Month: May 2017

Perks

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 99; 147:1-11, Ezekiel 11:14-25, Hebrews 7:1-17, Luke 10:17-24

Tech companies like Google and Facebook are well known for providing their employees remarkable perks. From free unlimited beverages, to massages, laundry, on-site medical staff and shopping malls, they offer services that help attract and retain talent. These seem like great benefits for employees, but in the long run they benefit the company by creating an environment that minimizes the need to leave work – ever. In an unspoken agreement, employees are expected to pay for these luxuries with time away from home and family (if they can find time to have one).

Jesus warned his disciples not to be seduced or distracted by perks. When they returned from spreading his ministry far afield, they were joyful to have discovered that even demons submitted to them in his name. Jesus told them they could walk unharmed among snakes and scorpions and all manner of powers of the enemy, but not to rejoice in these things, “but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In the end, we love God and Jesus not because of any special treatment or abilities they may give us, but because they love and forgive us. That alone is enough reason for our loyalty, worship, and praise. If the scorpion stings with the venom of ill health, poor finances, or grief, our Lord and Savior have not abandoned us. If all the perks are stripped away, the center and purpose of our faith remains strong. In the corporate world perks and loyalty depend on finances and performance; when things get tough, employees may find themselves burned out or downsized. Our God, ever true, sustains us through difficulty and asks us to lay our burdens before the cross. When the perks disappear, God is more appealing, not less.

There’s a reason true spiritual leaders embrace humility and simplicity: these practices, devoid of perks, remove distractions and barriers between us and our God. The more we think God is supposed to do for us, the less we understand what it is we are meant to be for God. We already have every reason in the world to rejoice.

Comfort: God is with you, always.

Challenge: Ask yourself if you are expecting things from God that you shouldn’t.

Prayer: Faithful and Loving God, thank you for letting me rest in your presence. Amen.

Discussion: Have you ever found a job more meaningful because of the perks?

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The Kingdom Come Near

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 98; 146, Ezekiel 7:10-15, 23b-27, Hebrews 6:13-20, Luke 10:1-17

Jesus dispatched seventy disciples to travel in pairs to spread his word. Because he instructed them to take nothing with them, they were essentially at the mercy of each town they visited, “like lambs in the midst of wolves.” In towns that welcomed them, they were to stay and cure the sick. If a town rejected them, they were to shake the dust from their sandals in protest. But when they left a town, they were to say the same thing: “The kingdom of God has come near.”

Whether people receive the Gospel is beyond our control. Our message of love does not waver. As we witness through evangelism, service, or some other means, we are not ultimately responsible for someone’s belief or disbelief. Certainly the seventy evangelists must have felt some frustration, but there was so much work to do among those willing to hear that they didn’t have time for fruitless labor. Sometimes we may be disappointed that someone chooses to reject Christ, but we should not let that rejection sully our spirits; we can shake it off like dust from a sandal.

We might be wise to carry that attitude into other aspects of life as well. Within our work environments, faith communities, and families we will always find dogged malcontents and chronic complainers. Because we want to be peacemakers, or maybe just to be nice, we risk devoting a disproportionate amount of energy trying to satisfy people who have no wish to be satisfied. Neither curing nor shaking, we waste time at the expense of people eager to bear good fruit. Frequently these people, who are not complainers, simply leave for greener pastures and we are left with the bitter.

Of course we want to settle differences, foster reconciliation, and refrain from rejecting anyone, but sometimes we need to accept that have been explicitly or passively rejected. There is so much good to do, some of it very hard work, that we want to steward our resources wisely. Christ loves everyone, as should we, but we are most effective where people let the kingdom come near.

Comfort: The better choice is sometimes the easier choice.

Challenge: Do an assessment of whether you are spending your energy effectively.

Prayer: Loving God, send me where I will be useful to you. Amen.

Discussion: How do you decide when to withdraw from conflict?

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Fire From Heaven

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 97; 145, Ezekiel 4:1-17, Hebrews 6:1-12, Luke 9:51-62

When a Samaritan town refused to receive Jesus, the disciples James and John asked, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”  Luke says Jesus rebuked them. They simply moved on to the next town.

