Freedom
is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by
the oppressed. -Martin Luther King Jr.
If
we direct an attitude of self-denial (or fasting) toward social
action, where will our "pointing finger" be likely to point
first? Are you guilty of any forms of oppression to others at work,
church or socially? (Serendipity Bible, 10th
Anniversary Edition page 1042).
In
Bible times slavery was an accepted institution. Sometimes even St.
Paul seemed to be okay with it. Now I think we will all say
thankfully it is seen as quite otherwise, and we can pause in
wonderment that it could have ever seemed right to enslave others.
I
often think of our society and wonder what people from another era
will look back upon as shameful oppressions that we tolerated and did
not even perceive as such. My prayer today is that God will allow us
to think outside the box and see clearly our world and its
institutions within the convicting light of truth. Certainly there
is no hope of us ever getting out of the box unless we exercise
kindness extensively in our everyday lives. We must come to
understand that the evil of oppression is obdurate and freedom from
it requires eternal vigilance and God's holy light.
What
is your first reaction to TV or newspaper reports of homeless people:
"They probably are just too lazy to work"? or "We
ought to do something to help"? Why? (Serendipity Bible
10th Anniversary Edition, page 1042).
When
Kathy was deathly ill, some good intentioned people put tremendous
pressure upon me when they would express their belief that Kathy
would be healed if only we (translated—I) had enough faith. The
inevitable corollary to that belief was that if she did not recover,
it would be the result of a deplorable lack of faith (primarily
mine). In other words, at a time when I was stressed to the point of
desperation because of her critical condition in intensive care, I
was served an additional measure of stress and guilt that was almost
unbearable. I mention this because I find it related to our attitudes
regarding the homeless. We tell the homeless (and unemployed) “If
only you were not lazy you would have a job”—we tell this to
people already under unimaginable stress, especially those with
families to provide for. We tell those already feeling guilty as hell
regarding their situation and struggling with feelings of tattered
self-worth that if only they were not lazy all would be well. Human
insensitivity—even cruelty—at times can be almost unbelievable.
To the homeless and the chronically unemployed I would simply suggest
that the next time someone makes this allegation about you, that you
respond simply "Offer me a living wage job right here, right
now, and see how lazy I am." Why is it that we insist on
heaping pressure and blame upon others, rather than asking how we can
best help? My belief is that it is because we know only too well
the vulnerabilities of our precarious self-righteousness and the
unearned advantages that belie our insufferable pretensions to merit.
What
“obstacles” (v .14 [below]) are hindering God's work in your
life? What areas of your spiritual walk are in need of repair?
(Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page 1041).
And
it will be said:
“Build
up, build up, prepare the road!
Remove
the obstacles out of the way of my people.”
(Isaiah
57:14 NIV).
I
don't consider myself "handy" to do many chores about the
house that I know some others are willing to tackle in their own
homes. I always call a contractor. This is because early on in my
life I got the idea that I was not "handy". Consequently, I
have not accumulated the tools nor the skills necessary to do such
chores. In other words, in many ways the child was the father of the
man. My feelings of inadequacy have only served to compound them.
Just so, I think the biggest obstacle hindering God's work in my life
is the restricted perceptual field that I have in many ways
self-inflicted.
The
obstacles that I can readily name in my doing God's work are probably
not the biggest ones. These big ones include all those potential
areas of service that I have precluded from being even options open
to me. The basis for all of this probably arises from feelings of
inadequacy and fear. I simply "don't go there" in thought
or action. Some things are inconceivable to me because of my
self-inflicted and unduly limited perceptual vision.
Here,
the encouragement of others can be decisive. Some years ago I would
never have even considered taking up the almost daily task of writing
a blog. But a friend of mine encouraged me to do so. I thought to
myself, if he thinks I can write maybe I will be able to do it. Now
after several years I have gained much confidence in my ability to
daily contribute to a blog. Being an encourager is something that all
of us can do. The fundamental task of an encourager is to expand the
perceptual field of a friend—to open up to them heretofore
inconceivable possibilities. The encourager serves to allay fears and
help remove blinders. Self-talk and self-encouragement can never
equal in importance nor impact the wider vision made possible by the
helpful contribution of others.
