkable claims and He refers to Himself as “THE TRUTH” as well as “the way” and “the life”. In 1 John 5:6 it is written: “This is He who came by water and blood – Jesus the Christ; not only by water but by water and blood. And it is the SPIRIT who bears witness because the SPIRIT is TRUTH.”
My dear friends, do not let church folks tell you what you should be afraid of or what you should be mindful of unless they are telling you to BELIEVE the SPIRIT. As it is written: “IF we receive the witness of MEN, the witness of God is GREATER; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.”
The PEACE, the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE of Christ Jesus be with you now and forever.
AMEN.
I will be the first to admit that I absolutely LOVED The Da Vinci Code! I read the book a couple of years ago shortly after it first came out and literally could not put it down until I was finished. I found the story to be put together very well and the plot line very exciting. I will also admit that some items in the book gave me more to think about than my comfort zone at the time would allow.
Now that the movie has been released, I am not yet sure if I will go see it because I am afraid that it will not be as good as the book was for me. Through it all, however, I have never doubted that the whole story is ***FICTION***. Oh, there were a few trouble spots in the story line that forced me to go back more than once in the book to try and find the place where I might have missed something. You see, the author does use some historic pieces here and there that are used as nothing more than reference points. And there are some acknowledgments of past conflicts between orthodox Christianity and Gnosticism that can get the reader bogged down. Other than that, however, the story is entirely made up.
Prior to the release of the movie, church folks from all over have gotten more and more excited about what “harm” the movie might do to the Church and Christianity in general. In this the so-called church “leaders” have virtually insulted the masses – sort of like politicians – by suggesting that we cannot think for ourselves and must be “protected”.
Now I will grant you that the Church as a whole has been far too silent for far too long about some moral and social issues, and I also believe that the Church as a whole has come dangerously close to surrendering to society and our secular culture in a misguided effort to appease some. So maybe it is that these church folks who are trying to “protect” us from The Da Vinci Code are just a little too late, having surrendered a measure of credibility long ago, to speak of what is “right” and what is “wrong” now.
“Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.”
For those who may have been left confused about the premise of the book, Jesus has a word of encouragement. “Do not be alarmed”, He is saying. There is a core truth. Even back then Jesus was comforting His disciples because He knew full well that there will be moments of doubt about His mission, His ministry, and even His divinity. And Gnosticism challenges the divinity of Jesus as the Christ. What we are facing today with all the confusion about this novel is nothing new. I don’t believe for one moment that this book or movie poses any significant threat to the Church or to orthodox Christianity in general.
If there is any threat to the teachings of the Church as a whole, I assure you that the threat comes from within. In John 14:15, Jesus calls on His followers to prove their love for Him by obeying His commandments. Now we can speculate about WHICH commandments Jesus may be referring to and we can also speculate about the true definition of “love”, but what we cannot do is challenge what He means by this unless we are willing to admit that we are more “Gnostic” than we are “orthodox” because to challenge such a statement as this is to challenge the divinity of the Christ Himself.
When questioned about the “greatest” commandment of them all, Jesus responds in Matthew 22:37: “You shall love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the FIRST and great commandment and the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
So it would seem that before we worry too much about what Dan Brown says, we might want to pay a little more attention to what Jesus is saying. Some might suggest that Dan Brown’s novel threatens the credibility of the Gospels. I say to you AGAIN that the threat to the Gospel – the GOOD NEWS – of Christ comes from we who consistently fail to live up to the very high standards that Jesus established.
The Church in its rich and storied history has a lot to be pleased with – and much to be ashamed of. The Church’s past is filled with men of power who ordered others killed because they didn’t think “right” or worship “right” or believe “right”. Thankfully, this is all in the past.
Or is it?
Contrary to what others have said, Dan Brown makes no remarkable “claims” to truth. As a writer, he set out to write a book that would sell and make him a living; he’s done that and THEN some. As for historic “claims”, it is a matter of pure speculation. He makes it clear in the beginning that his is a book of PURE FICTION and nothing more.
Jesus, on the other hand, does make some rather remarkable claims and He refers to Himself as “THE TRUTH” as well as “the way” and “the life”. In 1 John 5:6 it is written: “This is He who came by water and blood – Jesus the Christ; not only by water but by water and blood. And it is the SPIRIT who bears witness because the SPIRIT is TRUTH.”
