As numerous as the stars…

This morning I witnessed what is perhaps one of the most incredible sites in all the natural world.  It started out with just a few birds, rising up from an unseen field and making their way over the lake where I normally go walking.  Within a few minutes, however, the skies were filled as literally thousands of small birds rose over the tree line to fill the skies with their silhouettes.  And just when I thought they had all flown by, another wave would emerge, so that over a period of five solid minutes there was a constant stream of these birds as they began their fall migration south.  It was a breath-taking sight to behold. 

It reminded me of the story of Abraham in the book of Genesis.  In the story, Abraham faithfully follows God’s call in his life, and because of his response, God declares that “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.”  The blessing continues that “through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”  (Gen. 22: 17, 18)

The migration of birds seemed to be “as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore,” yet it began with just a small group, leading the way.  For those who respond to God’s call to embark on a journey of faith and transformation, the promise is that God will use our faithfulness to bless others, perhaps even thousands.  Our example, the lives that we live and the faith that we share, serves as a beacon to others to the point that, perhaps through us, all nations on earth will be blessed.  The idea of thousands of birds lifting to the sky, their eyes fixed on the same goal and agreeing to journey together, is one that we should consider as we examine our own faith journey.  And like Abraham, God can use our dedication and service to speak blessing into the world.  Though it can be a struggle, and sometimes we feel like we may be one of the only ones making the journey, you never know who is following behind, strengthened and encouraged by your example.

Top Priorities gleaned from YA Dialogue

We held a day-long dialogue and visioning session with the young adults in the area to discuss “what matters most” for YA’s in the church.  Below are some of the main ideas that emerged from the many discussions and notes…The critical quesiton now becomes: How do we move forward from here?  Some insight will be given over the next several posts to help guide this unfolding process.

 

1) Mentoring / Leadership Development

a) Young adults want to learn and become good, capable ministers, yet they also expect older generations to continue to learn and grow
b) Desire strong mentoring relationships which allow for the exchange of insight and opens pathways for all involved to become stronger leaders
c) Want to participate in genuine dialogue to further the mission of God through the church
d) Willing to be held accountable, but will also hold others of all ages accountable

2) Moving Church into “Real Life”

a) Need to meet people’s needs in worship; more specifically, is the worship addressing real life needs and struggles in a way that connects the congregation to the love and work of God
b) Engaging the community in tangible expressions of Zion and of Jesus’ love – taking the message “to the streets”

3) Becoming a more Flexible, Responsive Church

a) Can adapt without going through committee
b) Easily allows new people into active participation and leadership
c) Becoming a faith community that is externally-focused

Something Greater

Carl Sandburg once said that “There are dreams stronger than death.”  This has always been one of my favorite quotes, because it reminds me that there are those visions, causes, callings that extend beyond my own life and time, yet which are worthy of my complete dedication.

As I’ve been driving to and from work the last couple of weeks, I have been reminded of this quote by two billboards that I pass.  One is for a cell phone company, and it is a picture of a smiling mother and daughter.  In bold, white words the message states: “Believe in something better.”  Their pitch is simple: we offer better coverage, better service and better reliability, all at a better price.  This, in the mind of the consumer, is to be contrasted with other companies who, presumably, aren’t as good.  They are asking you to put your trust in them, because you will be pleased with how much better their product is.  It is perfectly clear: your abstract concept of “quality” can be directly associated with a tangible item, their phone service.

The second is an ad for the US Marine Corps.  It has a picture of a Marine at attention, with the words (again, in white) “Dedicated to something greater than themselves”.  This is to draw reflection that it is courageous, honorable, and selfless to serve one’s country in the military (a point that can be debated later.  For the sake of this discussion, we will move on…)  The ideals that the Marine stands for — freedom, integrity, service and character — are an ongoing story that one can not only learn from, but contribute to.  The notion of “dedication” is embodied in those who give their lives to see a specific purpose fulfilled, in this case the protection of the United States and her people.