The
current stresses in American life can be largely traced to one
idea—to one philosophy—one based upon the notion that every man
(person) is and must be out for themselves. It gets some of its
credibility from American individualism and the shameless perversion
of the notion of individual responsibility. It gains momentum from
the silly notion that every man is an island entire unto itself—as
obviously false as this is. It is a notion that is underwritten by
the false god of capitalism, heartless competition, and the absurd
idea that one solely earns every penny of their wealth. The
philosophy also leads directly to the idea that everyone must be
armed with guns and that the sword of the state is somehow
illegitimate when applied to American citizens. The sacred role of
the state as regulator and arbiter of justice is thereby usurped by
individuals. The goal is always for weaker and weaker government.
The abject result is rather than having true freedom we are enslaved
by guns in private hands and quite rationally fear and insecurity are
the inevitable result. The other day the murdered victims of gun
violence were children. This is problematic for the gun lobby and
for its underlying philosophy because (though it is true in all areas
anyway) it is especially clear that the young and the elderly do not
and cannot fit easily into the mold of tough hombre's without the
need of others. Here it is starkly clear that true security and
tranquility derive from social support and enabled government and not
from individualistic chauvinism. And as always, the cry of the gun
lobby to solve the nightmare such a philosophy propagates is a
strident cry for more—more guns, more toughness, more meanness,
more individualism facing down the world alone. My hope is that
American people will come to see clearly that this is more than
stupid, it is essentially treasonous to the great promise and sacred
mission of America.
In
the positions of leadership you have held (at home, work, school, in
the community or church), how have you felt the temptation to pursue
your own goals regardless of the effects it could have on others?
(Serendipity Bible 10th
Anniversary Edition, page 1040).
The
question here is “how”, thankfully not “what”. I don't feel
inclined to parade the “what” of my temptations, only to testify
to their strength and the workings of temptation on the mind. When I
am tempted, it strongly affects me. I am highly motivated to assume
the act and clothe myself in an attitude that dresses it up in
finery. Without doubt, the drive to rationalize away the wrongness
of an act or attitude has immense power. Then it becomes clear that
there are no limits to what rationalization can justify.
Rationalization is a treacherous form of escapism in which we are
tempted to focus on selfish gratification and hide from our
consciousness the fact that we are hurting others—the latter aspect
is an inevitable part of the deal as, of course, is the additional
factor that hurt is also of necessity self-inflicted for it can never
be in our interest to engage in escapism however dressed in deceptive
phantasmagorical delights that shield us from reality. I once heard
that clothes hide a multitude of sins. It is deeply ingrained in us
to hide from reality and take the “cover story” as truth. Thus,
it becomes our duty in times of temptation to look at facts head
on—not yielding to a clouded mind, but righteously—striving for
Godly vision—seeing truthfully past all human delusion to the
flotsam and jetsam that befoul and pain our world due to
self-indulgent escapism and the desire for power.
How
might you pursue justice and love this week in your family? Your work
place? In an area of social concern? (Serendipity Bible 10th
Anniversary Edition, page 1039).
These
are questions I can advantageously seek input from others on rather
than trying to answer them solely myself. If I asked my family and
friends to help me with such questions they would likely be taken
aback. This may constitute the first time ever that I have asked for
their input regarding such matters. By doing so I seem to be asking
for more work and effort in areas in which I in the past have
carefully mapped out as functions of my own personal prerogative and
initiative. Yet it is certainly possible that others can have
clearer perceptions than me as to outstanding needs and my abilities
to contribute to them. It is always good to ask God and oneself what
needs to be done in the way of justice and love, but this bias should
not exclude asking for the frank opinion of others.
I
am reluctant to invite evaluation from others for I fear they might
come up with answers that are wrong or perhaps dead-on right. I am
afraid that they will arrive at suggestions I do not like—requiring
more work and resources or in other ways putting me on the spot.
Perhaps I fear that they will attempt to exploit me or present me
with challenges in which I feel incompetent. I have viewed my
pursuit of justice and love as creative acts that are best guided by
my own perception and conscience rather than those of others. My
self-directed advice today is to break free from this pattern—rather
to begin soliciting and considering others input regarding how I
might more effectively pursue justice and love. As I plan to retire
in about a year, I can usefully get suggestions regarding volunteer
work, for example. Often times God speaks most clearly to us through
others.
