Monthly Archives: September 2016

Stereotypes

stereotypes_typography_by_thomasdriver-d5qnx9cLiving in the Spirit
September 10, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 15:1-10

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ –Luke 15:1-2

Stereotype: something repeated or reproduced without variation: something conforming to a fixed or general pattern and lacking individual distinguishing marks or qualities; especially: a standardized mental picture held in common by members of a group and representing an oversimplified opinion, affective attitude, or uncritical judgment (as of a person, a race, an issue, or an event) *

We all do it, stereotype others. Remember the movie; White Men Can’t Jump. ** The thing is once we get to know people we soon discover that people are pretty much alike. Meyers-Briggs*** developed a test to categorize different personality types some time back that seems to be descriptive of all people without regard to race, gender, etc. The key to crossing from stereotype to reality lies in getting to know someone or a group of people. Jesus got to know people.

Our scripture today illustrates two forms of stereotypes: All tax-collectors are bad (Sorry Matthew) and my judgment of sin prohibits me from even getting to know someone else. We can plug our contemporary ideas into both of these statements very easily. “All non-Christians are bad.” I would never go to an “R” rated movie and, therefore, never associate with anyone who did. (Sorry, The Passion of Christ.) Silly examples perhaps but all stereotypes are silly.

The USA’s demographics require us to break through our stereotypes, doing what Jesus did, and commanded us to do: welcome, the stranger.

Prayer: Lord, becoming one with all your children challenges us to meet and know your children. Give us the courage to unload our stereotypes, fill the void with your love, and help us delight in the diversity you created. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/Stereotype.
**http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105812/
***http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Christ our Mediator

food-insecurityLiving in the Spirit
September 9, 2016

Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

For there is one God;
   there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
   who gave himself a ransom for all—this was attested at the right time. –1 Timothy 2:5-6

Christ serves many roles, all important, but none more important than a mediator. We humans need help in understanding God. We also need help expressing our needs to God. I sometimes think when I pray, God is already fully aware of the circumstances I describe. My repeating it seems a waste of time. After such times of prayer and real struggle with an issue, I often realize I gain clarity of understanding fundamental to shaping an appropriate response. God orders my life as I share my imperfect analysis of a difficult situation.

Jesus through his earthly ministry introduced us to God through word and deed. By way of parables and illustrated stories, even anger and castigation, he gave voice to his message. Healing the sick, feeding the hungry, receiving and sharing hospitality, and accepting all people not just his kind, he demonstrated patterns of living we attempt to follow today.

When we get off track whether individually or collectively, rededicating our lives to following Jesus’ words and deeds brings order to our lives once again. Work awaits our actions. The Zika virus threatens infants; some pharmaceutical companies value profit over lives; 16.5% of Oklahomans suffer from food insecurity*; and racism and sexism, all the ism’s, seek to destroy our oneness. Whether as advocates or director service providers, opportunities exist opening the door for God to order our lives and get us back on course.

Prayer: Lord, let my service be a catalyst for bringing order to my life and that of my community and the whole world. Amen.

*http://okpolicy.org/fact-sheet-hunger-in-oklahoma/

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Becoming One

Jesus and Mary of BethanyLiving in the Spirit
September 8, 2016

Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. –1 Timothy 2:1-4

I assume all follower of Christ think they travel the true course of God as closely as possible. We would not be living the way we do would we, if that were not the case. The challenge comes in meeting Jesus’ specific desire for us to be one. What I deem to be just and of God differs markedly from what other Christians hold as just. Such a situation apparently existed in the time of the writings that became our Bible. Embarking on a study of Paul’s writings, I learn that some of the letters attributed to him probably were not written by him. The books of Timothy are cast in a category described as reactionary to the authentic letters of Paul. This conundrum indicates that our ancestors in faith had to struggle with becoming one as we do today.

I appreciate whoever authored 1 Timothy for opening with a call for prayers for all in positions of power. I wonder how much pray and supplications have been lifted to God in our current political process asking for discernment rather than explaining the correct results God needs to produce. I have said it before but it bears repeating here, I believe our governance, tied in gridlock, very accurately reflects the USA society today. We have walked away from our responsibilities by not engaging in solving the common problems we face. We only see what seems right for our group or us without regard for what is right for all. Until dialogues of discernment not only open in the halls of Congress or state legislatures, but also in coffee shops, PTA meetings, and, yes, among peoples of faith, our government will remain stagnant.

