Letters from Paul: Rejoice Always!

It is an interesting change, going from discussing and reflecting on words from Jesus, versus reading words from Paul.  So much of what Jesus talks about is directed at our hearts.  So much of what Paul says is directed toward our actions.  Today's scripture is from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, and it is simply and beautifully this:

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

Rejoice always.
Pray continually.
Give thanks in all circumstances.
Because this is God's will for you.

I just did a Google search for "positive thinking".  There were too many returns to count.  Popular returns came from health organizations (Mayo Clinic), counseling centers, spiritual centers and more.  Their approaches are diverse, but they agree on several things:

1.  Thinking positively will improve your health.  It will increase your ability to fight diseases, depression, cardiovascular issues, and generally increase your life span, provided you don't get hit by a bus.
2.  The way you think influences the way you live. If you look for positive things in your life, you will find things to be happy about.  If you expect negative things in your life, you will find things to be sad/angry/upset about.  Like Winston Churchill said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
3.  Your attitude affects those around you.

I firmly believe that through scripture and through our experience of Spirit, God encourages us to live in ways that will make us happy and whole.  Our creator wants us to live abundant lives with the awareness of grace around us.  That's why I think this quote from Paul is so beautiful.

Rejoice always.  Be Happy - intentionally!  Know that you walk with God, that everything around you is a gift, that good things will come to you (as will bad) and that you are loved beyond measure.

Pray continually.  Invite God into every moment.  Experience this life with Christ.  Invite Grace and blessings to your life and to those around you.  Do not be afraid to ask for what you need, but do not be married to the outcome.

Give thanks in all circumstances.  Thank the One for each breath.  Celebrate with God for all the good in your life.  Give thanks even for the bad moments, because times of loss and difficulty often yield unexpected blessing.

Trust that our God wants all good things for you.  Trust that joy and abundance are God's will for you.

Paul's Letters: Freedom

One thing that I have heard from people who are skeptical of Christianity (or organized religion in general) is that you have to rely on someone else to tell you what is right and wrong, and what to do.  Today's excerpt from Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians (Chapter 3) talks a little bit about this idea.


He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.


Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!  For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.  And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
...
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.



Judaism of its time was not a religion.  It was a faith, a tradition, a practice and a people (and still is).  The traditions of its culture were passed from generation to generation from Moses and before.  Part of this culture was the Law -- the instruction from God about how to behave, what to wear, how to prepare food, how to punish crimes, etc.  The Law was what set the Hebrew people apart from the rest of the world.  And it was through the Law that the Hebrew people communicated with God.

Paul is talking about how Moses for a time, when he read from the tablets and when he was in communion with God, was so brilliant that nobody could look directly at him.  This was the most direct contact the Jewish people could have with God.  Now he is saying that Jesus took away the veil that separated God from God's people.  Jesus took away the need for a stone tablet with laws, and instead wrote upon our very hearts.

Our relationship with Christ, should we choose it, is an intimate one.  It is not a set of rules.  It is not a public directive or requirement.  It is a relationship, a complete and intimate understanding that guides us through life out of love.

I don't know about you, but when I was little, telling me not to look somewhere made me want to look there. Like, "don't look in that closet, 'cause that's where we might be keeping the Christmas presents" was, to me, a direct invitation to look in that closet.  Rules and guidelines may be put in place to protect us, but they do not tie directly to our hearts and motivations.  They do not create a connection or allegiance to the one who creates the rules.  In fact, rules can even have the effect of separating us from the ones who make or enforce them.

I think I say this in every one of my posts -- nobody knows us like Christ.  Nobody knows how we are motivated, how we respond as human creatures more than the one who dwells inside every one of us.  Christ knows that nothing motivates us more than love.  Nothing holds onto us and guides us more than a desire to be loved.

If our relationship to our Creator is not founded on rules and tests, but is founded instead on love and acceptance, how do we respond?  We are completely FREE.  There is nothing that is out of our reach or impossible for us.  We are not barred by cages and kept on leashes, but are free to act from a perfect love that is offered to every heart, without restriction and without judgement or requirement.  There is no veil between us and the love of our God and that love is written on our hearts.

Some might argue that there need to be rules in order for us to live appropriately.  And in some ways, that is true.  Civil law certainly has its place.  But as people of faith, out of love of our God and love for every individual whom God has created, our mandate is to live and act from that place of love.