Glory
to God in the highest. Christ's birth is announced by heavenly
angels. Angels in Shakespeare's plays also appear, but they may well
have two legs and walk pendently upon the ground. It is my firm
belief that angels are on earth and help realize the mysterious
operations of God Almighty—operations forever outside the
understanding of men. We are to trust in God (in God we trust) and
not worry about figuring out the extent or subliminal means of divine
operations. In fact to try to figure them out in over-analysis will
indubitably indicate a lack of faith and trust in God—as if man
were in control of operations rather than God. Jesus said: “Do you
think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my
disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53 NIV).
I believe quite literally this was (is) the case but as to the
precise nature of these heavenly forces I entirely lack understanding
nor wish to speculate about it. I only know that it is true.
“I
have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses,
“and they are a
stiff-necked people.” Exodus 32:9
One
of the most frequent means of escapism (which I have described as the
basis of all sin) is to turn a blind eye. This is particularly
relevant to the behavior of the comfortable. It is as if kindness
were needed only in our closely contained universe and stopped at the
doorstep of us and our closest associates. We tend to see kindness
as an intimate and personal thing. Indeed it relies on personal
behavior and perception. But a public kindness must also be
recognized as essential. That is, we need to appreciate the
existence of the family of humanity. The other day I mentioned the
meaning of kindness as respect, dignity, compassion, and humility
(which by the way I borrowed off the inscription on a coffee mug
gotten from www.kindnessusa.org).
As my friend Angleo suggested, it appropriately can be listed in
reverse (or as the cup is filled from the bottom)—humility (first),
then compassion, dignity, and respect. In other words, to view
humanity as one family requires first humility, then compassion,
which lead to dignity and respect. I love in the Bible where God
refers to people as “stiff necked.” That precisely describes the
common affliction of the comfortable (and not only the comfortable).
It
is obvious that turning a blind eye is not only a sin against
humanity, but is also a sin against nature itself. We turn a blind
eye in our creation of pollution of one sort or another. In
economics this is referred to as externalizing cost. Individuals
(starting with myself) and organizations often do this. We need to
recognize it for what it is—a sin against God, or as David said
“Against you, you only, have I sinned...” (Psalm 51:4).
[Brackets
indicate not included in this music video.]
Once
to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide,
In
the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side; Some
great cause, some great decision, offering each the bloom or blight, And
the choice goes by forever, ’twixt that darkness and that light.
[Then
to side with truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust,
Ere
her cause bring fame and profit, and ’tis prosperous to be just; Then
it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside, Till
the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.]
By
the light of burning martyrs, Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track, Toiling
up new Calv’ries ever with the cross that turns not back; New
occasions teach new duties, time makes ancient good uncouth, They
must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth.
[Though
the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong; Though
her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong; Yet
that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown, Standeth
God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.]
Words:
James R. Lowell Music:
Ebenezer, Thomas J. Williams
Does
knowing of God's approval give you courage to serve, even when others
turn against you? How so? (Serendipity Bible 10th
Anniversary Edition, page 1036).
The
other day I wrote a blog about my view of alcohol
(click here).
This is an area in which I have received deepest assurances that I
am within God's will. Therefore, even though I may be ridiculed for
my position, the ridicule has no effect. I think the same regarding
gun control. It is unthinkable to me that it is good or desirable
(or that security would be increased) if everyone carried firearms.
In my view, such weapons of absolute power should only be within the
purview of the state thereby constituting the sword of the state.
The suggestion was made today that armed guards be within view of
small children at school. To me this is lunacy and would indicate
that our society had deliberately chosen darkness over light. When I
was a child we left the doors of our homes open when running to the
store. In my view, such days could come again. Nothing stands in
the way of this but the cruel turn our country has taken. “Every
man is out for himself” is an attitude that is a betrayal of the
spirit of our nation designed and devised to establish happiness.(The
provision for a militia, after all, was communal not individualistic
in intent.)To
the extent that this ugly attitude prevails, I truly believe that we have
relinquished our birthright to cultivate and maintain a land of
comity and peace. No amount of ridicule to the contrary will faze
me at all.