The unfolding story of God’s interactions in the world is a “dream that is stronger than death” to me.  The promise that all those who accept Christ as Savior and Guide are a part of a “great and marvelous work” stirs hope in me.  We recognize that, though we may never see the ‘end result’ of our work in our own lifetimes, each contribution, each dedicated service is building toward a more loving and just tomorrow.  This hope will ultimately be fulfilled when Christ returns and we see fully the reign of God’s peaceable kingdom.  Christians believe that, though what we have now may be ‘good’, there is “something better” that God desires, and so we press on to see this dream realized.  Our task is to take abstract concepts of “joy, hope, love and peace” and make them reality through tangible expressions.  In fact, this is what Jesus did: he embodied the shalom of God through his actions and his very being; he was “God WITH us,” the One who came to reveal to us the true depth and nature of God’s loving being. 

So what are these “dreams” that God calls us to?  Abstract concepts revealed in concrete actions: a world without poverty; people being liberated from their addictions to power, drugs, pride, alcohol, self-centeredness and manipulation; true peace and understanding in politics, economics and family life; loving communities that accept ALL people and make them feel at home; life-giving relationship with God through Christ that transforms us to be people who are more compassionate and live rich, meaningful lives in service to others. 

As a body of believers, i.e. the Church, we need to uphold these “dreams that are stronger than death” and invite all people to ”believe in something better.”  When we are “dedicated to something greater than ourselves,” we discover the true meaning and purpose for life — to be in relationship with God and others.  There is no greater cause, no greater calling, no greater vision than to partner with God is ushering in a new way to be human, grounded in love, called in hope, expectant in joy, and blessed in peace.  

May we not only be billboards to remind people of this dream, but living expressions of it in our daily lives.

PEACE. Living. Communities.

“What does your shirt mean?”

To be honest, I was a bit surprised to be asked this question in the grocery store.  I wear many bright shirts with words on them, but have never been asked the significance behind any of them.  The woman standing in front of me was average, buying pickles and ketchup, probably for a picnic later on.  The words must have caught her eye, and now she was looking at me, waiting for the response.  “What does your shirt mean?”

Well, after stammering for a moment (c’mon, it caught me totally off guard!) I responded that it was what we are all about.  I was wearing my shirt from the 2008 Peace Colloquy (an annual event sponsored by the Community of Christ where people from all faiths and walks of life gather to explore an aspect of peace and how to practice it in daily living), which had, in large, bold words “PEACE. Living. Communities.” plastered across the front.  “We strive to be people of peace who create communities of peace in the name of Christ.”  The answer was sufficient for her inquiry, she asked me the name of the church, and after saying that she liked the shirt and encouraging us to ‘keep it up’ she left.  Probably to pick up some hamburger and buns. 

What is the message we give to the world?  Though I hadn’t really noticed which shirt I had put on in the morning, this woman at the grocery store had certainly noticed what it said.  Was I ready to give a good response?  Well, it was a true and decent one, but at the moment I don’t know that I would have been able to go in to a deeper discussion with her about the role of peace-living in our personal lives and communities.  Those words did not come as naturally as slipping on a t-shirt did for me. 

So, what DO we mean when we say that “PEACE. Living. Communities.” is what we are all about?  Well, let’s look at it piece by piece (pun certainly intended…)

First, peace.  The peace that I have come to know and desire is the peace of Jesus Christ.  This is a peace which I can receive from no other source and which often stands in contradication to the world’s definitions of peace.  Often, we talk of peace as being the absence of war or conflict, and while this is one part of the picture, it certainly is not all of it.  The peace that Christ came to bring is one of reconciliation, where there is healing that occurs in the midst of our real lives.  It provides us a framework in which to address conflict instead of suppressing it or keeping it at arm’s length.  True peace seeks to bring about a restoration of relationships to their right and healthy order. 

This naturally leads to the idea of justice, where all are given equal standing and are respected simply because they are a creation of God’s.  The way we treat the poor, the environment, our finances, our best friend — all are given the appropriate perspective when we see them through the eyes of love that God sees with.  The peace we proclaim is not a passive peace, but an active one which stands in solidarity with the oppressed and marginalized, which gives voice to the voiceless and liberation to those bound by the shackles of persecution. 