Letters from Paul, Introduction

I have greatly enjoyed reflecting and writing about the words of Jesus from the Bible.  If you don't mind, I'd like to continue with another project, and then perhaps come back to the four Gospels. This time, I would like to reflect on and write about excerpts from the Letters from Paul.  It helps me to better understand what I'm reading in the Bible if I know who wrote it and why they wrote it.  So I'm doing a little preliminary reading about Paul.  This entry might be a little long... If you don't already know, Paul was not one of the 12 apostles. He was in no way a follower of Jesus during the life of Jesus.  Rather, he was a persecutor of the followers of Jesus.  Paul (known then as Saul) was born in Antioch (in modern-day Turkey) but raised in Jerusalem.  He was a Roman citizen, which was fairly unique back then.  He was also part of the ruling class of the Jewish tradition -- a leading authority in the Sanhedrin.

Somewhere between a year and four years after the crucifixion of Jesus, while on the road to Damascus, Paul had a life-changing vision of the Risen Christ.  I will let Acts 9 (Acts tells the story of Paul, but is not told by Paul) explain what happened:

"But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.


Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened."


So much took place for Paul in this time of his life.  Consider the DRAMATIC changes in his perspective.  He lived about 35 years of his life as a devout follower of Jewish Law, and in vehement opposition to Jesus as the Messiah.  To him, the idea that Jesus was the Messiah was insane, let alone the fact that such a Messiah of the Jewish people would allow himself to be crucified.

I look at the three days mentioned, where he was "without sight, and neither ate nor drank".  Honestly, I don't blame him.  Who could eat or drink?  If your life was just turned completely upside down, if everything you've been living your life for was wrong, wouldn't you be in shock?  Not to mention the fact that the Risen Jesus had appeared to his eyes.  What would that do to you?

After his conversion, Paul began traveling around the Mediterranean, helping to set up the early churches.  That would be a seemingly impossible task.  First of all, Paul did not travel with Jesus or his apostles.  Everything he knew about Jesus and what he means came from his vision and prayers.  However, many stories of Jesus' teachings had traveled via word-of-mouth around the area.  Ever play Telephone?  Notice how stories change with their telling?  The early church had many many stories about Jesus and the Way (name of the early Church), and many conflicted.  Paul had to attempt to unify these people and keep them focused.

So as he traveled, he wrote letters to the churches he established, trying to address their issues, unify their understanding and goals, and keep them motivated.  In these letters, he established what we now know to be more of the structure of the Christian faith.  As you read them you may notice how much he tries to resolve three elements:  his Jewish tradition, his new faith in the Risen Christ, and the need to include the Gentile people.

I am looking forward to this series because I am always interested in reading between the Gospels and Paul.  Paul is cited with being the founder of modern-day Christianity.  That sounds weird, doesn't it?  Although Jesus told us how to live, love, forgive, etc., Paul helped to write and create Christian doctrine, as in "this is what we as Christians believe".  There is a term, "Pauline Christianity", that describes the difference between Paul's version of Christianity and what was originally put forth by the early Jerusalem Church (which was started by the Apostles and led by James for a time).  One example of difference between the two is that the Jerusalem Church believed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah in fulfillment of the scriptures, and that those who would follow the Way try to live according to Jewish Tradition and Law.  Paul's church asserted that Jesus was a Messiah for all people including Gentiles.  I suppose we can count ourselves particularly fortunate that Paul's ideas took hold in this case.

I certainly am not a biblical scholar so, as I write these, I encourage you to look things up and make decisions for yourself.  I am learning a lot as I go as well.

I think I'll end today's post with a prayer:
Holy One, on this Sunday morning or afternoon, open our hearts and minds to you.  Fill us with a hunger to know you and hear your voice for us.  We don't all have visions like Paul did, but we certainly know you speak to us through those in this world who love us, through those whom we serve, the passions and talents you instill in us, and through the enormous beauty of your creation.  We also know you by the still, clear voice in our selves that is the living Christ within us all.  Thank you for this day, and for every day of this life.  Amen.

Jesus Project, Day 10

We come to the last post in this series and what the hey, let's finish with Matthew 5 again: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

I'm going to begin my response to this quote by quoting the first book of John:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

For some reason when I was growing up, I had the impression that we as human beings came out of the womb with a need to apologize -- that because we can sin, and because we are mere dust, we have no right to so much as ask for God's presence.  Keep in mind that I grew up Catholic, and though a lot of how someone comes out of Catholicism depends greatly on how we're taught and our societal culture, I think that feeling unworthy is part of the package.