There
is first childhood innocence. It must be protected by parents from
the cruelty of the world. Next comes experience that introduces one
to the adult life and all of its hard lessons and themes. Next comes
the innocence that follows experience in which one feels again for
those one meets the fondness one had for playmates. There is a
renewed belief in goodness, but it is now not tentative for it comes
with the assurance that love is stronger than the games people play
while navigating experience. This second innocence shares in a sense
the blessedness of heaven. It is a relief to find one's motives less
complex and mixed than one once thought. My wife Kathy was key to
moving me past experience towards this second innocence. This is the
major reason my life is divided into two parts—the sometimes gray
days before I met her and the sunny days afterwards.
Drawing
either upon personal experience or empathy for others, what is the
one of the most unpleasant things about being drunk? (Serendipity
Bible 10th Anniversary Edition,
page 1033).
The
other day I wrote a blog (click here) in which I discussed idolatry as a means of
escapism. Escapism is at the core of idolatry, and likewise is at
the core of the use of drugs or alcohol. When one considers it
carefully, escapism can be seen as the ultimate basis of all sin. It
is thus for me this symbolic nature of alcohol and drugs as an avenue
of escapism that makes me continue to hate them almost as much as
their physical effects. You may say, but a good book or movie can be
escapism. That may be true, but it is often the case that
stories—both tragedy and comedy—offer powerful glimpses into
reality. In fact, a central characteristic of creativity is that it
drills down into the core of reality.
But,
you may say, I accede this is the case with drunkenness but surely
“social drinking” is exceptionally exempt—at this stage
addiction to escapism is no way a factor. I once was picnicking with
family at the beach and next to our table was a table where alcoholic
drinks flowed freely. There were children at the table and the tipsy
adults hugged and joked with their somewhat subdued children. I felt
great sadness and sympathy for the children who could not know
whether the embraces were of love and for real or were born of
escapism.
I
have attempted many times, since I have family and friends that use
alcoholic beverages, to rationalize away my negative feelings towards
this substance. But all such attempts are never in the end
successful. I have come at times to say that I may be wrong in this
as it applies to others, but as for me the will of God is clear,
adamant, and unchanging.
Fairness
requires that those we trust repay that trust. The sense of justice
or basic fairness is deeply ingrained arising ultimately from the
need for safety and the drive to survive. When someone cannot be
trusted, the question is raised the lengths to which that perfidy
might go. For example, a business owner trusts his comptroller,
meets and greets him as a friend every workday. Then, the
businessman discovers that the comptroller has been embezzling
funds—in this way lying to his face daily. The reaction can be
almost primordial for in a sense the survival of the business itself
has been threatened. If the comptroller would do this, what might
not he do? It would be the exceptional case indeed in which the
victim did not pursue recourse through the sword of the state.
In
the Bible the crucifixion of Jesus involves a betrayer. He could
have been crucified without it, but betrayal is a natural precursor
to death itself and follows logically, ineluctably. And how did God
retaliate for the death of his son? Jesus' resurrection was a
redemptive form of retaliation and as such stamps upon creation for
all time the divine response to betrayal. God outflanked natural man
and provided a way out of retribution through belief in eternal life.
For
to us a child is born, to
us a son is given, and
the government will be on his shoulders. And
he will be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace. Of
the greatness of his government and peace there
will be no end. He
will reign on David’s throne and
over his kingdom, establishing
and upholding it with
justice and righteousness from
that time on and forever. The
zeal of the Lord Almighty will
accomplish this.
Isaiah
9:6-7 NIV
Today
in Sunday school our conversation took several interesting turns.
Several times during the class we discussed particular challenges
faced by class members. Mitch (our teacher) always allows ample time
for such discussions—allowing them to take priority over the
lessons. In regards to the lessons, we discussed Emmanuel as the
great light of God. A diverse variety of applications does not deny
the absolute nature of this light. Rather, the realities of
different epochs refract that light differently. Thus, Moses
faithfully applied the light of God as he devised the ethical code
(rules and regs) which included numerous stipulations that are not
in force today. Likewise, faithfully applying God's light as it
applies to us today may not apply to later epochs facing different
realities. In other words, the love of God is not locked-in to any
one epoch's unique refraction of it. In fact, to strive to so lock
it in can be a form of idolatry. In this sense one continuing aspect
of salvation can be fresh understandings of what constitutes holy
structures. One lesson from the Upper Room discussed
how Joseph initially considered divorcing Mary. We discussed briefly
what would have been the implications if Jesus had been raised by a
single mother. Would the Lord's Pray begin “Our Father (Daddy)”
or some other way?