We also recognize that we, too, stand in need of such peace — that the inbreaking love of God is Good News for every person.  In my moments of desperation and loneliness, in the joyful expression of life and friendship, in the questioning of life and situation, the peace of Jesus Christ gives me stability, a foundation on which to build and work.  It is this presence that nurtures me and calls me to transformation, both inwardly and through outward expression.

So, the Peace of Jesus Christ is the basis for all that I am.  To say that we strive to be “Peace-Living” is to recognize that we must align our lives and actions to the ways of peace, that peace is not just something to be built and set as a structure, but is better described as a way of life that moves in unison with others who share the same vision.  Gandhi once said that we need to “be the change you wish to see,” and I think this is the fundamental shift from talking about peace building to practicing peace living.  We can theorize and donate and preach peace all we want, but until we are willing to walk the difficult path of actually LIVING peacefully, these other efforts will always fall short.  As the author of James says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says!” (James 1:22)

“Peace-communities” can be a difficult phrase for us to comprehend.  Often, we associate naive utopian society and/or scary fringe cults with this concept, but I think it deserves a second look.  To be a community of peace is to engage the world, not withdraw from it.  It means that in these gatherings, people discover safety, welcome, acceptance and solidarity.  Just laws, open dialogue, genuine empathy and a passion for compassion intertwine in a dance that is lived out in the day-to-day happenings of the community at all levels.  Whether in the family, the congregation, the city, nation or world community, individuals are empowered to be their most authentic-selves, discovering the difficult blessings of working with others. 

To say that we seek “Peace-Living Communities” is to wrap all this up into a broader picture which weaves the individual response to act as a peace-liver into the purpose of the church to bring about peace in Christ to our communities and congregations.  It is the constant flow of our lives to discover deeper and richer understandings of God’s peace in our own lives and to then work to bring that peace into the lives of others through community.  When it gets right down to it, this IS what we are all about!  “We strive to be people of peace who create communities of peace in the name of Christ.”

And all that on a simple t-shirt I threw on that morning…

Around the Lake

Every morning, I go for a walk around Gray’s Lake on the south side of Des Moines.  This 1.9 mile stroll leads me on a path that snakes around the shore of the lake, and I am often blessed to see a blue heron, swallows, fish or the occaisional bald eagle.  This brief time in the morning serves not only as a way to get some physical exercise in, but also as a chance to spend time talking with God and reflecting on life and the day unfolding before me.  Breathing deeply with my lungs, my eyes, and my heart prepares me to once again open myself in love and grace to the world around me. 

The walk itself proves to be interesting, though.  On the west side of the lake, the path comes within 25 feet of a major road, which at 7:30am is bustling with traffic, people on their way to work.  Obviously, there is quite a bit of noise, which makes it difficult to concentrate and relax!  The east side of the lake is much more peaceful, with forests and the Raccoon River providing the scenery.  Here, it is easy to hear the birds and the soft brush of the breeze, to find the smaller nuances of nature.  I do most of my praying on this side of the lake 

The more that I walk around the lake, though, the more aware I have become of the blending of traffic and nature.  Even on the far side of the lake, I can still hear cars accelerating and passing by; there is no perfect stillness.  Yet on the west side of the lake, I discover that I can still hear the chirping birds and the gentle lap of the water on the shore; though overwhelmed by the busy pace of the road, there are still the echoes of the soothing sounds. 

We often want our lives to have perfectly-defined compartments, times when we can be busy, and times when we hear nothing but the stillness surrounding us.  Yet I have discovered that this is rarely so.  More often than not, we discover that life is instead more about which “world” is more predominant, which set of noises rings more clearly in our ears.  Even when we retreat into the times of reflection and quiet, there is still a portion of the world which calls to us, demanding that we remember all the things we need to do and all the hurt we need to heal.  And when we are fully engaged in the world, seemingly engulfed by the pain and hardship, tasks and responsibilities, there comes a sweet song of peace to refresh us and remind us why we are ministering in the world. 