My dear friends, do not let church folks tell you what you should be afraid of or what you should be mindful of unless they are telling you to BELIEVE the SPIRIT. As it is written: “IF we receive the witness of MEN, the witness of God is GREATER; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.”
The PEACE, the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE of Christ Jesus be with you now and forever.
AMEN.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
So What If Jesus Was Married?
Christian history has never been as interesting to so many as it is now with the phenomenal success of The Da Vinci Code. With the movie soon to be released, those who are not inclined to read books will likely go see what all the hoo-haa is about. What they will find is an incredibly exciting and well-written story probably very well-played by the talented Tom Hanks. Anything beyond that will merely be icing on the cake. But why the interest in Christianity now? And more to the point, why are church people all over the country so bent out of shape over “heretical” fiction (is there such a thing?)?
Catholics have been advised by the Church to avoid reading the book or seeing the movie because of the negative light shed upon the secretive Catholic organization Opus Dei, about which very little is known, and the Catholic Church in general. Christians in general have been discouraged from indulging merely because of the premised “secret” marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene and other “inaccuracies” that might mislead those who are perhaps weak in the faith. All in all, the protests from various Christian groups have helped this book break publishing records even as they have protested its contents.
Considering much of what is considered to be symbolic in the Bible, it is interesting that Christians would protest so vehemently the notion that Jesus as a man, divine though He was, could have possibly been married during His time on this earth. If all things remained the same with the exception of a wedding, would Jesus’ message be any less valued or valuable? Would His authority somehow be diminished if it were to be discovered that such a thing could have actually been possible? Would the divinity of Christ somehow take a “hit” if He were to have sullied Himself with such a worldly institution?
But wait. Marriage as taught by the Catholic Church is not a “worldly” institution, and in most Protestant doctrines it is taught as a “holy ordinance”. It is held as a sacrament of Christ’s holy Church, a gift from the Lord God. If we are encouraged to marry, how could the possibility of Jesus having been married somehow change the nature of His divinity?
By far too many traditions and teachings, Mary Magdalene has been portrayed as a prostitute by some Christian fundamentalists even though there is no correlation mentioned in the Bible between “prostitute” and Mary. This is also part of the “conspiracy” in Dan Brown’s novel that the Church had "fictionally" worked diligently to suppress. It must also be considered then to have implications far beyond merely what we know or have faith to believe to be true.
What if Mary was in fact a prostitute and Jesus married her after He had exorcised the seven demons? What would this say about the nature of the relationship between Christ and his people? Though there are many who would fight to the death any notion of such a relationship, there is a much bigger picture that must be considered. What could be derived from the knowledge of such a relationship? How could modern man possibly fathom such a union, and what would it take for disciples to swallow such a proposition?
There are many references in the New Testament of Christ the Bridegroom and His Church the bride. Jesus broke bread with sinners and tax collectors, a gathering that Pharisees and scribes tried to use as ammunition against Jesus, considering these people to be unclean and certainly not worthy of being in the presence of the Lord Himself. Yet Jesus preached all along that He did not come to condemn the world but, rather, to save us. He reminded any who would listen that those who are well are not in need of a physician. In all this, what is Christ saying to the world?
Could such a relationship between a woman like Mary, prostitute or not but formerly unclean in any case, and Jesus tell us something more about the spiritual relationship between Christ and His Church? It would speak volumes if the church were to acknowledge that we are a congregation of sinners rather than saints. It would be a voluminous message to those who live in a dark world and languish in despair. It would be a message that there is hope for a world in need of salvation and that Jesus Himself would still sit down to break bread with us as “worthy” of our invitation to have Him enter into our lives and our homes.
I do not know that Jesus was married anymore than I know that He was not. What I do know deep within the recesses of my being is that the Lord God chose to reach out to a world seemingly without hope to give us hope. Does it make me a gnostic if I were to believe that Jesus could have been married? Does it make me a heretic somehow if I were to acknowledge that there is more that I don't know than that I do know? Do I somehow not fit in with mainstream, orthodox Christianity if I believe that the LIFE of Christ Jesus was - and is - as significant to me as a disciple as His death and that His life, however spent, is supposed to be the model upon which I am to build my own life?