Often
I've heard the saying “The Way It Is—Is the Way It Is.” Today
I would like to shade that crisp saying a little. For we are
confronted constantly with matters that are unsettled. For example,
we can all agree that “Kindness is respect, dignity, compassion,
and humility.” This is something we can all agree on. Where we
find unsettled areas of disagreement is exactly how in given
situations respect, dignity, compassion, and humility can be
effectively conveyed. For example, when Jesus in anger overturned
the tables in the temple, was he devoid of humility or filled with
it? Beyond this difficulty in which human behavior is driven yet
sometimes divided by abstractions, we have the limitations of human
insight. A way of putting this is to remark: “The way it is—is
the way it is...but no one fully comprehends the will or workings of
God.” That is to say, we never exist within a closed system—it
is always open to the unexpected and indeed is currently replete with
the unexpected and unknown. Finally, of course, all of us are called
upon to do our part in changing the world. We are all fully enlisted
in this effort. But even with this firm calling, does any of us have
a clear picture of where exactly this will take us? Or what precisely
is called for, or much of an inkling of what will be the results, or
the chain of unintended consequences that will follow? While we have
a firm commitment, we must always be open to phenomena concrete and
abstract—or to put it another way, immersed within the world we
must always be open to the leadings of the Holy Spirit. Thus, no
doubt “the way it is—is the way it is.” But no man dare
venture the notion that he has other than a partial and often paltry
comprehension as to what it is.
When
feeling discouraged, what event in your personal history can you look
back upon and call on God to do again? (Serendipity Bible,
10th Anniversary Edition, page 1033).
My
life is so replete with redeemed lost causes that going into
specifics would bog us down into so many details that the essential
point would be lost. And that point is simply this, my weaknesses
and depressions are never the final word—a loving God redeems my
worst messes while simultaneously forgiving my stupidities. That is
why I have come to view that he has a purpose set that is inexorable.
He is dependable and steady, reliable and true. He is the source of
what otherwise would be irrational hope and joy.
A
feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something that is
possessed by another
Spite
and resentment at seeing the success of another (personified as one
of the deadly sins) –WordWeb Pro
painful
or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined
with a desire to possess the same –Merriam-Webster
Envy
is something I encountered in spades as a young man in my late teens
and early twenties—for this was the heyday of the Beatles. Why
couldn't I have all their talent, their fame and fortune, their
ability to make girls swoon while performing on the Ed Sullivan Show?
Compared to them I thought my existence paltry in the extreme,
almost detestable.
What
is the core problem with the sin of envy? It is that we reject
ourselves and wish to be the clone of another. In other words we
completely discount the unique person that God made us (with our
unique talent, abilities and mission) and instead want to be like
(perhaps more truthfully—to be) someone else.
Often
we hear Christians ask “What would Jesus do?” Perhaps the better
question is “What would Jesus have me do?” For it is destructive
to desire to be a faded clone of Jesus. Rather, we are to fulfill
our mission using our own talents and abilities. Only Christ was
given the mission to save the world. We are given the mission to do
our part to change a small part of it.
When
we look at the progress of life on earth, especially human life, we
can see that survival itself depends upon a diversified portfolio of
contributors. We should reject envy and rejoice in our unique
calling.
Ed Standifer with sons Wayne (8 1/2) and Bobby (13) Lake Junaluska, NC 1952
How
would you describe your current relationship with God: (a) Casual
date? (b) Going steady? (c) Engaged? (d) Married? (ed) Divorced?
(Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page
1032).
I
view God as an authority figure with great love. Jesus called God
Daddy and that's the way I too most think of God. I call him Daddy
rather than Mamma because in our home daddy had the final say as to
what might be called up-in-the-air debatable matters. I quickly must
add that mother was a key, essential and indispensable part of all
such decisions; it's just that she in the end realized that some
issues which might come to a draw simply needed resolution after all,
and she loving gave this call to daddy. I really don't know the
final reason for this abeyance to father, I only know that it was a
solution that she graciously embraced. I might add that in my
marriage to Kathy the same pattern prevailed, and in the end truly
up-in-air decisions were seldom encountered and accommodations were
virtually always made before this point occurred. In my life the
church was key, and women played a high-profile authoritative role in
it. It never occurred to me to consider whether men or women were
more important or more equal—it was absolutely clear to me that I
was to show respect and consideration to all and if I did not, I
would disappoint my mother and certainly hear from my daddy.