It is this recognition, that God is present in all aspects of life, that has changed my walk around Gray’s Lake.  Now, I use the different stages to focus my prayer more clearly.  When I am on the east side, I pray that I may be sustained in God’s peace, filled with the nurturing love of the Spirit, and loved by the grace of Christ.  On the west side, I pray that I may not shy away from the difficulties of life, that I may meet people where they are, that I may feel a passion to minister to a frantic world.  God is there, on both sides of the lake, and at every point in between. 

In the book of Ecclesiastes, there is a famous chapter that suggests that there is a time for everything: a time to laugh, a time to cry; a time to plant and a time to harvest; a time to speak and a time to be silent.  Our personal discipleship and our journey as congregations are the same way.  There is a time to study the scriptures, and a time to apply them; a time to pray for strength and a time to pray for others; a time to worship and a time to reach out to the world; a time to rest in God’s love and a time to be sent in it.  Yet the truth is this: these times are always overlapping one another.  If we become too wrapped-up in any one aspect (ex personal study) we can lose sight of and appreciation for the other important aspects (ex sharing our story of faith with others).  We cannot get too comfortable on one side of the metaphorical lake, because true discipleship calls us to deepen our personal relationship with God AND to bring witness and healing to the world.    

We cannot stay on one side, for the journey of discovery takes us around the entire lake.

[untitled]

I get the opportunity to do a lot of reading.  Several times a week, I browse through blogs, Facebook groups and notes written by people, trying to get a sense of what is going on in people’s lives and the broader context of communities.  Sometimes, I am pleasantly surprised by rich new understandings and deep, impactful reflections or dialogues.  The more I read, though, the more disturbed I get.  There seems to be this war going on in the blogosphere, and neither side is “winning,” with each position blasting the other as liars, hypocrites, blind, divisive, etc.  And no, I’m not talking about politics – this war is being fought over what it means to be a Christian.

An example of this came as I was reading a discussion topic on a Facebook group.  Two people, both certainly considering themselves strong Christians, lobbed insults and scriptures back and forth at each other for several paragraphs, with statements such as “You cannot be a Christian and believe [fill in the blank];” “It’s obvious you don’t own a Bible, because if you did, then _____;” “Your Jesus is totally wrong.”  I’ve heard similar things before, but the tenacity and lack of any sense of respect for the other caught me entirely off-guard.  I certainly didn’t want to be associated with them.

In the gospels, Jesus said a lot of things, and was known as a great teacher.  Yet there are only two times recorded in the gospels where Jesus uses the word “commandment” as his teaching.  The first is very familiar to us: a teacher of the law tries to trick Jesus by asking him which is the greatest commandment.  In response, Jesus gives him two, clearly setting them in direct relationship to each other: “Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’” (Mark 12:29-31 NRSV).  The second time is found in John’s account of Jesus’ teachings at the Last Supper, John 13:34-35 : “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’”

Maybe this is why people often don’t take Christians seriously – it just seems like we aren’t willing to love one another.

We often argue about “who is” and “who isn’t” a Christian, setting up our own parameters and expectations.  We reject others because of minor theological differences.  We tell friends they must believe exactly as we do in order to be a TRUE Christian.  We divide, dismiss, demonize and deride those who are different from us, out of a fear of keeping the faith “pure”.  To be perfectly honest, I am sick of it, and I suggest that we stand up and challenge these forces of division which have been plaguing Christianity for far too long.

To me, being a Christian means centering our lives and actions around Jesus Christ.  The central teaching that Jesus came to share was (and is) that the God who created us desires to be in transformative relationship with us, expanding our capacity to see and love as God loves.  That’s it.  All else comes secondary.  Jesus invited all of humanity to come and know God as he knew God, and anyone that answered was welcome on the journey.  Jesus never asked the disciples to say a certain creed or memorize enough verses of scripture, to debate what heaven would be like or how to worship.  He simply invited them to follow him, to come and see what being reconciled to God was all about.  His was a call to a life of love.