Catholics have been advised by the Church to avoid reading the book or seeing the movie because of the negative light shed upon the secretive Catholic organization Opus Dei, about which very little is known, and the Catholic Church in general. Christians in general have been discouraged from indulging merely because of the premised “secret” marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene and other “inaccuracies” that might mislead those who are perhaps weak in the faith. All in all, the protests from various Christian groups have helped this book break publishing records even as they have protested its contents.
Considering much of what is considered to be symbolic in the Bible, it is interesting that Christians would protest so vehemently the notion that Jesus as a man, divine though He was, could have possibly been married during His time on this earth. If all things remained the same with the exception of a wedding, would Jesus’ message be any less valued or valuable? Would His authority somehow be diminished if it were to be discovered that such a thing could have actually been possible? Would the divinity of Christ somehow take a “hit” if He were to have sullied Himself with such a worldly institution?
But wait. Marriage as taught by the Catholic Church is not a “worldly” institution, and in most Protestant doctrines it is taught as a “holy ordinance”. It is held as a sacrament of Christ’s holy Church, a gift from the Lord God. If we are encouraged to marry, how could the possibility of Jesus having been married somehow change the nature of His divinity?
By far too many traditions and teachings, Mary Magdalene has been portrayed as a prostitute by some Christian fundamentalists even though there is no correlation mentioned in the Bible between “prostitute” and Mary. This is also part of the “conspiracy” in Dan Brown’s novel that the Church had "fictionally" worked diligently to suppress. It must also be considered then to have implications far beyond merely what we know or have faith to believe to be true.
What if Mary was in fact a prostitute and Jesus married her after He had exorcised the seven demons? What would this say about the nature of the relationship between Christ and his people? Though there are many who would fight to the death any notion of such a relationship, there is a much bigger picture that must be considered. What could be derived from the knowledge of such a relationship? How could modern man possibly fathom such a union, and what would it take for disciples to swallow such a proposition?
There are many references in the New Testament of Christ the Bridegroom and His Church the bride. Jesus broke bread with sinners and tax collectors, a gathering that Pharisees and scribes tried to use as ammunition against Jesus, considering these people to be unclean and certainly not worthy of being in the presence of the Lord Himself. Yet Jesus preached all along that He did not come to condemn the world but, rather, to save us. He reminded any who would listen that those who are well are not in need of a physician. In all this, what is Christ saying to the world?
Could such a relationship between a woman like Mary, prostitute or not but formerly unclean in any case, and Jesus tell us something more about the spiritual relationship between Christ and His Church? It would speak volumes if the church were to acknowledge that we are a congregation of sinners rather than saints. It would be a voluminous message to those who live in a dark world and languish in despair. It would be a message that there is hope for a world in need of salvation and that Jesus Himself would still sit down to break bread with us as “worthy” of our invitation to have Him enter into our lives and our homes.
I do not know that Jesus was married anymore than I know that He was not. What I do know deep within the recesses of my being is that the Lord God chose to reach out to a world seemingly without hope to give us hope. Does it make me a gnostic if I were to believe that Jesus could have been married? Does it make me a heretic somehow if I were to acknowledge that there is more that I don't know than that I do know? Do I somehow not fit in with mainstream, orthodox Christianity if I believe that the LIFE of Christ Jesus was - and is - as significant to me as a disciple as His death and that His life, however spent, is supposed to be the model upon which I am to build my own life?
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Getting Through the Day
It was reported in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that the youth pastor from Warren (AR) United Methodist Church was arrested for using the Internet to arrange intimate encounters with minors. He is 33 years old; the child was "under 16". He has been charged with attempted sexual assault and Internet stalking of a child. He was arrested at his home, and his laptop was seized from the CHURCH OFFICE and sent to the state's crime lab for analysis. Police declined to say whether the youth pastor and the girl knew each other from church, but they did say the child was NOT assaulted.
....... **** long pause ****.......
It was also reported today that the treasurer for the Arkansas Conference confessed to the bishop that he had been diverting Conference funds for his personal use. He was immediately terminated and has promised full cooperation, including restitution. The article did not say how much money was taken, and the bishop has yet to decide whether there will be criminal charges.
.......***** another cup of coffee *****........
Sometimes there are no words. In fact, I cannot say for sure right now that I even have emotions. I don't feel a thing. These stories are cropping up in the news seemingly more frequently than ever before (or are these just the stories I happen to notice?).