My
current relationship with Daddy is a loving one. I know he has my
best interest at heart and his perspective is more reliable,
incisive, and right than my own. As with my daddy, I want to please
Daddy because I love and respect him. His love makes rebellion
despicable.
When
hurt as a child, did you normally run to mom, to dad, or to whom?
Why? What was the best way they could help you feel better?
(Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page
1029).
This
short question gets at the heart of much that is conflicted in human
experience. The matter of trust, for example, is raised when a
parent must discern if the child is truly hurt or just attempting to
manipulate parents. In cases where the child is obviously hurt (say,
after cutting their foot on glass on the beach), it is of utmost
importance that the parent genuinely feel and show a high measure of
empathy. Otherwise, the child learns a terrible lesson—no one
gives a damn about me and the pain I suffer. And due to the
principle of reciprocity, the child can grow up inflicting pain
intentionally upon others—for this is quite literally what the
parent did by not showing empathy when the child was hurt. Hurt can
also be inflicted when the child is joyful and looks to their parents
only to find indifference or hostility. It is the same lesson, just
the flip side of it.
I
was most fortunate as a child for both my parents shared in their
children's pain and joy. I came to understand that this applied not
only to me, but to people even on the other side of the world.
Therefore, it is important that children observe their parents and
other adults contributing to local and worldwide relief efforts and
exercising other expressions of compassion and empathy in joyful times and sad.
If
the people of these isles have one unifying characteristic that
stamps them indelibly as British, it’s the rock-solid, unshakeable,
ongoing conviction that this must surely be [Andy] Murray’s year. (Source)
[Speak
softly, and carry a big stick:] The idea of negotiating peacefully,
simultaneously threatening with the "big stick", or the
military, ties in heavily with the idea of Realpolitik, which implies
an amoral pursuit of political power that resembles Machiavellian
ideals. [Theodore] Roosevelt first used the phrase in a speech at the
Minnesota State Fair on September 2,
1901.... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Stick_ideology).
Typically
the phrase “speak softly, and carry a big stick” is used in
reference to national policy. But I would like to ask not what the
phrase means for a nation, but what it means for an individual—for
you and me? I suppose the free availability and use of handguns can
come to mind, but this needlessly curtails the usefulness of the
phrase. So, other than the threat of violence, what can it mean?
Framed
in this way, it can refer to personal power (be it wealth, knowledge,
or skill) or power of character. I would like to focus on the phrase
as it applies to character. Strength of character can come from
honesty, courage, conviction, steadiness, faith, hope, and love. In
a brief phrase, this boils down to tenacity of conviction. Give me
an individual with strong conviction and all other attributes
mentioned can follow. Without conviction, all else becomes nugatory.
Conviction defined: “An unshakable belief in something without
need for proof or evidence” (WordWeb Pro).
“A strong persuasion or belief (certainty)” (Merriam-Webster's
11h Collegiate Dictionary). In the end conviction
comes to mean absolute and unassailable certainty regarding what can
be called “last things”. By this phrase I do not mean the end of
the world, but the ultimate end we live and sometimes die for. As a
Christian this is not in any way esoteric or intractable, but based
wholly within the love of God.
So
while conviction resides in the hearts and minds of individuals, it
can have national implications. A country that thinks “carrying a
big stick” only means wealth or military power has in a sense lost
direction—has in a sense lost its soul. Without a firm anchor of
personal belief set within the love of God, all things disintegrate
or as William Butler Yeats wrote in “The Second Coming”
Turning
and turning in the widening gyre The
falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things
fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere
anarchy is loosed upon the world, The
blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The
ceremony of innocence is drowned; The
best lack all conviction, while the worst Are
full of passionate intensity.....
My
wife Kathy was one of the sweetest, gentlest souls I've ever known.