This is not to say that we should give up our beliefs for an “everything is ok” mentality.  Jesus certainly had much to say about our solidarity with the poor, our generous welcome to the stranger, our stance to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God that which is God’s,” the recognition that we must depend on the guidance of the Spirit in our actions and decision-making, and many other things.  Jesus taught us a new way to be human, and that comes with the sometimes-painful recognition that we have things in our lives that will change as we seek healing, reconciliation and peace for ourselves and the world.  What I AM saying is that we cannot simply discredit another person’s spirituality because we may disagree on something. 

During college, I was profoundly blessed to have an honest and deep relationship with a Christian of a different faith.  We disagreed quite often, and sometimes the discussions touched painfully close to cherished views of the world.  However, we could always end with the things we agreed on and never failed to recognize our common devotion to the Risen Christ.  Our dialogue reminded me of a statement made by Community of Christ President Steve Veazey in his 2005 address to the church’s World Conference:

             “Furthermore, I believe it is essential to the witness and mission of the church for us to stop defining each other in divisive ways. So easily we are tempted to categorize people by terms like “liberal” and “conservative,” “progressive” and “traditional,” “right” and “left,” “more spiritual” and “less spiritual.” Why? Because categorizing people means we don’t have to get to know them. We can simply hold on to assumptions and stereotypes that reinforce our views. Here’s a novel idea: How about referring to each other as “brother” and “sister” in Christ as the beginning, middle, and end point for all of our relationships in the Community of Christ? What a witness to the world that would be… In order to be the prophetic community of peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit, we must first examine our attitudes and behaviors. One of the greatest challenges facing the church today is that we are allowing the same polarization so common in many societies to prevail in our own church relationships. We place a higher premium on being “right” than on being “in right relationship,” truly reconciled in Christ.  The walls of hostility and division that Christ has torn down are being rebuilt by us because of our suspicion of others who are different from us. Here is the truth: We are much more alike than we are different; our destinies are intertwined. Why, then, do we focus on the differences rather than on the fact that we are all children of the One God who created us, who, despite our rebellion and shortsightedness, has made us of one household in Christ Jesus?”

This is a vital issue to address, for many reasons.  First, those who are on “the outside” hear Christians talk about love and forgiveness, then recoil in horror as they see us waging a civil war that in no way speaks of transforming love.  Our witness to the world is diminished when we attack others.  No one wants to be associated with others who tear someone else down in order to gain a “solid” footing.  Second, we inflict pain, stir up anger and foster distrust within the Body of Christ and its members when we slander and insult one another.  Broken relationships and entrenched egos do nothing to serve the sharing of the Good News.  Finally, we close ourselves off to the mysterious touch of the Spirit when we claim to know exactly what to believe and how to interpret God’s love.  If we are serious about being on a journey of discovery and transformation in the love of God, then we cannot ever espouse a stifling, dogmatic certainty which shuts us away from any possibility of new light and truth.  The dangerous task of listening to the Spirit means we must be open to where it leads.

Let us stop trying to figure out “who is” or “who isn’t” a Christian, and start loving all people as we are called to by God through Christ.  To all those who sense the presence of Christ in your lives, you are welcome here.  To all those who are confused and searching, wondering and hoping, you are welcome here.  To all those who simply need a friend, you are welcome here.  To those of other faiths, other beliefs, other paths who still feel a call to love, you are welcome here.  To all those who desire to center their lives around Christ and to love God with their entire being, you are welcome here.  To all those who have been rejected, told they are not good enough, or felt marginalized for being who they are, you are welcome here.

May the words of this hymn serve as our declaration to the world and to ourselves:

“Christ has called us to new visions Here to celebrate and praise, Here confess our old divisions, Here our peace petitions raise.  Come repentant, come forgiving, Come in joy and hope and prayer.  Christ, once crucified, now living, Bids us faith and love to share.”

WWJD: A New Message for an Old Bracelet

I have an old bracelet on my right wrist, faded, fraying and about to fall off.  You’ve probably seen them around — it’s one of those WWJD bracelets.  “What Would Jesus Do” was very popular in the late 90’s and early 00’s, but quickly passed out of the fashionable trend.  Yet at their peak, hundreds of thousands of Christians sported these catchy bits of cloth, declaring at once their commitment to Christ and their ability to be “hip”.  It was a nation-wide movement: if someone asked you what your bracelet meant, you were supposed to explain it to them, share your story of Jesus’ work in your life, and give them the wristband as a good-faith measure of sharing and witness. 