But as John said, Christ was with God, part of God, and also the light and life of this world.  It is from Christ that all life is made.  It is with the light of Christ that YOU were made.  How could we ever believe that we are unworthy?  Or that God isn't paying attention to us?  Jesus himself says, "YOU are the light of the world."

I have known people who have a very visible light within them -- a light that you know could be like a nuclear bomb in brightness if they dared to let it blaze.  When they do allow the grace of their talents, work or love to flow into the world, it feels like witnessing miracles.  You know that God is present at that moment.

Christ knows what lives within us. He knows that light of life that he placed within each heart.  I think that in this quote from Matthew, Christ is calling us to live, work, love and play with every bit of ourselves.  Let YOUR light shine before all.  Let that Grace of God flow through everything you do so that you can kindle the hearts of those around you.  Cause when you do, it will feel for all of us like a miracle.

Lord of the Rings Geek

I felt like watchin' me a little Lord of the Rings tonight.  So I went to Fred Meyer and bought the extended version trilogy!  Woot!

LoTR is comforting to me.  I know all of the characters through-and-through.  I went through a LoTR geek-out period several years ago and studied the books.  (I mean actually studied them like I was going to take a test.  And a test there would be because the first movie was going to come out and it would be Geekfest 2001.)  And I'm pretty sure I've seen them on cable about 150 times.

This particular edition is super cool because there's quite a bit in it that I've never seen before.  I just watched Gollum choke on lambas bread and throw a little pity party.  Then I heard Legolas tell of how the Elves woke the trees and set them talking.  Oh and what's this -- did Aragorn just tickle Gandalf??  This is awesome.

A few minutes ago we watched the scene with the Ents.  It reminded me of a costume I made one year out of chicken wire and paper mache.  I wanted so bad to be an Ent.  My intention was to make barrel-like pieces to go around my torso, upper and lower arms, and upper and lower legs, and wear black clothes underneath.  I ended up looking more like a boxer-in-training (like rocky with his grey sweatpants) who just had a garbage can broken over his head.... with little droplets of blood seeping through the places where the chicken wire poked me.

Jesus Project, Day 9

I don't mean to make quite so much of Matthew, but apparently he has all the good stuff.  :)  Today's quote (at least the one we'll start with) is from Matthew 5:3-10 and is also known as The Beatitudes.


“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 children of God. 
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

This passage is so hopeful.  Who of us don't hurt?  Who of us don't hunger in some way?  Who of us don't feel loss or injustice?  For all who suffer, for all who hurt and hunger, God is with you.  God will ease your pain.  He doesn't say when.  He doesn't say how or if it is even in this life.  But he speaks such hope in this passage.

I have a lot of wishes.  I speak sometimes in too many wishes rather than things that I will do or things that are  in fact.  But I do wish that Jesus or the author of this book would have added more to the passages...


Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Their emptiness and complete dependence upon God's Grace will reveal to them ALL of God's Grace.  All things from warm sunshine to flowers that look up to it will count to them as immeasurable blessing.  They walk in treasure.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  They will see love swarm around them to hold them up -- love they didn't see until they had the need.  They will know loss but God will walk them through the valley and show them joy and love in equal measure.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. When their quiet and humble voices rise, the earth will stop and listen.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  It is by their action that they and others will be set free.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.  It is by the love they show those who need love most that they will be known.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Their devotion, their singular focus on God and God's love, will allow them to quiet the noises of the world and open their hearts to the symphony of God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  They journey in the footsteps of Christ, the greatest Peacemaker.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Their willingness to follow their heart when they know they will be hated has already earned them God's love and Grace.

A little break...

I will go right back to my Jesus Project (which I am really loving, by the way -- it may not end at 10).

The following video was posted by a friend on Facebook.  It struck me because at the moment, I have a hard time looking forward.  Sometimes God gives you a little push, just a little judge, when you need it most.  I still have a hard time looking forward, but maybe some of these words -- the stories told here -- will sink in and give me a little nudge later.

Jesus Project, Day 8

Today's quote is from Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

If somebody hurts you, how hard is it to forgive them?  I suppose it might depend upon the degree of the offense -- spilled milk, pretty easy.  Something bigger?  Maybe a bit harder.  How hard would it be to forgive seventy-seven times?