So I would occasionally cause chagrin on her part when I would say
she had a strong need for power. She would demur. I would remark
that every human being has this need in common. She would demur. I
said, “Ok then, tomorrow I'm throwing away all your Beanie Babies plus I'm going to completely rearrange the house.” Quickly
she would concede that she had some power needs after all.
In
the 60's it was common for “flower children” to berate those in
authority and the establishment as power driven. It is obvious that
the flower children's drive for perfect freedom from authority and
the establishment was itself a profound drive for virtually limitless
power.
The
sacredness of private property is also testimony to the need for
power. We feel personally raped (over-powered and violated) when
private property is taken from us without our will whether legally or
illegally.
When
a child is forced to go into time-out or a toy is confiscated because
of an infraction of rules, the consternation of the child in this
loss of power can be severe.
I
was distraught last month when Kathy passed away. Grieving is a
complex phenomenon and I don't want to oversimplify it.
Nevertheless, a large part of grief is losing someone who endowed us
with the considerable power that derives from loyalty, love, respect,
and the important factor of being needed. When Kathy passed, I lost
much such power and this was a significant part of my grief.
Of
course in the political world the loss of power is often striven to
be avoided as death itself. This equation with death releases
homicidal violence in desperate efforts to retain power.
Much
human behavior can be usefully studied as being driven by power
needs.
I
have a good friend of many years, Angelo Lundy. Today we visited Bok
Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL. After a stroll through the
gardens, we sat in the restaurant there and Angelo shared with me
some statements that have helped him structure situations in his journey through life. One set of statements comes
from observations by Dale Carnegie in which he addresses simple facts
of human relationships. When we meet others, we will (perhaps even
despite ourselves) evaluate and classify them—as they will us.
Therefore in attempting to relate and connect with others, four
things are very important: 1) What you do; 2) How you look; 3) What
you say; and 4) How you say it. People who attempt to be absolutely
assessable and welcoming to all may find these observations a little
arbitrary and restrictive. But I think when one honestly
considers how one truly reacts when meeting others, these
observations hold. In my view, these observations can be extended to
not only how we connect with others, but how we connect to things or
situations. For example, when I consider whether to buy a new smart
phone, I ask—what does it do, how does it look, what does it say
(or what does it mean to me), and how does it say it?
Angelo
next shared how he effectively approaches moving on in life. His
action list includes to: 1) Set goals; 2) Make necessary adjustments;
3) Cope with aspects beyond one's control.
The
beauty of these observations is that they are helpful and are readily
retrievable from memory whenever meeting others on the one hand, or
confronting tasks on the other.
At
work we have a little contest on Christmas door decorations. In our
office (the IT Department) each person contributes something to the
project. It was my job to create Christmas cards out of card stock
paper that will be placed in a little container on the outside of the
door. Each passerby may take one. Here's the card. The image at
bottom I got off the internet, but the poem and design are mine.
Jesus
said that believers were “the light of the world” (Mt 5:14).
From this passage, what did he mean by that image [quoted below]?
How might the promises in this passage apply to you when you feel as
though your efforts to follow God have little effect on others?
It
is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes
of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also
make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to
the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:8 NIV). (Serendipity Bible 10th
Anniversary Edition, page 1029).
When we ask what Jesus meant when he said the believers were “the light of the world” we must first look to the life of Jesus himself. He did good works such as healing and encouraging, but he absolutely refused to assume a role that would summon immediate widespread power results—such as becoming a military or political leader. In a real sense, we must conclude that Jesus wanted to effect outcomes indirectly, or to put it another way, he wanted to change man's perception first and thereby alter his actions. I think of The Sound of Music when I consider this. The children were controlled by their father with a strong military hand, but Maria controlled them indirectly through their hearts. Her object was to affect their perception first and thus have impact upon their actions. She declined to use the direct “military action” and stentorian whistle of their father. There is great realism here, for to change behavior over the long run and to ensure real stability, and to do so within a context of happiness, people must want to do rather than be forced to do. Thus, the signal importance of shifting perception and not just forcing behavior. The perceptual shift that Jesus desired is aided by throwing light on a situation or “turning on the lights.” Light does not force one to see, but it does allow one to see. And in this regard God's grace is important because it is observable that we have very limited control over our perception. In our present understanding of the matter, salutary shifts in some sense remain a mystery. The complexities of perception still are largely unknown and beyond direct control or manipulation. Perhaps that is as God intended when he made us ethically responsible beings. In any case, it is arguable that “little things” can have great impact upon perception as they mount over time and help bring about perceptual change, and thus the absence of immediate obvious results in Christian witnessing (bestowing light) need not be and invitation for despair. Jesus acknowledged the necessity of patience and process when he compared the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed which is tiny, but when planted eventually yields a tree in which birds alight (Matthew 13:31-32).
