When considering the commandment to love one another, it's easy for us to think of love in terms of the affection we have for spouses, children, family members and friends. The natural attachment we have to our "loved ones" is not the same kind of love we demonstrate to others. Loving outsiders and strangers -- giving them preference, inviting them into our lives and not judging them -- is difficult and can only be achieved when God's love resides in us, and we concentrate on developing and training that love, so that it flows out of us in useful and meaningful ways.
The writings of Oswald Chambers always challenge me to be better and do better, and here is an excerpt from his excellent book, "My Utmost for His Highest" regarding the difficulties of loving others:
"...God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now He commands me to show the same love to others by saying, '...love one another as I have loved you' (John 15:12). He is saying, 'I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you.' This kind of love is not a patronizing love for the unlovable -- it is His love, and it will not be evidenced in us overnight. Some of us may have tried to force it, but we were soon tired and frustrated."
It is exhausting to try to love difficult people without cultivating the love of God which resides in us. By myself, I have trouble loving those whose opinions differ from my own, and certainly those who are rude, arrogant and hateful are not easy to love. However, we are called to love everyone, and to do so with the knowledge that God has loved each of us beyond measure, even with all of our faults, and we all have at least a few.
Chambers concludes, "Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through me? Neither natural love nor God's divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline."
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
A Simple Supper
For readers who are not in the West Plains area (and for those who live in West Plains but haven't heard about the West Plains Christian Clinic or "WPCC"), I want to give you some background information on this wonderful community project.
According to details supplied by my friend Becky Kiser from the group's website, the WPCC "seeks to improve the quality of life of the medically uninsured people in our community by providing affordable general medical care, preventative medicine and health education, and by making available spiritual counseling to those who seek it. The WPCC seeks to meet the needs of the medically uninsured without regard to race, religion, or creed of those who seek its services."
She notes that the clinic came into being when several members of First United Methodist approached their pastor, the Reverend Mark Mildren, about their desire to volunteer their services for uninsured people. He presented the idea to a planning group last August, and it soon developed into a citywide, ecumenical endeavor. More meetings followed, with the end result being that the clinic is set to open this July.
Volunteers are the backbone of the WPCC. Not only will all of the medical services provided to patients be done by volunteer medical professionals, but all the planning, organizing and paperwork is also done as a labor of love. Many churches are supporting the clinic as part of their Christian vision and mission, and a chaplain will be present when the clinic is open on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. The space where the clinic is located has been donated and so has the equipment and most of the supplies.
Becky Kiser also tells of the need for "Simple Suppers" which is a way for local folks to help. She says, "On clinic nights, we want to thank our volunteers and take care of them with a Simple Supper, as many will be coming straight from work. We are looking for groups willing to prepare an easy-to-eat meal for about 25 volunteers on a rotating schedule. Some ideas have been bag lunches, sandwiches, one-dish casseroles or pizza. Drinks and paper goods would need to be supplied, too, and be at the clinic by 5:15 p.m."
Isn't it lovely to see believers working together in unity to fulfill the call to love others? I am so glad to live in a place that, even though it has its share of problems like any other, is willing to reach out and help. I hope churches, other community organizations and businesses will come forward to provide a simple meal to one group making a difference. Those interested should contact Reverend Becky Kiser at 1stpresbychurch@centurytel.net or call 256-4247.
According to details supplied by my friend Becky Kiser from the group's website, the WPCC "seeks to improve the quality of life of the medically uninsured people in our community by providing affordable general medical care, preventative medicine and health education, and by making available spiritual counseling to those who seek it. The WPCC seeks to meet the needs of the medically uninsured without regard to race, religion, or creed of those who seek its services."
She notes that the clinic came into being when several members of First United Methodist approached their pastor, the Reverend Mark Mildren, about their desire to volunteer their services for uninsured people. He presented the idea to a planning group last August, and it soon developed into a citywide, ecumenical endeavor. More meetings followed, with the end result being that the clinic is set to open this July.