How easy it is to be tempted without fully realizing or appreciating the destruction that lies in wait! We who call ourselves "believers" or "disciples" do not realize how easy we make it for hecklers to turn up their noses at the Best News Ever all the while laughing at us for being no different from they who are equally tempted by money and flesh. I also wonder the level of faith that ever existed in one who can so easily be taken right out from under the Lord's nose (in a manner of speaking, of course). Of course I would hope that the former youth pastor was at least smart enough not to .... oh, who are we kidding?
We ARE held to a higher standard than what the world would expect. We do not surrender to man's whims even as we are ridiculed for being "narrow-minded", "bigoted", etc. But when we demand that our church more accurately reflect the values of contemporary society, contemporary society is precisely what we will get. "You reap what you sow."
Being a diversified church means no more than coming from different backgrounds, different cultures, different races, different nationalities. The personality of Christ's Holy Church is losing her moral authority because she has become a thing of this world and not of the next. We are fighting our own battles from within because the evil one has been invited in.
You want to talk about love? First tell me what it means. "Agape" love, the kind of love Jesus supposedly had for His people. Tell me what it means. Tell me because I really want to know.
For my perspective, love means direct confrontations with danger. Just as I do with my own children, if they violate the rules of our home or our standards of behavior, they will pay a price and immediate correction will be expected. There are no long, drawn-out discussions about the "diversity" of opinions. My wife and I are of like mind, and our rules reign supreme in our household. Telling the children WHY what they do is harmful or dangerous is also part of the teaching process but, of course, you can virtually HEAR the eyes rolling while the "discussion" is going on.
My point is simply this: we the church CANNOT, MUST NOT become a reflection of society or of our contemporary culture. We CANNOT, MUST NOT succumb to the enormous temptations that exist in this world. Christ's Holy Church MUST ALWAYS stand as a sanctuary AGAINST contemporary culture, or she will cease being Christ's church. As it is right now, the church - or what is left of it - is becoming more and more like "culturally relevant". That is to say, the church is working its fingers to the bone giving in to a society that, like children, will take and take and take until there is nothing left to take. The one essential - genuine respect - will be absent. This must be earned, and it cannot be earned by being complacent or by being unable to stand on sound principles. If the church cannot or will not stand on moral principles, it cannot exercise moral authority. Once this is gone, there is nothing left to separate the sheep from the goats.
The only thing that gets me through days like this when all seems lost is only in knowing that He will one day put an end to it. In the meantime, I can only pray His mercy on others just as I continue to pray mercy for myself.
....... **** long pause ****.......
It was also reported today that the treasurer for the Arkansas Conference confessed to the bishop that he had been diverting Conference funds for his personal use. He was immediately terminated and has promised full cooperation, including restitution. The article did not say how much money was taken, and the bishop has yet to decide whether there will be criminal charges.
.......***** another cup of coffee *****........
Sometimes there are no words. In fact, I cannot say for sure right now that I even have emotions. I don't feel a thing. These stories are cropping up in the news seemingly more frequently than ever before (or are these just the stories I happen to notice?).
How easy it is to be tempted without fully realizing or appreciating the destruction that lies in wait! We who call ourselves "believers" or "disciples" do not realize how easy we make it for hecklers to turn up their noses at the Best News Ever all the while laughing at us for being no different from they who are equally tempted by money and flesh. I also wonder the level of faith that ever existed in one who can so easily be taken right out from under the Lord's nose (in a manner of speaking, of course). Of course I would hope that the former youth pastor was at least smart enough not to .... oh, who are we kidding?
We ARE held to a higher standard than what the world would expect. We do not surrender to man's whims even as we are ridiculed for being "narrow-minded", "bigoted", etc. But when we demand that our church more accurately reflect the values of contemporary society, contemporary society is precisely what we will get. "You reap what you sow."
Being a diversified church means no more than coming from different backgrounds, different cultures, different races, different nationalities. The personality of Christ's Holy Church is losing her moral authority because she has become a thing of this world and not of the next. We are fighting our own battles from within because the evil one has been invited in.
You want to talk about love? First tell me what it means. "Agape" love, the kind of love Jesus supposedly had for His people. Tell me what it means. Tell me because I really want to know.