Of course, there were some setbacks.  Many non-Christians saw the slogan as shallow and not indicative of the lifestyles those wearing them were actually leading.  Several prominent pastors and church leaders protested that the real question is not ‘What WOULD Jesus Do,’ but rather ‘What DID Jesus Do’?

For me, though, WWJD proved to be too perfect!  I immediately went out and bought several (all in different colors, of course!) and conveniently brought them into discussion with my friends.  I shared all of them, proud of myself for the outreach ministry that I was providing.  I tried to model myself after the question, with responses like “Jesus would tell them all about their sin and how they needed to change,” or “Jesus would quote a scripture to them to win the argument” or even “Jesus would tell them they had to be a member of MY church in order to have the best life.”  For some reason, these messages never really worked to change people’s hearts, and yet I became more determined than ever to call people to act like Jesus would.  Only problem was, I wasn’t actually acting like Jesus would…

Over the years, I kept my wristband out of habit, keeping it on because of the comfort it provided for me.  After awhile, I practically forgot I was even wearing it, because the message no longer meant anything to me.  During that time, fortunately, my life and perspectives changed quite a bit, until slowly, the profound message printed around my wrist actually became my pattern of life.

You see, to ask ourselves in every situation, “How would Jesus respond to this person” is the deep call of discipleship.  We who call ourselves Christ-ians are to model our behavior and ethics on the example of the One we follow.  And unlike my previous assumptions, I do not believe that this will lead us to condemn or shame anyone.  The Jesus that I have come to discover is the ultimate Welcome, the most generous Compassion, the greatest Forgiving Love.  God’s most complete revelation to humanity through Jesus is that God is a God of relationship, always calling us back from our brokeness and into restored Wholeness.  We do not do that by scolding people or making them fear the eternal fires of hell.  “What Would Jesus Do” calls us into the dirty trenches of life, befriending the unshaved bum outside the Walgreens, frustrated by his circumstances and the abuse of the powerful.  “What Would Jesus Do” calls us to stand beside the foster child who has been passed from home to home, losing all sense of stability and crying out for someone to LOVE them.  “What Would Jesus Do” calls us to stand up to the prominent religious leaders of the day and challenge them to stop using immigrants and other voiceless populations as scapegoats for our common challenges.  “What Would Jesus Do” calls me from my agenda and my meetings and into the lives of every day people, lonely, tired, beaten down and wondering where hope will come from.  “What Would Jesus Do” demands that I reconsider my use of plastic water bottles which fill our landfills and to seriously question how long my shower is, what kind of meat do I buy at the supermarket, do I leave my cell phone charger in all day?  “What Would Jesus Do” constantly invites me to reassess who is welcome at my table, at the Communion table, at the table of God’s grace. 

You see, Jesus had a pretty simple message: “The kingdom of God is at hand.”  There is a new way to be human, and it doesn’t involve power-claims, violence, hierarchies or condemnations.  God is on the side of the oppressed, and Jesus’ teachings, death and resurrection are the sign that this new world is breaking forth.  The world and its people, beginning with us, are being called away from self-centerdness and comfort and into a new day when the cause of the poor and marginalized becomes OUR cause, and we begin the uncomfortable task of aligning our purposes to those of God.  Instead of looking back by asking “What DID Jesus Do”, we use the example found in scripture to look FORWARD, expectant that this new world is dawning and desiring to play our part in its creation. 

And so I still wear this tattered WWJD bracelet, painfully aware that it is no longer trendy or even important to most people.  Someday soon, it will become so worn that it will fall off, and though I will miss it’s reminder, it ultimately doesn’t matter.  You see, I have come to realize what most of us wouldn’t grasp before: that it doesn’t matter what’s on your wrist, but what’s in your heart and in the action of your hands.  Maybe it’s time for another WWJD revolution, but this time, it won’t be about a fashionable accessory, but about the True Hope that is moving in the world.

