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Posts Tagged ‘way of Jesus’

Freedom in Faith

Posted in Feast Days and Holy Days, Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 28, 2010| 2 Comments »

What is allowed: much more than I used to believe. My faith in God has grown exponentially and with that expansion, so has the umbrella of God’s grace grown in like manner.

Romans 14:22a, 23b
Your personal convictions [on such matters]–exercise [them] as in God’s presence. . . For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful]. [Amplified]

This passage is full of personal freedom as long as faith is the foundation. Too many Christians have browbeaten one another into believing in a very small and narrow God who is watching and waiting for the followers to step out of line. I don’t think so anymore.

In my last Bible Study class, one of the participants said her family calls these rules the “makey-uppies” and I agree with her 100 percent. Like the Pharisees of old, many start making up additional interpretations of the law to keep the road as narrow as possible. Perhaps the scriptures about the way being narrow [Matthew 7:13-14] have caused believers to create a tiny, tiny door for faith. And as they squeeze through, they pat themselves on the back for being so narrow.

Here’s a better picture: the narrow way is more like the Tardis from the stories of Doctor Who. On the outside, his vehicle looks quite small, only as big as a British style phone booth, but once inside, it’s expansive and full of rooms and possibilities. This is the way of Jesus.

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Loving Choices

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , on March 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Today I am being asked to choose, consciously, to adapt my behavior for the sake of another. And that, not for just any “other,” but for a “sister/brother,” someone who shares my faith walk, who is in koinonia (community) with me. Hmmmm.

Romans 14:14b-15a
. . . But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat [by what you are doing], you are no longer acting in love. . . .

This challenges me because I have been working on authenticity so much lately. Historically, I have not believed I could “be my true self” around some my church friends. I perceive myself as slightly different from them, a little off-beat. I know I enjoy activities that some would consider inappropriate in their eyes (certain books & movies for instance). I have political points of view that may very well be quite different from their own.

I have resented this “duality” and I have wanted to “come out” (and no, I’m not saying I’m gay), to my church family. I just want to be real… authentic and transparent.

So, what do these passages from Romans tell me to consider?

Here’s what I think it has to be about for me: it’s a difference in attitude. The “hiding” of my true self before was based on assumptions. And yet, I don’t really know if what I do, think, or read is a stumbling block for someone else. I have rarely opened myself up to that degree. And so, I still think I need to continue this path of onion peeling. However, if my choices cause someone else distress, then I can consciously choose not to participate in these activities or conversations for the sake of the other.

Again, the difference is in the conscious choice for the sake of the other.

I need to think about this more. But for today, I just want to be more mindful of the reasons behind my behaviors, the roots. Assumptions are dangerous for everyone involved. But loving choices can be healing.

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I Can Only Live My Story

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 26, 2010| 4 Comments »

Just live my story, that’s all I am asked to do. If I could keep it clear in my head that it’s my own journey that is mine to share, to correct, to adapt, to transform, and unfortunately, to also withhold, warp, or destroy, then I wouldn’t be so judgmental of others.

Romans 14:10, 12
Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. . . . And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God. [Amplified]

God has the end of all the stories in hand. I cannot know what is in the heart of another person or their struggles or their understanding in this moment. Each person’s way carries its own challenges. Truly, who am I to say whether this one or that one is doing the best with what has been given to bear. We are all trying to figure it out. We are all trying to make the best of it.

These passages from Romans are actually an invitation to freedom. It is not for me to carry another’s journey. I can walk beside. I can live fully in my own understanding of a life in Christ and it is in that living that others might experience contact with love, hope, joy, etc. But it is not for me to drag the unwilling along my way. Nor is it for me to condemn their way (for the path could change in a moment).

To help another is simply to be present with that “sacred other.” To help another is to give access to my heart and soul. It is only my authentic self that can give life. It is only the Christ within who can touch a life.

Oh Lord God, may my account in that last day be a testimony of discovery: more of Christ and less of me.

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Neighbor Love

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 22, 2010| Leave a Comment »

The simplicity and power of loving my neighbor as I love myself is staggering. But I don’t do it. I’m not just talking about the people who live next door of course. I mean that more challenging neighbor, the one typified in the parable of the good Samaritan [Luke 10:25-37], possibly even an enemy.

Romans 13:9b-10
You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law. [Amplified]

I know, people roll their eyes when I start talking about the force of love. It all sounds so “cheesy” and “new-agey” or maybe it’s those memories of “flower power” and “free love” from the 60’s. But I keep running into this command as I study the scriptures and I think the repetition is worth noting.

Scot McKnight has it right when he espouses what he has coined the Jesus Creed, that basic tenet captured by Jesus when he was asked by the Pharisees, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” [Matthew 22:35-39]

Is my trouble in my inability to love myself? I know a lot of teaching has turned in on itself and somehow, the emphasis has shifted to loving self. Pretty funny, really. There are folks who can’t seem to get away from it “being all about them.” As though this practice of loving self would teach us to love another. I don’t think so.

Or is the problem in my definitions of love? Certainly Webster’s Dictionary doesn’t help much as there is so much emphasis on romantic and sexual love and that’s not the love that is meant for my neighbor (unless it’s “Housewives of Orange County” or whatever is the new “Peyton Place”).

Truthfully, I know enough about the love of scriptures to practice it if I really wanted to do it. Agape love is the term used here and it’s more sacrificial in nature. Agape love means I must step outside my comfort zone. And in the end, that’s the main reason I don’t practice it regularly. I don’t like being outside my comfort zone.