Volunteers are the backbone of the WPCC. Not only will all of the medical services provided to patients be done by volunteer medical professionals, but all the planning, organizing and paperwork is also done as a labor of love. Many churches are supporting the clinic as part of their Christian vision and mission, and a chaplain will be present when the clinic is open on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. The space where the clinic is located has been donated and so has the equipment and most of the supplies.
Becky Kiser also tells of the need for "Simple Suppers" which is a way for local folks to help. She says, "On clinic nights, we want to thank our volunteers and take care of them with a Simple Supper, as many will be coming straight from work. We are looking for groups willing to prepare an easy-to-eat meal for about 25 volunteers on a rotating schedule. Some ideas have been bag lunches, sandwiches, one-dish casseroles or pizza. Drinks and paper goods would need to be supplied, too, and be at the clinic by 5:15 p.m."
Isn't it lovely to see believers working together in unity to fulfill the call to love others? I am so glad to live in a place that, even though it has its share of problems like any other, is willing to reach out and help. I hope churches, other community organizations and businesses will come forward to provide a simple meal to one group making a difference. Those interested should contact Reverend Becky Kiser at 1stpresbychurch@centurytel.net or call 256-4247.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Consider It All
After having sat through numerous sermons over the years where someone was going to great lengths to promote one-sided views of various ideas, I realized the Bible can be used to prove, or disprove, almost anything. When fragments of scripture are used, we could even go so far as to say that I Cor. 13:1 tells us, "...do not have love..." while Matt. 10:34 says, "...do not think..." and I John 3:14 says, "...we have passed out..." I have read, in the introduction to a vegetarian cookbook, that the Bible tells us to be vegetarians, based on I Cor. 8:13, "...I will never eat meat again..." Only a small part of the verse was used, and upon further reading, we see each of these examples are taken completely out of context.
It's fairly obvious that the use of incomplete verses is often not a good idea, but even individual chapters and books of the Bible can be used in wrong ways. When we read and study scripture, and embrace its teachings, we must consider the context of the entire Word of God. And the whole Bible, start to finish, is the greatest love story ever written. From the very beginning, when we were created by God so we could have a relationship with him, that theme carries all the way through as we see the great lengths God has gone to throughout history to maintain that relationship.
God does love us, each and every one of us, and I don't believe it is his nature to try to catch anyone on "technicalities," or punish us when we mess up, just because he can. Like any caring parent, he challenges his children to be better people every day, and sometimes, there are hard lessons to be learned, but his love abides through it all. He also wants us to get along with our brothers and sisters and be kind to others, extending to everyone the same mercy and grace he has extended to us.
By using scriptures selectively, our focus can become too narrow, and we can lose sight of the "big picture" view that the Bible is about our relationship with God. Our focus should always be on God's relentless love for us and our unbridled passion for him, which will be demonstrated in the world, not in harsh, judgmental ways, but by being united with other believers and by loving everyone, unconditionally. When we're trying to decide if a particular behavior is a good idea, we should look to God's Word, and consider it all.
It's fairly obvious that the use of incomplete verses is often not a good idea, but even individual chapters and books of the Bible can be used in wrong ways. When we read and study scripture, and embrace its teachings, we must consider the context of the entire Word of God. And the whole Bible, start to finish, is the greatest love story ever written. From the very beginning, when we were created by God so we could have a relationship with him, that theme carries all the way through as we see the great lengths God has gone to throughout history to maintain that relationship.
God does love us, each and every one of us, and I don't believe it is his nature to try to catch anyone on "technicalities," or punish us when we mess up, just because he can. Like any caring parent, he challenges his children to be better people every day, and sometimes, there are hard lessons to be learned, but his love abides through it all. He also wants us to get along with our brothers and sisters and be kind to others, extending to everyone the same mercy and grace he has extended to us.