Change THEIR Hearts!

I’m sure that most people are now aware that on Friday, April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the Iowa Constitution protected the rights of homosexual couples to marry.  Regardless of your view on the issue, it led to a very interesting comment that I heard which has had me thinking (a dangerous passtime, I know!).

It was Sunday morning, and I was listening to the local Christian radio station on my way to church.  The DJ made a comment about the ruling, and then had the following words:  “It is obvious that we still have a lot of work to do, so let’s remember to keep praying that their hearts will be changed.”  I was shocked and appalled, both for the obvious reason, but also for a much deeper and striking reason.

Often times, we believe that we have all the answers.  As someone who is practically perfect, I know that it is very rare for me to have an incorrect thought    We are comfortable with our own mode of thinking, and resist anything that runs contrary to it.  Whether it’s the way in which we brush our teeth or how we deal with terrorists or a vote for the local school board, once we make up our mind it is hard to change it.  In a way, this can be a positive thing — we have been given the capacity to reason and the free agency to make our decisions, and we should not shy-away from these God-given blessings.

The danger comes when we presume that our way is the ONLY right way, that anyone who doesn’t agree with us is missing a few fries from the Happy Meal.  “If they were only thinking straight…” “They’re just not connecting the dots…” “If they knew everything that I know, then…”  We place ourselves higher than those who disagree with us, demeaning their sense of reason and free agency.  Because we stand so firm in our convictions, we dismiss the equality of the other and feel justified in doing so. 

This thread of thought becomes even more precipitous when it enters into our discussions about religion, spirituality and faith.  For example, when the DJ asked for prayers to change hearts, he was presuming that his will was also God’s will.  Instead of asking that we pray for GOD’S will to be done, he was asking that we agree with him as the only correct interpretation of Christian faith and action.  What idolatry!  Yet we are all guilty of it…We all find ourselves praying, “God, I know that what I want is really what you want, so please help me get it!”  This is not the purpose of prayer, though.  Our reason for praying is primarily to align ourselves to the mind and purposes of God by being open, honest and receptive.  We do not pray, “Change THEIR hearts,” but rather implore and confess, “Change MY heart, OUR hearts to hear you more clearly.”  Don’t let our prayers be “Give them the right beliefs (which happen to look exactly like mine…)” but “May the whole creation, beginning with me, more understand your immeasurable love, grace and welcome.”

Now, this is not to say we shouldn’t petition God to move in the lives of others; far from it!  Yet if we do so, we must also be willing to ask that God move within OUR lives to bring us to new understanding, new appreciation, new insight that has the potential to rock our world to its core.  It takes humilty and trust to be able to pray this prayer, and it will never be easy.  We find our grounding in scripture and the tradition of the faith, but a prophetic people can never settle to sit comfortably in one place — we are always being challenged and corrected by the Loving Spirit.

So, before we jump to conclusions about who is “right” and “wrong”, let us seek always to confess that we “see only in part” and need to understand in greater measure God’s love of Good News.  The DJ was right in one thing, at least: we still have a lot of work to do.

Face to Face

Well, it is the first of the month, and for many of us, that means time to pay the bills.  I live in an apartment complex, so every month I make the pilgrimage to the main office to drop off my check.  Once there, I have two choices: put it in the rent drop box, or take it inside and hand it to the manager.  The first month I was in a hurry and just dropped it in the box, and didn’t really feel any qualms in doing it this way.  Then, as I turned to leave, I glanced inside the office, and the manager waved at me.  Of course I waved back, but then scurried off to my busy day. 

As it came time to pay rent the next month, the incident re-surfaced in my mind.  Why hadn’t I taken the extra minute to go inside and have some face-to-face time with the person sitting behind the desk?  At first I gave myself the same line — I was busy that day and could have ended up being late for very important things.  Then I realized — wouldn’t a conversation with someone be a very important thing?  Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be doing?  So, now every month I go inside, greet the person at the desk (we have three who rotate, so it’s always a surprise!) and take just a few minutes to get to know them and share about life, the weather, issues, or whatever happens to come up.

