As my home state of Missouri begins to come to terms with the aftermath of the deadly tornado which crushed Joplin a week ago, I consider how it is human nature to try to make sense of tragedies, to understand why trials and tribulations befall certain people, while others appear to breeze through life with one blessing on top of another. This tendency to question the fairness of life drives some people away from religion because faith is not an adequate answer for them; it offers too many vagaries and not enough solid evidence.
Others who question, turn to religion to make sense of things, and sometimes that results in trying to reach logical conclusions where an analytical finding can never be applied. This kind of attempt at logic with a religious twist can lead to misguided decisions (convoluted end-of-the-world prediction dates, for instance); judgments about why some people are sick or afflicted in some manner or theories as to why tornadoes strike certain communities and spare others, for example.
However, the teachings of Jesus do not focus on making sense of circumstances. In fact, his central theme is love, and unconditional love simply doesn't make sense, it is beyond reason.
Jesus wants his followers to transform the world, but he does not claim we will always understand everything which happens along the way. He tells us not to fear, not to worry, and by implication, not to spend time trying to figure out why life turns out the way it does. I have experienced pain and heartache without faith and with it, and I am content to choose faith and place my trust in God. The mental agitation which is a result of constant fretting and questioning is not a productive use of time, and "figuring things out" is not as satisfying as we think it will be.
Jesus does not always offer explanations for what we see unfolding around us. He invites us to see with eyes focused not on this life, which is fleeting, at best, but on that which is eternal. And what he does offer is peace that passes understanding which we can embrace every day, especially during times of tragedy. Our neighbors in Joplin don't need our theories; they need our love, compassion and help, and, let's not forget, so does our neighbor down the street.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Priorites
As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer I have heard heartbreaking stories of abused and neglected children, the most vulnerable members of society. We all know what sometimes happens to children is deplorable, but after what I discovered this week, I will add to the list of deplorable acts against children, what our elected officials are considering which will affect funding for the CASA program.
According to Beth Dessem, Executive Director of Missouri CASA, "The continuing resolution that Congress just finalized for fiscal year 2011 imposes a 17.2% funding reduction for some Justice Department accounts, which includes CASA programs. We estimate this will impact 2,500–2,900 children who need volunteer advocacy in the coming year. We must now ask members of the House of Representatives to urge appropriators to restore funding for CASA programs in FY 2012 to the FY 2010 level of $15 million."
I was shocked to discover the total federal budget for CASA programs across the country is only $15 million, but more astounding is that even that paltry amount is on the chopping block. ($15 million is certainly paltry when compared to the $20 billion in tax breaks extended to big oil companies by the Senate earlier this week. The oil industry cannot be numbered among the "least of these," who Jesus commands us to help.)
There are tough choices to make when addressing our budgetary woes, but the priorities of our elected officials are shameful and disgusting. And it would seem what they are doing is becoming more and more far-removed from the wishes of the majority of Americans.
Do you know why Sodom was destroyed? Not for the reasons you might think. Here is some eye-opening and sobering scripture from Ezekiel 16:49-50, "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it."
If believers do not let their voices be heard by holding elected officials accountable for taking care of the poor and needy, we are placing our country in a precarious position. Not that I think God is going to rain down fire and brimstone, but I believe we are in danger of destroying ourselves. How can we be the greatest nation on earth, if we don't take care of the weakest among us?
Let us demonstrate the love of Jesus and make a difference in the lives of those who are powerless to speak for themselves. The time is now to turn bad news into good news.
According to Beth Dessem, Executive Director of Missouri CASA, "The continuing resolution that Congress just finalized for fiscal year 2011 imposes a 17.2% funding reduction for some Justice Department accounts, which includes CASA programs. We estimate this will impact 2,500–2,900 children who need volunteer advocacy in the coming year. We must now ask members of the House of Representatives to urge appropriators to restore funding for CASA programs in FY 2012 to the FY 2010 level of $15 million."
I was shocked to discover the total federal budget for CASA programs across the country is only $15 million, but more astounding is that even that paltry amount is on the chopping block. ($15 million is certainly paltry when compared to the $20 billion in tax breaks extended to big oil companies by the Senate earlier this week. The oil industry cannot be numbered among the "least of these," who Jesus commands us to help.)