For my perspective, love means direct confrontations with danger. Just as I do with my own children, if they violate the rules of our home or our standards of behavior, they will pay a price and immediate correction will be expected. There are no long, drawn-out discussions about the "diversity" of opinions. My wife and I are of like mind, and our rules reign supreme in our household. Telling the children WHY what they do is harmful or dangerous is also part of the teaching process but, of course, you can virtually HEAR the eyes rolling while the "discussion" is going on.
My point is simply this: we the church CANNOT, MUST NOT become a reflection of society or of our contemporary culture. We CANNOT, MUST NOT succumb to the enormous temptations that exist in this world. Christ's Holy Church MUST ALWAYS stand as a sanctuary AGAINST contemporary culture, or she will cease being Christ's church. As it is right now, the church - or what is left of it - is becoming more and more like "culturally relevant". That is to say, the church is working its fingers to the bone giving in to a society that, like children, will take and take and take until there is nothing left to take. The one essential - genuine respect - will be absent. This must be earned, and it cannot be earned by being complacent or by being unable to stand on sound principles. If the church cannot or will not stand on moral principles, it cannot exercise moral authority. Once this is gone, there is nothing left to separate the sheep from the goats.
The only thing that gets me through days like this when all seems lost is only in knowing that He will one day put an end to it. In the meantime, I can only pray His mercy on others just as I continue to pray mercy for myself.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Lest We Be Judged
There is a man I know who recently left his wife for another woman and now attends church with his new love. It must be known that this man's wife is an active member of one church, and it is highly unlikely that she has been involved in any sort of extramarital affair though it is clear that this man is now. To complicate matters, he attends church pretty regularly with his new "friend". I don't know if they have plans to marry anytime soon, but I have to admit that I am extremely uncomfortable with the prospect that they may one day choose to do so or that the pastor of their church will allow it to happen, if not actually officiate.
The UM Judicial Council ruled that a pastor has broad "power" (and I hesitate to use that word) to decide who may or may not join a church, depending upon the new parishioner's understanding of what church membership actually entails. Rather than "power", I think "responsibility" or "duty" or "obligation" would be more appropriate words to use in the case of a pastor who would deny membership or nuptials under certain circumstances. In fact, "duty" would be more appropriate for the pastor to deny this man any active role in the life of this new church lest this man come to believe that what he has done can somehow be justified.
Who has a duty to speak up in such a case? Would it be appropriate for me to contact this pastor and make him aware of this man's new life? After all, we each have obligations toward one another. Is it right to allow this man to believe that what he has done, and is doing, is somehow ok? Like back in my drinking days when I chose alcohol over my own family (is this any less cheating?) and nearly destroyed my life and my family, this man's spiritual well-being may be in jeopardy. If I am truly a disciple of Christ and if I truly possess Christ-like love in my heart, should I not be disturbed that this man is poisoning not only himself but his new "friend" and perhaps his own children who are witnesses to this new relationship? Are they being somehow taught that what he has done is acceptable?
As I have stated so often in writings and in sermons (as quoting Fr. Corapi of EWTN), genuine, biblical, agape love is not an emotion; it is an intentional act of the will such as Jesus' refusal to back away from His crucifixion. His prayer at Gethsemane indicates very much a Man who did not cherish this "cup" that He asked to be removed from Him; He did not want to do this thing. However, a love that can only come from a divine heart somehow knew that this coming series of events was not about Him as an individual; it was about the love of the Almighty Father for an entire world of persons. "Self" chose others.
We all suffer to one extent or another, and in some cases it is ok to pursue other options such as a new job. A marriage, however, is another story. Our culture, our society, would tend toward telling this man that the Lord wants him to be happy and if he has been unhappy in his marriage, then he should do whatever it takes to regain his own happiness. Our scripture, however, says something entirely different. It is not ok to leave hearth and home in pursuit of worldly desires. The Bible makes this abundantly clear; our churches do not.
The UM Judicial Council ruled that a pastor has broad "power" (and I hesitate to use that word) to decide who may or may not join a church, depending upon the new parishioner's understanding of what church membership actually entails. Rather than "power", I think "responsibility" or "duty" or "obligation" would be more appropriate words to use in the case of a pastor who would deny membership or nuptials under certain circumstances. In fact, "duty" would be more appropriate for the pastor to deny this man any active role in the life of this new church lest this man come to believe that what he has done can somehow be justified.