Could “rebuked” have been an understatement? After Jesus had taught them about peace, love, and reserving judgment for God, what made a consuming fire seem like a reasonable option?

James and John were just being human: even a little authority and power seems like it’s there to be used. Since Jesus isn’t physically present today to stay our hands, it’s good we can’t summon heavenly fire at will. Yet here in the west, particularly in the United States, many Christians seem to make a habit of wielding power. We take the commandment to make disciples of all nations and twist it into coercion. Never did Jesus force anyone to follow him – or even to respect him. Rather, he let some potential followers know they might not be ready. Have someone to bury soon? Want to finish up a few things? Maybe this isn’t for you yet. This was neither coercion nor rejection, but a free choice. Jesus moved on his way, and they moved on theirs.

So why do many Christians today find it difficult, when someone rejects Christ, to move on? We boycott (which may seem like moving on, but is decidedly aggressive), legislate against, picket, and ban people who don’t share our values, then wonder why our ranks dwindle. Such behavior doesn’t just fail to win people to Christ; it distorts the message of the Gospel into something repellent. Jesus warned us we’d be rejected, but now we have the numbers and influence to reject, condemn, and oppress … and too many times we choose to.

As we enter the week before Pentecost, let’s remember the last fire God sent from heaven was the Holy Spirit. Its flame rested visibly on each disciple’s head, and made it possible for all to understand them. Let’s choose our flame more wisely than James and John. Or move on.

Comfort: You aren’t bound by the law of rejection, but freed by the law of love.

Challenge: When fellow Christians speak in terms of rejection, speak up for love.

Prayer: Lord, light a fire in my heart to spread your good news to all. Amen.

Discussion: What’s a memorable example you know of Christians responding in love when they could have chosen rejection?

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Faith with Flair!

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 92; 149, Ezekiel 3:4-17, Hebrews 5:7-14, Luke 9:37-50

In the cult-hit movie Office Space, Joanna works as a server in a restaurant named Chotchkie’s (think mid-90s T.G.I.Friday’s) where they are encouraged to adorn their uniforms with “fun” badges and buttons called “flair.” The minimum requirement is thirteen pieces, which Joanna wears. Comedic tension arises when the manager wants but can’t demand more than the minimum effort, and Joanna has no interest beyond meeting it.

Since the movie is a farce about corporate life, we’re meant to sympathize with Joanna; who hasn’t had a job that seemed unnecessarily stupid to us? On the other hand, in Colossians Paul advises: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Even when our job stinks, our attitude is a reflection of our heart. When we can’t find passion for our work, we can create it.

The same is true of our faith lives. Is following Christ something we approach with gusto, or are we skating by on the bare minimum? If Christianity was chosen for us by accident of birth or other default setting, it may feel like a job we never sought. We show up on Sundays (or just holidays), give enough to note it in our tax returns, and say grace when we think someone might notice. Or maybe we are very involved at church, but the work feels burdensome and monotonous.

Jesus asked his followers for passion: “What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.” While he promises anyone who “gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple” will not lose their reward, doesn’t comforting a thirsty child feel like the minimum amount of Christian flair we can muster?

Since “by grace [we] have been saved through faith,” let’s lead lives that reflect eternal gratitude and amplify that good news for all to see and hear. When we deliver a meal to the hungry, the side of love and fellowship should be freely given.

Comfort: Work that seems menial can still matter.

Challenge: For one week, try to react to boredom by asking what needs to change inside, not outside.

Prayer: Gracious God, I will seek you in all my efforts. Amen.

Discussion: Have you ever found out something you thought was unimportant or even boring made a difference you didn’t expect?

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Call-Out Culture

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I haven’t posted other articles to my blog before, but ran across this and it fits really well with yesterday’s post about communicating versus pummeling. In my opinion, this exemplifies the kind of self-reflection we all need to engage in before engaging the world at large.

http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/a-note-on-callout-culture/

Wall of Sound

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 92; 149, Ezekiel 3:4-17, Hebrews 5:7-14, Luke 9:37-50

Have you ever left a discussion or disagreement and felt it was more like two parallel monologues? One where you talked over instead of with each other? Today’s social and political climate seems to have moved us past conversation, past persuasion, past argument, and right into word avalanches meant to bury anyone who disagrees with us. Sometimes it really does seem like we might not be speaking the same language From dog-whistles (coded language meant to signal and incite people within our social tribe against another one) on the right to virtue signaling (speaking more to reinforce moral superiority among our peers than to facilitate conversation) on the left, we speak primarily to hear ourselves talk and have our views reflected and amplified back to us. Language becomes a barrier instead of a bridge.