I think Jesus is acknowledging that forgiveness is not an easy thing.  It's not always our first instinct.  We are fight-or-flight creatures by nature, with the instinct to protect ourselves.  Forgiveness takes us away from the instinctual and makes us face our danger or our offenders in a very deep way.  It is healing.  Lack of true forgiveness holds onto the hurt and allows it to continue hurting us and our relationships.

There is also another side to this.  How hard is it to ask for forgiveness?

I grew up Catholic and was taught that we had to go to Confession on a very regular basis (I could not receive communion at church if I went to the alter with "stains on my soul").  We had to tell a priest, who we did not know, about offenses that we had committed.  "Father, forgive me for I have sinned..."

When I look back, I see the value in the practice, but it seems just a little bit empty.  I don't know that asking for forgiveness from a stranger (even one who is supposed to represent God on earth) can be about rattling off a list of your offenses.  It may benefit the confessee to the point where they get it off their chest, but it heals nothing.  If it heals nothing, then the hurt stays with the person who committed the offense as well as the person offended.

As a fairly prideful person, it is difficult for me to allow myself to be humbled.  But there are times when my actions or actions around me humble me to a point where I have no other recourse but to open myself up completely to those around me, to fall to my knees and ask for grace and mercy.  It's only from here that I can begin healing from deep within, and hope to begin healing with those around me.

Jesus knows us more than we can ever know ourselves.  He knows the importance of offering forgiveness as a way of healing, rather than holding on to the offense and the hurt.  But he also knows that asking for that forgiveness prompts us to open our hearts to God, as well as to our friends and family even more than before, regardless of the outcome.

Jesus Project, Day 7

Work's kept me busy for the last couple of days, so sorry for my late post.  Today's quote is from Mark 10:

“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I have to ask, what did Jesus mean by "great"?  Whoever wants to be great among you...  If we know anything about Jesus, we know he didn't mean "popular".  I also don't think he meant "saved" because Jesus paid the perfect price and therefore we cannot get into heavy by our works alone.

What makes a person great?  Not popular, not famous, but great?  Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Einstein, Nelson Mandela, Mozart, Mother Theresa, Socrates were all great for one reason or another. They took great risks and did great things for other people whether it be freeing them, caring for their bodies, or offering their talents and gifts.

But I know people who are greater than these -- local heroes in my life and community who regularly offer their time and hearts in service of other people. A big hero in my world is a woman named Pat, who feeds the hungry every week, who regularly walks people through death, offering them kindness, comfort, love and strength.  She knows -- and demonstrates -- that we are all connected, and that we are called to care for one another.  And that the more we raise up others in this life, the more we are lifted up in love and spirit.

Knowing the love of my friends and community is a little bit of heaven.  And in order to receive love, we must offer love and service to those around us.

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.”
Pericles

Jesus Project, Day 6

I think I'm addicted to Matthew.  I can't get out of Matthew.  Things could be worse!  Today's scripture is from Matthew 18:

"He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."

I sometimes wish that the Bible would have been written with a little more description.  For some reason "he called a child to him and placed the child among them" seems a little vague.  What I think happened is that Jesus called a little one over to him, sat him on his lap and played with him.  I see Jesus playing with him or asking him questions and listening to the little one talk in the wild imaginative way that children do.

Have you played with or listened to a young child?  They really are so different from adults.  There's no filter.  There's infinite imagination.  Everything they do and consider are based in the present (unless it's Christmas or a birthday).  They don't care about things like money or prestige.  They completely lose themselves in their play. They are endlessly curious and inquisitive.

I have a feeling Jesus wasn't saying that we need to abandon responsibility and pretend to be children.  I think the message here is to recapture those traits that we are born with -- wonder at all of creation; trust and love for people; open ourselves to adventure and imagination; take joy in every possible little thing.

All of life is such a gift!  Unless we shed the pride, worries and walls that we've built up, how are we to see and enjoy what God has given?  Jesus points out that we must take the lowly position of a child in order to receive the greatest blessing in this life and the next.

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."
- Angela Schwindt

Jesus Project, Day 6

I think I'm addicted to Matthew.  I can't get out of Matthew.  Things could be worse!  Today's scripture is from Matthew 18: "He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."