By using scriptures selectively, our focus can become too narrow, and we can lose sight of the "big picture" view that the Bible is about our relationship with God. Our focus should always be on God's relentless love for us and our unbridled passion for him, which will be demonstrated in the world, not in harsh, judgmental ways, but by being united with other believers and by loving everyone, unconditionally. When we're trying to decide if a particular behavior is a good idea, we should look to God's Word, and consider it all.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
The World Has Become More Peaceful
It is easy to become caught up in thinking that everything in the world is getting worse, but there are situations which are actually getting better. My daughter shared the following with me recently, and I feel compelled to pass it along. This is excerpted from the revised and expanded edition of "Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia" by Rob Brezsny.
"In 2005, the Human Security Report presented detailed proof that the world has become dramatically more peaceful since the end of the Cold War. It said that the number of violent conflicts has declined by 40 percent, while acts of genocide have dropped by 80 percent. Weapons sales between countries have diminished 33 percent during the same time, and the number of refugees has fallen by 45 percent. Meanwhile, coups d'etat have decreased 60 percent since 1963, and the number of soldiers killed in battle has declined from an average of 38,000 per war in 1950 to 600 in 2002. . . .
"One of the primary causes of the plunge in violence, according to the Human Security Report, is the unprecedented upsurge of international peace activism, much of it spearheaded by the United Nations. Other factors it cites include the acceleration of democratization and the steep downswing of global poverty.
"The main study was released in 2005, with updates issued in 2007 and 2008. Among the most recent findings: Deaths caused by terrorism have decreased 40 percent; support for al-Qaeda in the Arab world has diminished precipitously; and the number of wars in sub-Saharan Africa was cut in half between 1999 and 2006, while fatalities from those conflicts dropped 98 percent."
It is important to concentrate on the good in the world, rather than making ourselves upset by thinking about evil. And I love to consider the idea of pronoia, thinking that the universe is out to help us. It's much better for our health, if nothing else, than stressing out about everything that "might" go wrong.
Paul writes in Philippians 4:8-9, ". . . whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and see in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
Let us find peace by dwelling on peace and continuing to promote peace everywhere. There's a lot of good news out there -- we usually don't even have to look too far to find it.
"In 2005, the Human Security Report presented detailed proof that the world has become dramatically more peaceful since the end of the Cold War. It said that the number of violent conflicts has declined by 40 percent, while acts of genocide have dropped by 80 percent. Weapons sales between countries have diminished 33 percent during the same time, and the number of refugees has fallen by 45 percent. Meanwhile, coups d'etat have decreased 60 percent since 1963, and the number of soldiers killed in battle has declined from an average of 38,000 per war in 1950 to 600 in 2002. . . .
"One of the primary causes of the plunge in violence, according to the Human Security Report, is the unprecedented upsurge of international peace activism, much of it spearheaded by the United Nations. Other factors it cites include the acceleration of democratization and the steep downswing of global poverty.
"The main study was released in 2005, with updates issued in 2007 and 2008. Among the most recent findings: Deaths caused by terrorism have decreased 40 percent; support for al-Qaeda in the Arab world has diminished precipitously; and the number of wars in sub-Saharan Africa was cut in half between 1999 and 2006, while fatalities from those conflicts dropped 98 percent."
It is important to concentrate on the good in the world, rather than making ourselves upset by thinking about evil. And I love to consider the idea of pronoia, thinking that the universe is out to help us. It's much better for our health, if nothing else, than stressing out about everything that "might" go wrong.
Paul writes in Philippians 4:8-9, ". . . whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and see in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
Let us find peace by dwelling on peace and continuing to promote peace everywhere. There's a lot of good news out there -- we usually don't even have to look too far to find it.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Bucket Update
Here's an update on my bucket filler/dipper blog from several weeks ago. It's a great story, and I offer a salute to fine teachers everywhere!
In the original post on January 14, I told how my grandson had come home from school saying that some people are bucket-dippers, and some are bucket-fillers. His teacher had said when someone says or does mean things, they're a bucket-dipper; they're trying to empty someone else's bucket so they can fill up their own. But they can't fill up their own bucket that way; it just makes their bucket empty. When someone is a bucket-filler, they do nice things. They try to fill up other people's buckets, but they're really filling up their own bucket, too. Being nice is the way to fill up your bucket.