Who has a duty to speak up in such a case? Would it be appropriate for me to contact this pastor and make him aware of this man's new life? After all, we each have obligations toward one another. Is it right to allow this man to believe that what he has done, and is doing, is somehow ok? Like back in my drinking days when I chose alcohol over my own family (is this any less cheating?) and nearly destroyed my life and my family, this man's spiritual well-being may be in jeopardy. If I am truly a disciple of Christ and if I truly possess Christ-like love in my heart, should I not be disturbed that this man is poisoning not only himself but his new "friend" and perhaps his own children who are witnesses to this new relationship? Are they being somehow taught that what he has done is acceptable?
As I have stated so often in writings and in sermons (as quoting Fr. Corapi of EWTN), genuine, biblical, agape love is not an emotion; it is an intentional act of the will such as Jesus' refusal to back away from His crucifixion. His prayer at Gethsemane indicates very much a Man who did not cherish this "cup" that He asked to be removed from Him; He did not want to do this thing. However, a love that can only come from a divine heart somehow knew that this coming series of events was not about Him as an individual; it was about the love of the Almighty Father for an entire world of persons. "Self" chose others.
We all suffer to one extent or another, and in some cases it is ok to pursue other options such as a new job. A marriage, however, is another story. Our culture, our society, would tend toward telling this man that the Lord wants him to be happy and if he has been unhappy in his marriage, then he should do whatever it takes to regain his own happiness. Our scripture, however, says something entirely different. It is not ok to leave hearth and home in pursuit of worldly desires. The Bible makes this abundantly clear; our churches do not.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Politics in Law
For the last few years, voters and politicians alike have shown their extreme concern about judges with a “political” agenda serving time on any bench. Equal time has been spent by conservatives and liberals alike about judges who “legislate” from the bench. In simple terms, if we disagree with a judge’s decision, that judge must have “an agenda”.
Arkansas Appellate Court Judge Wendell Griffen and Roger Harrod are both running for open seats on the Arkansas Supreme Court. Both men are CAMPAIGNING openly with political agendas of their own, and we are left wondering how either can possibly not enter into a court room with prejudices already firming in place? Appointees for US Supreme Court seats are loathe to speak too freely during confirmation hearings about issues that may come before the Supreme Court, giving a more reasonable response that it would be unfair to judge any case based on general notions rather than on the finer legal points pertaining to each case.
What is a voter to do, then, when candidates for a state Supreme Court seat work to garner our support not by touting their legal experiences but rather by telling us what they think? Here is the twist: Judge Griffen is being investigated by the state’s judicial commission for violating the state’s code of judicial conduct, which requires that a candidate to judicial office “maintain the dignity appropriate to judicial office.”
So he’s running for office and he is speaking to issues about which he is passionate and he has to get out in front of voters who will ultimately decide whether he can have the state Supreme Court seat, and he is being “investigated” for somehow diminishing the dignity of the office?
I grow very tired of hearing Judge Griffen tell me (a voter) how bad things are for black Americans and how President Bush is responsible for Hurricane Katrina and how the president must have, by design, made it hard for all those (black Americans) who refused to leave to get out once New Orleans was virtually under water. This man has a spike in his boot about just about anything relative to conservative issues and religion in general and “whitey”. However, is he not free to speak up?
The judicial commission gets to decide how far an appellate judge can go in speaking up in public. Is this fair? Would we be better off somehow if all judges; regardless of local, state, or federal level; were to be appointed by the mayor or the governor or the president? We seem to have a problem with judges getting a lifetime appointment, but we now seem to have a problem with potential justices (and sitting judges) speaking out loud from beyond the bench as if they are not entitled to their own human prejudices and frailties and failures.
We just can’t seem to make up our minds.
Arkansas Appellate Court Judge Wendell Griffen and Roger Harrod are both running for open seats on the Arkansas Supreme Court. Both men are CAMPAIGNING openly with political agendas of their own, and we are left wondering how either can possibly not enter into a court room with prejudices already firming in place? Appointees for US Supreme Court seats are loathe to speak too freely during confirmation hearings about issues that may come before the Supreme Court, giving a more reasonable response that it would be unfair to judge any case based on general notions rather than on the finer legal points pertaining to each case.