For me, this is a signal of how we should live our lives.  We live in a world where face-to-face communication has dwindled to the point of nothing, where we thrive on keeping our distance through text messages, Facebook, and even blogs    None of these things are, of themselves, bad — in fact, they can often facilitate greater sharing and help us keep in contact with those so far away.  For anyone that knows me, you can affirm that I ADORE these forms of communication, and whole-heartedly support their use.  However, I believe it is also important to be with people as much as possible in their physical environments.  My college roommates and I would often talk with each other online while literally facing eachother in the same room, and fun as it was once in awhile, we knew we could never thrive in that isolation and the confinement of the written word.  So, long hours of sharing, or brief moments of getting caught up would occur regularly, and were blessed by happening face-to-face.  We learned that it was too easy to keep ourselves emotionally detatched if we didn’t actually sit and BE with each other, so to forge the deep, true relationships, we had to invest time in one another and set up new priorities for our time.

Where have you come to rely too much on the “drop box”?  Some of the areas of my life that I have made a positive change in include switching from going through the drive-thru to walking up to the counter; using the regular line at the grocery store instead of the self-checkout; and paying fewer bills online (even if I never see the person to whom the bill is going, I still get to get out and see people @ the Post Office…).  Sure, there are areas we all need to improve on, but by recognizing our need to be with people in our daily lives, we discover that their presence is a blessing to us.  The more we try to live IN the world instead of distant from it, the easier it becomes for us to truly recognize the Christ in each person. 

Today, as I walked in the door to pay my rent, I could tell that Megan wasn’t doing well.  She shared with me that her aunt is very sick, and when I told her I would keep Megan and her whole family in my prayers, she responded with genuine thanks.  My Face to Face with Jesus today in that place would not have happened had I been content with the “drop box” mentality.  What if, yet again, I had decided that my day was too busy to bother going inside? 

Where will YOU meet Jesus today?

I Proclaim Jesus

Today has been sort of a tough day.  Actually, just a tough afternoon.  As I’m preparing my ministry goals for this upcoming year and trying to prioritize my time and ministry, I stumble across a blog by another Community of Christ young adult.  In this entry, powerfully written and brutally honest, he outlines some of the major challenges facing the church in being relevant to this generation.  Reading through the many responses to his article, I discovered what I’ve always known to be true — that there are a lot of opinions about the issue, and how best to address it.  Frankly, I’ve heard most of it before.  Yet somehow this time, it struck me very deep.  I spent the past 40 minutes just sitting, reflecting on the enormity of the situation, and the energies required to even begin to address it.  It was one of those moments that almost makes you despair.

And then I received a text.  Now, the text itself wasn’t that important, but the result of opening my phone was.  See, the background on my phone is of a waterfall at David’s Chamber, a small but profoundly beautiful space in Nauvoo, Illinois.  Written as a banner in front of this tranquility are the simple words: “I Proclaim Jesus”.  Toss away words?  Perhaps.  Overly confident?  Maybe.  But in this moment, utterly transformative.

You see, ultimately, when the trials of life come, when the challenges to our ministry seem the greatest, when it looks like there is no hope and we despair at our seemingly-futile efforts, these words break in upon our hearts like rays of light over the mountains.  The reminder that the only thing that matters is the proclamation of God’s love so fully revealed to us in Christ changed my day, my way of thinking. 

Instead of anxiety over the future, there is trust that no matter what, God will be there.

Instead of fear of performance and measuring up, there is recognition that God’s love is enough.

Instead of trying to solve all the problems, there is comfort that the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth.

Instead of gazing inward and focusing on insignificant distractions, there is the call to reach out to a world in desperate need.

To assert that We Proclaim Jesus is to uphold what is ultimately important in our lives.  All the securities, titles, comforts and desires found through other things dim in comparison to our life found in Christ.  To Proclaim Jesus is to say that while other things are important, none are as important as this.  Here is where I find comfort.  Here there is peace that really does pass all understanding.  Here is the promise that God will never abandon us.

I Proclaim Jesus.