Before sending the prophet Ezekiel to warn the people of Israel, God basically told him, “I’m sending you to people who should understand exactly what you are saying. Not people speaking a different language, but people from your own tribe. Guess what? They’re going to ignore you because they have hard and stubborn hearts.”

Hard and stubborn hearts cut both ways. They render us effectively deaf to those we don’t want to hear – even when they speak important truths. And when we are speaking, our own hard and stubborn hearts use words to pummel, punish, and shame … and when has anyone responded favorably to that?

When we speak from a grace-filled place, our words will be easy for people to hear. Of course whether they choose to listen is beyond our control, but we have a choice to make: create an impenetrable wall of sound or create an opportunity to harmonize? If we are hurt, angry, or scared the wall option is attractive, and feels good … for a while. But sealed away we will simply fester in the pain and fear. Harmony – reconciliation – requires us to speak plainly and honestly, and to listen the same way.

Communication is more than words: it requires intent, effort, vulnerability, and trust. Let’s try asking ourselves: “What would Jesus say?”

Comfort: New information changes our understanding; truth remains the same.

Challenge: Question your assumptions about other people’s words.

Prayer: Lord, may I seek more to understand than to be understood. Amen.

Discussion: What triggers you to stop listening to someone?

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Eat it! It’s good for you!

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 96; 148, Ezekiel 1:28-3:3, Hebrews 4:14-5:6, Luke 9:28-36

After God bestowed upon Ezekiel a fantastical vision of four-faced heavenly beings, God commissioned the prophet by presenting him a scroll and instructing him to eat it. The image of consuming a scroll may be less cinematic than multi-limbed giants emerging from a storm, but it is also rich with meaning. The scroll was covered with words of lament and mourning, and Ezekiel was commanded to share those words with the rebellious nation of Israel.

When God tells Ezekiel “eat what is before you,” he is confirming Ezekiel’s obedience, in direct contrast to the rebelliousness of the people. In Ezekiel’s time, scrolls were not made of paper, but papyrus (the same basic material as sandals and baskets) or parchment (the skin of a kosher animal); neither would have been an appetizing proposition. Yet the scroll was sweet as honey in his mouth. Like Ezekiel, we may find the tasks to which God calls us less than appealing, but in the end we may find they provide us with a sweet fulfillment only discovered when following God. A popular riddle asks: “How do you eat an elephant?” Answer: one bite at a time. The stumbling block for most efforts is motivating ourselves to take the first step. If we can bring ourselves into obedience and choke down that first bite of scroll, who knows how sweet the rewards might be!

Would it have been easier for Ezekiel to hold onto the scroll and read it to people? Probably. Yet as a prophet, Ezekiel was called to literally internalize the word of God, to let it nourish and become part of his being. Do we consume God’s word and let it fuel us, or are our scrolls lying around, collecting dust? The answer is the difference between a living relationship with God and Gospel that we can’t help but share because it’s part of us, and devotion to an eternally external text that is an object of study but not sustenance.

God does not offer us merely a recipe for salvation, but the bread of life itself. Let’s devour it with gusto!

Comfort: Faith is lived, not just studied and kept to ourselves.

Challenge: At each meal, offer a prayer of thanks.

 

Prayer: Holy God, let others see your spirit filling me up! Amen.

Discussion: Do you feel God is preparing you for anything you are hesitant to take on?

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African Children’s Choir – Lord I Lift Your Name On High

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For Ascension Thursday, possibly the most joyous version of this song I’ve seen or heard. Enjoy!

Miaphysitism?! YOU a physitism!