Paul dealt with such discussions as he traversed Asia Minor speaking new words of a Kingdom older-than-time, yet to be, of which we are all crafters. Perhaps we need to try some new words for our time and place.

Prayer: God of Mercy and Grace, give us the words we need to speak to fulfill our call to become one. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

How to Succeed at Being Poor

poor-kidsLiving in the Spirit
September 7, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 14

There they shall be in great terror,
   for God is with the company of the righteous.
You would confound the plans of the poor,
   but the Lord is their refuge.  

O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
   When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
   Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad. –Psalm 14:5-7

Apparently, someone needs to write a self-help book, How to Succeed at Being Poor in the Wealthiest Nation in the World. At least the subject of such a book seems to be the intent of our nation. Producing such a book might be a waste of time, however, for we are no longer even willing to teach our children how to read unless it can happen very cheaply or it provides profit for a private enterprise. Wealth is finite. The earth and all that is in it has limited space and limited resources. For some to have more, some must have less. For some to have a lot more, many more must have less.

The USA unemployment rate is very low. Most able-bodied adults work or are looking for work. We need those undocumented immigrants just to get required work done. Many people work at two or more jobs and still do not make ends meet. Some businesses only schedule staff to work less than a 40-hour week, so the business does not have to provide benefits. Tax-payers subsidize businesses that pay low wages by providing SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, and Child Care Subsidy. There virtually no longer exists a cash payment welfare program for families with their own children. Yet, we continue to hear about and belittle the welfare mooches and the lazy good-for-nothings receiving food stamps etc.

God makes it clear that when we seek God we probably should start looking among the folks, we disparage the most.

Prayer: God, help us to see that you created enough for everyone and that we have the task of sharing your bounty. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

How Angry is God?

Cumulative_induced_seismicityLiving in the Spirit
September 6, 2016

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28

I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void;
   and to the heavens, and they had no light.
I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking,
   and all the hills moved to and fro.
I looked, and lo, there was no one at all,
   and all the birds of the air had fled.
I looked, and lo, the fruitful land was a desert,
   and all its cities were laid in ruins
   before the Lord, before his fierce anger. –Jeremiah 4:23-26

If we think we are mad, how angry is God? People called to be God’s partners in creating God’s kingdom on earth are nowhere to be seen in Jeremiah’s vision. We are playing roulette with our fingers pointing blame on others while remaining isolated in our cocoons of self-righteousness.

What we usually presume are Jeremiah’s allegories have very real outcomes for some. This weekend at 7:02 am Saturday morning Oklahoma experienced a magnitude 5.6 earthquake, which also impacted surrounding states. One of our politicians quickly announced that we do not know what causes this swarm of quakes while the Oklahoma Corporation Commission ordered the shutdown of injection wells in the vicinity of the quake’s epicenter. Oklahoma does face very difficult decisions having its major source of economic wellbeing correlating with the increase of earthquakes, but denying reality does not change it.

Some take positive steps. Cities work hard at diversifying their economies. Some oil companies have reverted to using drilling methods that do not require the use of injection wells. Some explore less harmful ways of dealing with wastewater and become savvier at identifying problem spots for drilling.

This scenario plays out in other places with other problems. Poor economies exist in states that have lost major manufacturing jobs. Service industry jobs have increased, but most do not pay a living wage, resulting in people working more and more for less. Such circumstances build resentment against immigrants, documented or not. Our economy would surely tank, if we gathered all undocumented immigrants and sent them back to their homelands. Immigrants do not work in vacuums. Someone is hiring them and profiting from their fragile status.

No easy answers exist. We can stay on the bandwagon of distractions via innuendos and personal attacks and gridlock based on inserting wedge issues in every piece of legislation created. Or we can all, every citizen including every member of the Body of Christ, roll up our sleeves and go about the business of finding common ground for the Common Good.