I sometimes wish that the Bible would have been written with a little more description.  For some reason "he called a child to him and placed the child among them" seems a little vague.  What I think happened is that Jesus called a little one over to him, sat him on his lap and played with him.  I see Jesus playing with him or asking him questions and listening to the little one talk in the wild imaginative way that children do.

Have you played with or listened to a young child?  They really are so different from adults.  There's no filter.  There's infinite imagination.  Everything they do and consider are based in the present (unless it's Christmas or a birthday).  They don't care about things like money or prestige.  They completely lose themselves in their play. They are endlessly curious and inquisitive.

I have a feeling Jesus wasn't saying that we need to abandon responsibility and pretend to be children.  I think the message here is to recapture those traits that we are born with -- wonder at all of creation; trust and love for people; open ourselves to adventure and imagination; take joy in every possible little thing.

All of life is such a gift!  Unless we shed the pride, worries and walls that we've built up, how are we to see and enjoy what God has given?  Jesus points out that we must take the lowly position of a child in order to receive the greatest blessing in this life and the next.

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."
- Angela Schwindt

Jesus Project, Day 5

Today's quote is from the Gospel of Matthew 18:19-20: “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

So short and sweet, and so powerful.  Again, Jesus is talking about how we are all in this together, how important it is to be in community if we are to live in Christ.

I was thinking about this passage a lot over the past few days, especially yesterday at church.  I tend to study and pray on my own for the most part.  I mean, didn't Jesus also say, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen." (Matthew 6:5-6)

I think Jesus was encouraging two different things with these statements.  I think that with the Chapter 6 verse he was saying that God is in you, and God is listening to you.  You and your Creator have an intimate relationship that is yours to cultivate in private.  No other intermediary is required between you and God.

But with the quote from Chapter 18, I believe he was also reinforcing that God is within us all -- that through God, we are all connected and that this connection is powerful.  It is through a spiritual community that we can make a difference through prayer and action.

When you think about it, what happens when people get together for a common purpose?  They make plans, they create together, they discuss and learn, they grow.  Things happen.  Jesus knew this.

So although I personally do study and pray on my own, I am encouraged by Christ to grow in my spirituality through relationship with others who also seek a spiritual life.  We learn from each other by sharing our experiences and perspectives.  We encourage each other to try new activities or practices that help us to expand our views of God.  We pray together which is not only a force in the world, but soothes the hearts and reinforces the faith of those involved.  We play together and open one another to joy.  And we care for each other through hardships with the grace of God as our support system.

Thank you, Jesus, for yet another reminder of how God's given us each other as one of the greatest blessings of this life.

Jesus Project, Day 4

I give credit to our Pastor Nathan Meckley, as his sermon this morning is the inspiration to today's post.  Here is today's quote from Jesus from John 13:34-35: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

He tells this to his apostles the night he was betrayed.  Earlier in their evening, Jesus had taken off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist and washed the feet of his friends.  Loving and humble, he showed them how to take care of one another.

Then, he gives them this command:  love one another as I have loved you.  By THIS, they will know you are my followers.  They will know you by your love.

Notice that he doesn't say that they will know you are my disciples by your authority.  They won't know you by how much you know or how well you obey the law.  They won't know you by what specific church you belong to or how many books you've read.  They won't know you because you only associate with "holy" people.

They will know you because you love one another, as I have loved you.

Hours later, Jesus would be betrayed and die.  But before he did, he reiterated this command.  I think it's fair to say that of all Jesus' teachings, loving each other (not only loving God and not only loving him) was incredibly important to him.

I don't know that there's a lot more to say on this wonderful subject.  I imagine that it is something that Paul thought about quite a bit, though, in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13), which is one of my very favorite New Testament passages:


"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.


Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
...
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Jesus Project, Day 3

Today's quote is from the Book of Matthew, Chapter 6. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

For some reason, I hear Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" song in my head when I read this passage.  

How much energy do we spend on worry?  How much or often do we worry about work, or a blemish, or an upcoming vacation?  Or even about more serious things -- about what's on the news or a family member's illness?

The fact is that the only things we have any control over are our own actions in the immediate future.  We can plan what we intend to do at a later time.  We have no control over what others do or say, or what goes on in the world.  Some things are simply beyond our control.  