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 47; 147:12-20, Ezekiel 1:1-14, 24-28(b), Hebrews 2:5-18, Matthew 28:16-20

Readings for The Ascension of the Lord:
Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47:1-9, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53

Today many churches celebrate the Ascension of the Lord, or the bodily ascent of the risen Christ into heaven. This story challenges the modern and scientific mind. Its accompanying readings are no less difficult. Ezekiel’s vision of four-faced beings and a god of fiery metal are highly symbolic and almost incomprehensible to anyone but a dedicated Bible scholar. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews explains the human and divine interplay in the person of Jesus. Heady material that for many of us is fairly inaccessible.

In contrast, the Matthew reading is short and clear: Jesus asserts his authority and commissions the disciples to spread his commands and teachings to make and baptize more disciples. Notably his teachings did not include technicalities like hypostatic union or Miaphysitism: Christ’s nature in both the human and the divine, versus a nature which is of both. Clearly different… right? Yet centuries ago these semantics, which matter not one iota to loving as Christ instructed, caused schisms that last to this day. Passages like the one in Hebrews fueled the debate. What do we imagine Christ – who brought together Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles – might say about his followers feuding over such distinctions?

Theological discussions have their place; after all, why follow Christ if we do not believe he is a unique confluence of the human and the divine? But sometimes we get so wrapped up thinking or talking about faith we become like people who believe reading a child psychology book equips them to be parents; being able to quote theories does not help us touch a human life in a loving way. Maybe we don’t denounce Monophysitism (don’t ask) on a daily basis, but based on mere opinion we do make “religious” distinctions of the kind Christ worked to overcome. Even our choice of Biblical translation may decide whether we are “in” or “out” with a specific clique, congregation or denomination.

Christ’s nature – human or divine – was radically inclusive. Any effort spent separating us from others, rather than loving them, betrays that nature. Christ tells us to love God and our neighbor. Why add more?

Comfort: Christ’s commands are simple.

Challenge: Look up “Christology” on Wikipedia or another reference.

Prayer: Holy God, may your love live in my heart and not just my head. Amen.

Discussion: When have you encountered religion getting in the way of following Christ?

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Holiness and Homicide

/ JJS / 2 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 99; 147:1-11, Deuteronomy 19:1-7, James 5:13-18, Luke 12:22-31

In Deuteronomy, God instructs Israel to position three cities in regions so no one will be too far from one. These Cities of Refuge are for people who commit unintentional homicide. Who should seek such sanctuary? Deuteronomy elaborates:

Suppose someone goes into the forest with another to cut wood, and when one of them swings the ax to cut down a tree, the head slips from the handle and strikes the other person who then dies; the killer may flee to one of these cities and live. But if the distance is too great, the avenger of blood in hot anger might pursue and overtake and put the killer to death, although a death sentence was not deserved, since the two had not been at enmity before.

That’s … oddly specific.

Three other Cities of Refuge are established earlier in Deuteronomy, but their asylum-seekers had to be willing to undergo a trial. The roads to these cities were well-maintained and unusually wide for easy access.

If holiness is a condition of being set apart from the world to serve God, these places were holy. Throughout Western history, churches have also been recognized (if not always legally) as holy places of asylum. One famous (though fictional) example is Esmerelda seeking sanctuary in Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral in Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Of late, the idea of sanctuary – of intentionally safe places in general – has been highly politicized. Sanctuary seems indulgent or dangerous … until we need it ourselves. Deuteronomy reminds us what is legal does not define what is just, and kindness is not weakness. Circumstances matter. Sometimes pausing to consider them – even if in the end they do not favor the asylum-seeker – is an act of faith. If possible, shouldn’t the church and its members offer mercy when law and circumstance have denied a higher justice?

Residents of the Cities of Refuge undoubtedly had mixed feelings about harboring fugitives, and some fugitives undoubtedly took advantage, but the need for a holy place transcended doubt and abuse. Living in the Kingdom requires us to accept its grace even for the fugitive.

Comfort: Offering safety makes it easier to seek it.

Challenge: Watch the short video below to learn more about the differences between refugees, asylees, and immigrants.

Prayer: God of peace, open my arms and heart to the stranger. Amen.

Discussion: Sanctuary isn’t just for fugitives or refugees. Where do you see a need for sanctuary in the world?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!