What is a voter to do, then, when candidates for a state Supreme Court seat work to garner our support not by touting their legal experiences but rather by telling us what they think? Here is the twist: Judge Griffen is being investigated by the state’s judicial commission for violating the state’s code of judicial conduct, which requires that a candidate to judicial office “maintain the dignity appropriate to judicial office.”
So he’s running for office and he is speaking to issues about which he is passionate and he has to get out in front of voters who will ultimately decide whether he can have the state Supreme Court seat, and he is being “investigated” for somehow diminishing the dignity of the office?
I grow very tired of hearing Judge Griffen tell me (a voter) how bad things are for black Americans and how President Bush is responsible for Hurricane Katrina and how the president must have, by design, made it hard for all those (black Americans) who refused to leave to get out once New Orleans was virtually under water. This man has a spike in his boot about just about anything relative to conservative issues and religion in general and “whitey”. However, is he not free to speak up?
The judicial commission gets to decide how far an appellate judge can go in speaking up in public. Is this fair? Would we be better off somehow if all judges; regardless of local, state, or federal level; were to be appointed by the mayor or the governor or the president? We seem to have a problem with judges getting a lifetime appointment, but we now seem to have a problem with potential justices (and sitting judges) speaking out loud from beyond the bench as if they are not entitled to their own human prejudices and frailties and failures.
We just can’t seem to make up our minds.
A Fit of Irony
Arkansas Appellate Court Judge Wendell Griffen has been making waves for quite some time. By all accounts, he is articulate, well-educated, charismatic, out-spoken, and not afraid to speak his mind. When the University of Arkansas fired basketball coach Nolan Richardson, Judge Griffen was at the forefront of the supposed fight over whether or not Mr. Richardson was mistreated by the University. Coach Richardson was fired for speaking his mind out loud.
In most other circumstances, skin color or race would have little to do with what I offer to you today. However, it must be said that these two particular gentlemen have been most outspoken about the continuing struggle of African-Americans and how mistreated blacks in general. Both gentlemen happen to be black.
Why is the color of their skin relevant? Because both men are loud, obnoxious, and unafraid to speak up. In politics, in law, in religion, tact is everything. There is always a more appropriate time and place to speak up, and the audience must be considered in all circumstances. But what makes these two gentlemen unique in their “struggle” against white society is the mere fact that both men are well-educated, very influential, and extremely successful in their endeavors. So it begs the question: if things are so bad for black Americans, how did they (and so many others) manage to make it?
Could it possibly be because they both determined long ago that they may actually have to work hard to achieve all they intended to achieve? Could it possibly be that they are successful because they actually worked for, and earned, their own achievements?
My being white precludes me from knowing too much about what it must have been like to grow up black in America, so I acknowledge that I lack a certain perspective. Having said this, however, I recall former Oklahoma congressman J.C. Watts (a black man) saying that he was not the least bit interested in someone “insulting” him by suggesting that standards must be lowered to accommodate him or any other black person who is willing to work hard to achieve a goal. Looking at Judge Griffen and Coach Richardson and hearing Mr. Watts, what is left for me to know? All three gentlemen are proof positive that the “system” some have professed to struggle against is the same “system” that worked for them and for countless others who chose not to feel sorry for themselves but chose instead to buckle down and do whatever it takes to achieve their goals and live their own dreams.
It takes sheer hard work and determination to become a successful basketball coach (Mr. Richardson was, and can be still) or a judge or a congressman. None of these things come easily regardless of the color of one’s skin. So they struggled and achieved. Why would they suggest that others coming after them work any less hard for the same goals?
In most other circumstances, skin color or race would have little to do with what I offer to you today. However, it must be said that these two particular gentlemen have been most outspoken about the continuing struggle of African-Americans and how mistreated blacks in general. Both gentlemen happen to be black.
Why is the color of their skin relevant? Because both men are loud, obnoxious, and unafraid to speak up. In politics, in law, in religion, tact is everything. There is always a more appropriate time and place to speak up, and the audience must be considered in all circumstances. But what makes these two gentlemen unique in their “struggle” against white society is the mere fact that both men are well-educated, very influential, and extremely successful in their endeavors. So it begs the question: if things are so bad for black Americans, how did they (and so many others) manage to make it?
Could it possibly be because they both determined long ago that they may actually have to work hard to achieve all they intended to achieve? Could it possibly be that they are successful because they actually worked for, and earned, their own achievements?