Prayer: All Powerful and Ever Present God, open our cocoons of self-righteousness and send us forth as stalwart servants. Forgive us for being cowed by fear. Help us hold on to the power of love. Show us your justice. Order our lives to serve you more productively. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Sins of Omission

Edmund BurkeLiving in the Spirit
September 5, 2016

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28

At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A hot wind comes from me out of the bare heights in the desert towards my poor people, not to winnow or cleanse— a wind too strong for that. Now it is I who speak in judgement against them.                                                                                                       –Edmund Burke
‘For my people are foolish,
   they do not know me;
they are stupid children,
   they have no understanding.
They are skilled in doing evil,
   but do not know how to do good.’ –Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. (Galatians 6:7)

We all must deal with the consequences of our actions or lack of actions. Some have had the first part of this statement drilled into our very being from infancy. I fear we pay far less attention to what happens when we fail to act. What is the cost of our sins of omission?

I seriously doubt that any taking the time to read this are skilled in doing evil. Most of us pay our bills and taxes, go to church, even feed the hungry and clothe the naked to some degree. We may assert ourselves to standing up for what is right when it directly impacts our lives. How quickly do we react to injustice when it primarily affects others?

We may be skilled at ignoring evil. There is a lot of hate and fear being tossed around now regarding strangers we do not know and may never meet. I think it important that we get to know some of these strangers. We need to see for ourselves that they love their children just like we do. Have all the same good and bad traits that we have, and experience joy and pain just like we do. It does not matter if they are newly arrived immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ, persons of differing color, poor, working class, middle class or rich.

Even if we never meet all the others of the world, we need to accord them the same status that we have of being children of God. They are our brothers and sisters. Would you want your biological relatives treated as some of these strangers are treated? What would you do to help your biological relatives in similar circumstances? More importantly, what would Jesus do?

Prayer: Lord, welcoming the stranger as you command us throughout the Bible sometimes puts us outside our comfort zone. Be our comforter and enable our advocacy. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Citizenship Amongst Noisy Gongs

Do not have loveLiving in the Spirit
September 4, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:25-33

Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions. –Luke 14:31-33

I worked as a planner in state government for some 20+ years. This experience taught that unforeseen realities often require changing courses, small distractions can be major deterrents to success, and perseverance toward attaining any vision and mission is critical. The first three verses of I Corinthians 13 were written for such a time as this:

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (I Corinthians 13:1-3)

The purpose of the Body of Christ is to love God and love like Jesus loves. The purpose of governments at all levels is to provide for the Common Good. These two purposes naturally complement each other unless other political realities intercede to throw either off course. In the United States, we the people, are ultimately responsible for our governance. If we do not like our country’s current status of gridlock supporting economic and social injustice, then we need to do something about it. It begins with electing officials who can work together to find the things on which they can agree, work on those, and use them as a springboard toward furthering the Common Good.

[National] Voter turnout in 2014 was the lowest since WWII – The Washington Post

[In Oklahoma in 2014] 40.7 percent of registered voters showed up, the lowest recorded rate since 1962. – Oklahoma Watch

We cannot get caught up in the noisy gongs and clanging cymbal. I we hear the same thing over and over again whether it is true or not it often sticks in our minds. While important, the Presidential race’s outcome will not matter, if Congress is dysfunctional. Commercial media’s vision and mission seem to relate to high ratings resulting in higher incomes or other self-interest. It may not be the best source of information nor is the wildly exaggerated or truncated stories shared on social media. God gifted each of us with some common sense if something is too good or too bad to be true, check it out.

Prayer: Lord, create in me a clean heart and a right spirit as I prepare for voting this fall. Focus my anger and frustrations with the system to playing my part in improving it. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

What Does Jesus Want?

body-of-christLiving in the Spirit
September 3, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:25-33

Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” –Luke 14:25-30

What is the most important thing in the world to me? The love of God including my relationship with God is high on my list, most of the time. I like to think it is on the top of my list, but I still have a list. Our scripture today does not seem to allow for a list. What is Jesus asking of his followers?

Serving as a member of the Body of Christ is not for the faint-hearted. It demands more than we sometimes think we have. It defines and shapes every aspect of our lives, how we relate to our families, the roles we play in communities, our work choices and practices, how we invest our resources, and on and on. God is not an appointment on our calendars:

Sunday morning at 11:00 am  Check_mark_23x20_02_svg

God is our very source of life and love, too powerful even to describe. God combined with each of us individually, and all of us collectively, who choose to follow in Christ’s footsteps, engages in creating a just, peaceful, and loving world every moment of every day. God through Jesus Christ invites all to be a part of that vision but wants us to recognize from the beginning that it is an invitation to a changed life.