It is intensely bizarre the extent to which we often gain much satisfaction out of sitting in judgment and placing blame. Not infrequently we completely overlook structural causes for mishaps and freight the victims of those structures with blame. It's much like if I had a guest in my home. I summarily took all his socks and shoes and locked them up in an inaccessible place. The next day, my guest must walk to town so must do so barefoot. On his return, because of injuries to his feet during the walk, he tracks blood on my new carpet--whereupon I roundly reprimand him for soiling my carpet and being careless. The eagerness with which I place blame upon him suggests I gain much pleasure and a remarkable ego boost from feelings of superiority. One way of understanding this is to say that I suffer from myopia. I focus entirely on symptoms and not more indirect causes. The symptoms are very concrete and immediate—even sensational—while the causes are more indirect and remote and require some complexity and abstraction to understand. Something in this way happens countless times daily in human affairs. We often count as character defects (again from a highly superior perch) what actually have structural causes. For example, in the absence of democracy, people too often become despots and we heap opprobrium upon them for it—never seeming to realize without the blessings of our form and structure of government the same could happen here—that despotism is the result of the absence of a structure favorable to good government. In this regard structure is much more important than rules. One can have codes of ethics that stack a mile high, but if the organizational structural is not favorable to ethical behavior, no amount of rules will compensate for it.
Today I find America cruel in many ways. It seems to be inherent and we look to character degeneration and decay to explain it. I think our focus is misdirected and should instead be raising questions as to root causes in basic organizational structures (the handful of umbrella institutions that are the fundamental building blocks of society). I am no scientist—that's for sure—but even I realize that atomic and chemical structure forms the genesis of stability and integrity in elements and compounds and without such structural integrity no other ramifications of it would be tenable or even conceivable.
What
examples can you think of in Jesus' life when his speech was
gentile...? When it was cutting like a sword? Why the difference?
When is it best to be gentle with people? To be strong and cutting?
(Serendipity Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, page
1029).
Following
quotations from the Gospel, NIV translation.
"Woe
to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are
like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on
the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.”
“For
I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the
Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter
the kingdom of heaven.”
When
Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the
little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom
of God belongs to such as these.”
Now
when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed
are those who mourn, for
they will be comforted.
Blessed
are the meek, for
they will inherit the earth.
Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for
they will be filled.
Blessed
are the merciful, for
they will be shown mercy.
Blessed
are the pure in heart, for
they will see God.
Blessed
are the peacemakers, for
they will be called sons of God.
Blessed
are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
It
is clear that Jesus had kind words for the humble, spiritually
innocent, and those who conceded they were vulnerable (with no record
unblemished) and harsh words for those with hard self-righteous
hearts even though possessing a clean legalistic rap sheet. It is
certainly true that it is much more rewarding to work with humble
individuals behind bars than prideful pillars of society sure of
their own superiority. Jesus' modulated approach made sense because
the humble and vulnerable are easily hurt and do not misconstrue
kindness whereas the self-righteous ensconce themselves in a
maddening shell and see kindness as a weakness and hurt those who
live by it.
At
Christmastime the gentle Jesus is greatly emphasized. It is well to
remember at this time that Jesus did not get crucified for being a
wishy-washy wimp. He regularly made people mad—very mad. No fury
can match that of spurned self-righteousness exercising unchecked
revenge.
We,
it must be remembered, are to follow the example of Christ—not only
in our gentleness, but in our strength and crazy courage—for it
remains always crazy to poke a stick at coiled self-righteousness.
Some
Christians panned the movie “Jesus Christ Superstar” and found it
profoundly unbiblical. Not so me. It is worrisome to me that Christ
can be so abstractly conceived as gentle and sweet as to make his
crucifixion unthinkable. Anytime we find this to be the case, we can
be assured it is a fictional characterization born of a Pharisaical
heart within a steady state of wishful thinking.