His teacher is Mrs. Angela Jackson who teaches first grade at Glenwood Elementary School. My grandson continues to talk about "bucket filling," so I asked Mrs. Jackson what she's doing in her classroom, and she gave me the following update:
"We talk quite often about being a 'bucket-filler' or a 'bucket-dipper.' I know some things do not need extrinsic rewards but I decided to reward this behavior in hopes that the students will continue praising each other, helping each other and respecting each other. I have a 'bucket' and 'bucket-filler' tickets. if 'Joe' is reading and 'Sam' tells him 'Good job,' then Joe can get a bucket-filler ticket and write down, 'Sam told me I did a good job reading.' Then Joe places it in the bucket, and on Friday I draw one ticket out and read the winning ticket to the class. Then, both students get a prize, Sam for being a bucket-filler and Joe for filling out the bucket-filler ticket because, in essence, Joe filled Sam's bucket by nominating him.
"I have had some students fill out lots of tickets just hoping they will get a prize, but I can tell which ones are sincere and which ones aren't. It has definitely made a difference in my classroom. In case your readers want to know, the book is called 'Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids' by Carol McCloud."
Even though our system of education definitely needs fixing, whatever problems there are, the problems have not been created by the many wonderful teachers doing an excellent job every day in classrooms all around the country. Teacher's Appreciation Week is May 3-7, but you don't have to wait until then to tell a teacher how grateful you are for all they do. Thanks Mrs. Jackson!
In the original post on January 14, I told how my grandson had come home from school saying that some people are bucket-dippers, and some are bucket-fillers. His teacher had said when someone says or does mean things, they're a bucket-dipper; they're trying to empty someone else's bucket so they can fill up their own. But they can't fill up their own bucket that way; it just makes their bucket empty. When someone is a bucket-filler, they do nice things. They try to fill up other people's buckets, but they're really filling up their own bucket, too. Being nice is the way to fill up your bucket.
His teacher is Mrs. Angela Jackson who teaches first grade at Glenwood Elementary School. My grandson continues to talk about "bucket filling," so I asked Mrs. Jackson what she's doing in her classroom, and she gave me the following update:
"We talk quite often about being a 'bucket-filler' or a 'bucket-dipper.' I know some things do not need extrinsic rewards but I decided to reward this behavior in hopes that the students will continue praising each other, helping each other and respecting each other. I have a 'bucket' and 'bucket-filler' tickets. if 'Joe' is reading and 'Sam' tells him 'Good job,' then Joe can get a bucket-filler ticket and write down, 'Sam told me I did a good job reading.' Then Joe places it in the bucket, and on Friday I draw one ticket out and read the winning ticket to the class. Then, both students get a prize, Sam for being a bucket-filler and Joe for filling out the bucket-filler ticket because, in essence, Joe filled Sam's bucket by nominating him.
"I have had some students fill out lots of tickets just hoping they will get a prize, but I can tell which ones are sincere and which ones aren't. It has definitely made a difference in my classroom. In case your readers want to know, the book is called 'Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids' by Carol McCloud."
Even though our system of education definitely needs fixing, whatever problems there are, the problems have not been created by the many wonderful teachers doing an excellent job every day in classrooms all around the country. Teacher's Appreciation Week is May 3-7, but you don't have to wait until then to tell a teacher how grateful you are for all they do. Thanks Mrs. Jackson!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Mistaken for Jesus
My friend Terry Jackson recently shared a story with me, and, as I had a really busy week at work, I have asked her if I could share it on my blog. It is from an unattributed source and edited slightly for length and content.
A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives they would be home for dinner on Friday night. But they were cutting it close on time, and in their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of the salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding.
All but one. He paused, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He waved good-bye to his buddies and called his wife to explain why he was taking a later flight. Then he returned to where the apples were all over the floor. He was glad he did. The young girl was blind. She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, as she helplessly groped for her spilled produce. The crowd swirled about her, no one stopping to help.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside. When he had finished, he pulled out forty dollars and said to the girl, "Here, please take this for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He added, "I hope we didn't spoil your day."