Prayer: Lord, I believe in your vision; help me find my role in making it a reality, teach me new skills where I might need them, give me courage when it is lacking, strengthen my weak knees*, and guard my tongue**.

*See Hebrews 12:12
**See Psalm 141:3

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Is Greed Idolatry?

GreedLiving in the Spirit
September 2, 2016

Scripture Reading: Philemon 1-21

Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. –Philemon 15-16

Theologians Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, in their book The First Paul, examine the letters identified as authentically Paul’s in the New Testament. Paul is ascribed as the author of seven of these letters*, the dispute remains on the authorship of three**, and three seem to be reactionary to Paul’s original writings***. In Galatians 3:20 Paul writes, there is no longer slave or free. Colossians 3:22 states Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything. Titus 2.9 advises church leaders to Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect. There seems to be a move away from Paul’s interpretation of the teachings of Jesus toward a more culturally correct attitude even before the compilation of the Bible in the form we now know. Philemon reflects the radical love that Paul saw in Jesus.

Paul apparently never met the person Jesus. He encountered the living Christ on an infamous trip to Damascus. In his own words, Paul describes himself as a very devout follower of his faith to the extent that he was persecuting the followers of Jesus for veering from that faith. Most cannot fathom Paul’s experience in that encounter, but it left him with a totally new and in-depth view of God’s love. John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace, most likely could empathize with Paul. A slave trader, Newton had an encounter with the living Christ that totally turned his life around ending his slave trading and starting a commitment to ending slavery.

Our society tends toward culturally correct justice as opposed to God’s justice. Some years ago I read of an inner-city teen killing another youth so he could have some brand-named shoes. The teen quickly prosecuted and soon dispatched to the junk-pile of wasted humans, now serves a life-in-prison sentence without parole and with little hope of redemption. Now, I hear of pharmaceutical companies selling lifesaving medications at outrageously high prices while manufactured at low cost and developed through research supported by federal grants, our tax dollars. Our society’s response, unless one of our relatives needs the drug, may be to purchase stock in the company. People die every day because they cannot afford the medical care to diagnose their problem or afford the drugs that might save them. I do agree with whoever wrote Colossians 3:5 greed is idolatry.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us of our idolatry and redeem us to be keepers of your justice. Amen.

*Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon
**Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians
***1 and 2 Timothy and Titus

<!-- HTML Credit Code for Can Stock Photo-->
<a href="http://www.canstockphoto.com">(c) Can Stock Photo</a>
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

What is a Bigot?

imagesP0OTXNSGLiving in the Spirit
September 1, 2016

Scripture Reading: Philemon 1-21

When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith towards the Lord Jesus. I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

 For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. –Philemon 4-8

What is a bigot? Who can judge when someone is a bigot? What is the politically correct way to call a bigot, a bigot? Merriam-Webster defines a bigot as a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices*. God is the only one capable of knowing the heart of any human or judging human beliefs or actions. In the final analysis, we are all most likely bigots at one time or another. In many instances, our bigotry hides behind cultural norms that define class and other categories of diversity such as race, gender, ethnicity, and religion. As with Philemon, our actions may be norms masking themselves as justice. Such was the case of slavery in the first century CE. In the letter to Philemon, Paul takes on the challenging task of helping a friend, a good man, see himself through the eyes of God’s justice, not cultural norms. While God transforms our way of being and thinking, we must deal with the outward expression of our misunderstanding of who we are by doing justice that seems to go against everything we may have believed.

From Where did those cultural norms come? Some may have grown out of necessity. Nursing women need to stay close to their offspring, leaving men free to search for food. More grew out of greed. Overthrowing strangers produced land, water, other resources and additional labor. We tend to hold on to cultural norms that result in our feeling good about ourselves.

Jesus taught a different way, one identifying all humans as God’s offspring. Envisioning a world where all can feel good about themselves where peace results from justice.

Prayer: Lord, our world is overcome with greed. It is a habit hard to break. Impossible without your love infusing us with the will to see our lives as they really are, turn around, and do justice. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/bigot

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.