God forgive me.

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Pay Respect

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , on March 21, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Interesting juxtaposition of these words: taxes, revenue, respect and honor. In the arena of respect, it seems we hear more about earning respect than paying. Perhaps the greater problem is on the payment side. In the same way we cheat (just a little) on our taxes, we are probably cheating on respect.

Romans 13:7
Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Should someone or something be paid respect by position alone? Teens, in particular, unless drilled repeatedly, show more disdain for showing respect than any other debt. Position is no longer enough to garner respect.

I remember when there was a huge brouhaha when a woman’s sports team showed up at the White House to meet the President and a good number of them were dressed quite casually, including flip-flops. Some folks were up in arms about the “lack of respect.” I’m pretty sure the girls didn’t intentionally decide to diss the President the of United States by dressing down. It just didn’t occur to them that it might appear disrespectful.

But what does respect look like? Is it simply a matter of etiquette? Is it a set of actions or is it a frame of mind? To whom should we be paying respect?

I think we’ve missed the boat in our culture and as Christians, we should be picking up the slack. In the same way that we are to express love, we are to pay respect. We must show love and pay respect to the “sacred other.”

Instead of waiting for someone to “earn” respect, we should give it and something wonderful can happen. Can I do this? I really don’t know, but I want to think about it the rest of the day. Help me Lord to be mindful of you and your creation, to pay respect from the inside out.

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Resist Evil

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , on March 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I used to think that “resisting evil” was a matter of putting up strong walls, keeping my sword sharpened, and looking into corners for ambushes. Evil was clever so I had to be even more clever and watchful. But here is a different way: do good.

Romans 12:17a, 21
Do not repay anyone evil for evil . . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Note to myself: it’s not about “being” good (which is next to impossible anyway), but doing . . . overcoming . . . practicing good. And in this activity, evil gets the shaft. Novel idea eh?

How could I have missed this? It’s the same tactic when dealing with anxiety or fear: fill up with the positive thoughts along with love and the result is less room for the other crap.

We underestimate the power of good.

OK, so the next question is, “What is good?” In the same way that God’s laws are written on the heart of man [and woman, of course] (II Cor 3:2-3; Ps 40:7-8), so is the capacity for good. There is a choosing process, an agreement within, an acceptance of what we know to be good or right. Can we choose otherwise? Of course. That is, until evil takes over the heart, then more supernatural stuff has to happen to make the better choices.

But, just regular day to day folks can draw from this well of good, particularly if the Holy Spirit is present. This is the whole point. First we must choose to embrace the good and then we can act on it. And each time we choose good and then act, the power of good becomes stronger, more natural and more effective.

Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. . . .
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it. [Psalm 34:8, 14]

Keep me mindful today of this truth, dear God. Keep me drawing from the well of good. Selah.

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Bless the Persecutors?

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 17, 2010| 2 Comments »

I wouldn’t normally say I am persecuted on a regular basis: you know, things like domination, fanaticism, and intimidation. But, what if it’s as simple as someone who is “cruel in their attitude toward me” [Amplified]. In either case, I’m supposed to bless them. What does that look like?

Romans 12:14-16a
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. . . .

When I teach a Bible study, I am constantly asking the participants, “What does that look like?” I ask because most people who come to these studies have a pretty good handle on the scriptures, but they have lost the specificity of how the words apply (manifest) in their daily lives. It’s one thing to read about “blessing the persecutors” and another to figure out how to do that on a regular day.

For one thing (and for the sake of transparency), I’m still contending with the implications of the word, “bless.” Usually, I can get past these verses by including the “haters” (as my kids call them) in prayer: “Bless so and so, like the woman who gave me a dirty look, or the man who yelled at me over the phone, or the boss who challenged my ability, or the teen who blatantly lied to me. Oh yeah, bless them Lord. (The hidden message: You bless them God because I sure can’t/won’t.)

But I think that’s a dodge of the truth behind the words. To bless someone goes beyond a pat on the head or a passing verbal gratuity. Blessings begin in the mind and then need to manifest into some kind of action. To bless is a verb. Just a little look at a dictionary or thesaurus is quite revealing. Everything is included from “sanctify” to “protect from evil” or “confer well being upon someone.” So, yes, there is a speaking component to blessing someone. And when we are speaking this blessing, it is a request that God confer well-being, prosperity, health, and holiness (wholeness). Every time we say “Bless” it’s a prayer.

I believe there is a second component. The command for me to bless others is not just about me “praying” a blessing over someone but to do what I can to give that person the ability to receive those blessings. If I want to bless someone truly, then I am helping that person receive what God has to offer. I am participating in the process with God. I may be called to be the hands and feet of the blessing.

To only say, “Bless them” is an empty prayer if I am not offering my own commitment to that person’s transformation or change in circumstances.

On a personal level, if someone is treating me badly, cruelly, or even betraying me and accusing me wrongly, while God is telling me to bless that person, then what? Romans 12:20 says “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” My job is to do what is best for the person, no matter how they treat me. To actively bless someone is really just another word for loving them. I do my piece of it and the rest is up to God. If that person does not receive the blessings (mine or God’s) then the “burning coals” may indeed be brought into picture. But that’s not my job. My job is to bless/love.

Help me today, Lord, to “bless” and thereby extend love to everyone I meet today, but in particular, the persecutors. Oh, that feels overwhelming to say.

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