With this in mind, how much time do we waste worrying about things we cannot control, when there is so much right in front of us, right in our immediate moment, to appreciate?  God created so many good things in our lives -- beauty in all of creation, love, friendships -- that can be so easily overlooked if we spend our energies worrying about what may or may not happen in the future.

"Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy."  ~Leo Buscaglia

Doesn't God deserve our attention?  And doesn't God deserve, at the very least, our appreciation for the uncountable blessings that we already have right in front of us?  

This quote also points out to me how much Jesus wants us to FEEL happy, here and now.  Not just in the next life, not just some day after we've done a lot of work.  Jesus wants us to be joyful, in each day, with each other and our God.  How beautiful is that?

Jesus Project, Day 2

Today's Jesus quote is from Luke, Chapter 6: “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

I've talked to people at times about this particular passage.  Some agree with it whole-heartedly.  Others, who believe that it's okay to have enemies and seek retribution tell me that what Jesus says here is utopic -- that only Jesus who is perfect can actually achieve such a point of view; that we should strive for this but we probably aren't expected to actually achieve it.

I don't blame them much, really.  Look at our culture.  What do we watch on TV?  "Reality" is the latest trend (which doesn't seem like reality to me, but hyped up craziness) where people are intentionally riled up and pitted against each other for entertainment.  As a country we seem determined to search for enemies and destroy them preemptively.  Violence on an individual, group and global level is off the charts.

It is understandable that people would want to protect themselves from harm.  The threat of terrorism (and its random nature) is very scary.  But if I trust Jesus, I trust that the way he's telling us to behave has our best interests at its center.

Would Jesus tell us to love our enemies and to treat them with love and forgiveness (rather than with retribution and violence) if it was not in our best interest?  Here's an analogy:

Say you have a young dog that does something it's not supposed to. In anger, you yell at it, hit it and throw it outside.  It does something else it's not supposed to - but this time it knows you're coming for it so when you try to grab it, it nips at you (out of fear).  You hit it and throw it outside.  The situation escalates until the dog bites a guest at your house.  You figure you need to put it down because you have a mean dog. Is it the fault of the dog, or is it responding out of self preservation and fear?

Use of anger and force against another is almost always met with anger and fear.  As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Hate begets hate; violence begets violence".  Use of violence may temporarily subdue an opponent, but it will not change their heart -- rather, it would harden their heart against their attacker.

Jesus did not tell us to turn the other cheek as simply a test of our devotion to God.  As with most of the things he taught, He gave us these directives so that we can live in love and thrive as a people.

How might our world be different now if all followers of Jesus actually followed this directive from Christ in ALL areas of their lives?

As Abraham Lincoln once said, "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?"

Jesus Project, Day 1

As a liberal Christian, sometimes I lose a little focus when it comes to Jesus.  I love him, I revere him, but I may forget why.  I also tend to get too "heady", meaning dealing with my faith in Jesus with my analytical head more than my heart. So I thought I'd do a note a day, for 10 days, looking at Jesus' quotes from the Gospels.  Here is the first one:

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you svisited me, I was in prison and you came to me.


Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'


And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"
(Matthew 25.35-40 ESV)


This will probably come up more than once in this little project, but I always LOVE how Jesus emphasises care for each other.

In Jesus' time, in his culture, hospitality was quite important.  They didn't have gas stations or motels for people who traveled.  People relied on each other a lot more than we do.  It was an essential part of their culture to welcome travelers, offer a place to stay, a bite to eat, etc.  Jesus himself openly relied on the kindness of strangers while he did his work.

In our culture, we seem to stress self-reliance over anything else.  "Charity begins at home." (by Charles Dickens, not in the Bible.)  "God helps those who help themselves."  (by English political theorist Algernon Sidney, then by Benjamin Franklin, also not in the Bible.)  These idioms seem wise to a point -- taking care of yourself and family is certainly critical.  But Christ points out that our family is not only those who are connected to us by birth and blood.  Christ -- the Source of Life -- is in us all, and thus makes us ALL family.

Further, he points out that we are not responsible for taking care of those who seem nice, or cute.  As children of God, we are to treat every living person with the love and respect that we hold for Jesus.  This includes people who have not lived perfect lives ("I was in prison and you came to me").  It means that we welcome those who are strange to us (those from other lands, other cultures, other religions).  And for some reason, I think it means taking care of people who have also fallen off their rocker (naked people), though I'm sure he meant those who didn't have adequate clothing.  :)