My being white precludes me from knowing too much about what it must have been like to grow up black in America, so I acknowledge that I lack a certain perspective. Having said this, however, I recall former Oklahoma congressman J.C. Watts (a black man) saying that he was not the least bit interested in someone “insulting” him by suggesting that standards must be lowered to accommodate him or any other black person who is willing to work hard to achieve a goal. Looking at Judge Griffen and Coach Richardson and hearing Mr. Watts, what is left for me to know? All three gentlemen are proof positive that the “system” some have professed to struggle against is the same “system” that worked for them and for countless others who chose not to feel sorry for themselves but chose instead to buckle down and do whatever it takes to achieve their goals and live their own dreams.
It takes sheer hard work and determination to become a successful basketball coach (Mr. Richardson was, and can be still) or a judge or a congressman. None of these things come easily regardless of the color of one’s skin. So they struggled and achieved. Why would they suggest that others coming after them work any less hard for the same goals?
Unreasonable Expectations
It's been a pretty tough week for me, so I've neglected my writing. In fact, I've neglected almost everything, choosing instead to draw up to myself and have a pity party. The reasons are not as important as my reactions to the circumstances that caused my distress. Suffice it to say, this has been the least productive week possibly of my entire life.
Numbers 11 is a piece of work in which the Israelites once again complain to Moses that the manna they receive abundantly and without any effort is no longer good enough for their nourishment; they want meat. It is no longer enough that they are being sustained and that their genuine needs are being met. They have desires, and they are beginning to remember (yet again) how "good" things were when they lived in bondage in Egypt. They recall all the different foods that were available to them, not realizing that they were being sustained like so much livestock.
(There could be a whole other thought about how food and eating should not be taken as some kind of recreational sport, but that is for another time.)
In the end, the Israelites get quail virtually thrust upon them and judgement soon follows due to their ungrateful hearts and lack of faith. They choke on the meat they thought they could not live without.
This is where I am now, dear reader. I have suffered some personal and professional setbacks and I have spent the week complaining that what I want is not coming to fruition, so there must be this grand conspiracy to "get" me. While this may be true, it is the aftermath of reacting to such circumstances that define the condition of the heart and soul. The "manna" that has been in my life in such abundance has suddenly become tiresome and is no longer good enough.
Though I still have a lot more to do in my efforts to "get over it", I am well on my way to being more aware of the blessings that are in my life in no small measure. I am being given all I could possibly "need", and then some. Why is it not good enough? I fear it is because I am wrapped far too tightly in my flesh and have neglected my spiritual needs which are substantial.
Count your blessings, dear readers. If we were to take stock of all the good in our lives and focus more on what we have rather than on what we think we lack, we could more easily see the majesty of the Lord in our lives just as surely as we can see Him in a fiery sunset.
He is there, and He is now.
Numbers 11 is a piece of work in which the Israelites once again complain to Moses that the manna they receive abundantly and without any effort is no longer good enough for their nourishment; they want meat. It is no longer enough that they are being sustained and that their genuine needs are being met. They have desires, and they are beginning to remember (yet again) how "good" things were when they lived in bondage in Egypt. They recall all the different foods that were available to them, not realizing that they were being sustained like so much livestock.
(There could be a whole other thought about how food and eating should not be taken as some kind of recreational sport, but that is for another time.)
In the end, the Israelites get quail virtually thrust upon them and judgement soon follows due to their ungrateful hearts and lack of faith. They choke on the meat they thought they could not live without.
This is where I am now, dear reader. I have suffered some personal and professional setbacks and I have spent the week complaining that what I want is not coming to fruition, so there must be this grand conspiracy to "get" me. While this may be true, it is the aftermath of reacting to such circumstances that define the condition of the heart and soul. The "manna" that has been in my life in such abundance has suddenly become tiresome and is no longer good enough.
Though I still have a lot more to do in my efforts to "get over it", I am well on my way to being more aware of the blessings that are in my life in no small measure. I am being given all I could possibly "need", and then some. Why is it not good enough? I fear it is because I am wrapped far too tightly in my flesh and have neglected my spiritual needs which are substantial.
Count your blessings, dear readers. If we were to take stock of all the good in our lives and focus more on what we have rather than on what we think we lack, we could more easily see the majesty of the Lord in our lives just as surely as we can see Him in a fiery sunset.
He is there, and He is now.
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