As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered girl called out to him, "Mister." He paused and turned to look back. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride, before saying, "no" and slowly making his way to catch the later flight. The question burned and bounced about in his soul. Do people mistake us for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference between him and his followers as they live and interact with a desperate world that is, like the apples, battered and bruised, and often, like the blind girl run over in the rush of everyday tasks, unable to see to his love, life and grace unless we show them.
A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives they would be home for dinner on Friday night. But they were cutting it close on time, and in their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of the salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding.
All but one. He paused, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He waved good-bye to his buddies and called his wife to explain why he was taking a later flight. Then he returned to where the apples were all over the floor. He was glad he did. The young girl was blind. She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, as she helplessly groped for her spilled produce. The crowd swirled about her, no one stopping to help.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside. When he had finished, he pulled out forty dollars and said to the girl, "Here, please take this for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He added, "I hope we didn't spoil your day."
As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered girl called out to him, "Mister." He paused and turned to look back. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride, before saying, "no" and slowly making his way to catch the later flight. The question burned and bounced about in his soul. Do people mistake us for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference between him and his followers as they live and interact with a desperate world that is, like the apples, battered and bruised, and often, like the blind girl run over in the rush of everyday tasks, unable to see to his love, life and grace unless we show them.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
A Prayer for Easter
The Book of John conveys so beautifully the divine nature of Jesus. It tells believers how we are to live in relationship with Jesus and how we are to demonstrate to others the love he gives us. It is full of challenges and promises, and it shows how the world could be transformed, not by what we do, but by what we believe. It contains what are perhaps my favorite verses in all of scripture, John 6:28-29. ". . .What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered . . . 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.'"
Simple. Uncomplicated. We're not asked to jump through hoops or be argumentative. We are asked to believe in Jesus, in who he is and in what he says. If I were to choose my favorite book of the Bible, John would be it, even though it is heart-breaking for me to read, especially the last few chapters, which tell of Jesus as he is living his last few days on earth. He has poured out his heart and soul to revolutionize and change the world, and it seems that even his closest friends and followers do not understand him. The prayer he prays in chapter 17 is, I believe, as close as we can get to a summary of his mission.
I recommend during this time of year when we celebrate the life of Jesus that everyone read John 17. It speaks of knowing God and glorifying him. It tells of the joy we are to have and of sanctification and truth. It conveys wonderful words of love, and it calls believers to unity. Jesus prays, in verse 23, ". . . that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved me."
My prayer for Easter is that believers will put aside petty differences and concentrate on what we have in common. That the word-wrangling and sniping would stop, and we would find common ground with our brothers and sisters, so the world can see what love is. That we would seek not what divides but that which unites. Many will say the divisions are too deep, and I am naive to think unity is possible. But I will accept any label you want to pin on me, because my prayer is the same prayer Jesus prayed. Let's be the answer to his prayer this Easter.
Simple. Uncomplicated. We're not asked to jump through hoops or be argumentative. We are asked to believe in Jesus, in who he is and in what he says. If I were to choose my favorite book of the Bible, John would be it, even though it is heart-breaking for me to read, especially the last few chapters, which tell of Jesus as he is living his last few days on earth. He has poured out his heart and soul to revolutionize and change the world, and it seems that even his closest friends and followers do not understand him. The prayer he prays in chapter 17 is, I believe, as close as we can get to a summary of his mission.
I recommend during this time of year when we celebrate the life of Jesus that everyone read John 17. It speaks of knowing God and glorifying him. It tells of the joy we are to have and of sanctification and truth. It conveys wonderful words of love, and it calls believers to unity. Jesus prays, in verse 23, ". . . that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved me."
My prayer for Easter is that believers will put aside petty differences and concentrate on what we have in common. That the word-wrangling and sniping would stop, and we would find common ground with our brothers and sisters, so the world can see what love is. That we would seek not what divides but that which unites. Many will say the divisions are too deep, and I am naive to think unity is possible. But I will accept any label you want to pin on me, because my prayer is the same prayer Jesus prayed. Let's be the answer to his prayer this Easter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)