There are tough choices to make when addressing our budgetary woes, but the priorities of our elected officials are shameful and disgusting. And it would seem what they are doing is becoming more and more far-removed from the wishes of the majority of Americans.
Do you know why Sodom was destroyed? Not for the reasons you might think. Here is some eye-opening and sobering scripture from Ezekiel 16:49-50, "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it."
If believers do not let their voices be heard by holding elected officials accountable for taking care of the poor and needy, we are placing our country in a precarious position. Not that I think God is going to rain down fire and brimstone, but I believe we are in danger of destroying ourselves. How can we be the greatest nation on earth, if we don't take care of the weakest among us?
Let us demonstrate the love of Jesus and make a difference in the lives of those who are powerless to speak for themselves. The time is now to turn bad news into good news.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
What Now?
I post this on Mother's Day because if I could have one wish for today, it is that no one's son or daughter would ever have to die in a war or by violent actions again. Many say it can never be, but the unlikeliness of the possibility doesn't stop me from promoting peace; seemingly impossible dreams come true every day for those who won't stop trying to change the world.
There are those who call me naive (and worse) for the way I interpret the teachings of Jesus, especially in light of my blog last week, which ironically was followed just hours after I posted it by the announcement of the death of Osama bin Laden. Even though I fight my own feelings of creeping cynicism every day, I stand by what I believe Jesus meant when he instructed us to "love our enemies."
For civilization to continue, criminals must be brought to justice. I believe the military operation last week which resulted in a criminal's death was as close as we can get, by earthly standards, to justice being served. But it has been ten years since the 9/11 attacks on the U.S., and it is not justice which prevailed during that time. I believe when the first Iraqi civilian died because of the actions of our government, justice was replaced by revenge, and we became more like our enemy and less like Jesus.
Even those who want to subscribe to (and do some fancy twisting of its application) the Old Testament rule of "an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth" would have to admit that once the civilian death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan reached just one more than the number who died on 9/11 -- a milestone we passed many times over, several years ago -- then we could safely say we became no better than our enemy.
The Old Testament is full of tales of war and vanquished foes. But, ultimately, it would seem, all of that fighting did not serve the Jews well; they are a nation living in the shadow of violence on a daily basis. That is one reason why the teachings of Jesus were so radical in his day; many Jews were expecting a conquering king, not someone who was more interested in promoting love than encouraging revenge.
To frame the context of what Jesus told his followers about loving their enemies, we need to realize they were living in a time when the Romans were a cruel occupying force, and Herod was willing to slaughter babies to stay in power. Wouldn't it seem a real leader would want to do something about that situation? Yes, and I believe Jesus taught what he did about our enemies, because he knew what works, and what doesn't.
Instead of a temporary victory over Rome, Jesus wanted to break the cycle of violence forever when he said in Matthew chapter 5, "You have heard that is was said, 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also." And, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Chapter 12 in the Book of Romans is what could be called a Christian's "war manual." It concludes, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
The past ten years have been a disaster for peace. Thousands of our own troops are dead, thousands more maimed, and it is widely accepted that in Iraq, alone, over 100,000 civilians (perhaps many more) have died because of "the War on Terror." Billions of dollars have been spent. And worse, our society seems to have become immersed in a culture of revenge and hate.
As a result, there are difficult questions we need to ask ourselves. Is this the way a "Christian nation" should represent Christ? What have we really accomplished? Is it possible we have become no better than our enemy? And, finally, what now? We have killed one foe, but what about the next and the next and the one after that? When and how will the violence ever end, and at what cost to the Spirit of Jesus?
There are those who call me naive (and worse) for the way I interpret the teachings of Jesus, especially in light of my blog last week, which ironically was followed just hours after I posted it by the announcement of the death of Osama bin Laden. Even though I fight my own feelings of creeping cynicism every day, I stand by what I believe Jesus meant when he instructed us to "love our enemies."
For civilization to continue, criminals must be brought to justice. I believe the military operation last week which resulted in a criminal's death was as close as we can get, by earthly standards, to justice being served. But it has been ten years since the 9/11 attacks on the U.S., and it is not justice which prevailed during that time. I believe when the first Iraqi civilian died because of the actions of our government, justice was replaced by revenge, and we became more like our enemy and less like Jesus.
Even those who want to subscribe to (and do some fancy twisting of its application) the Old Testament rule of "an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth" would have to admit that once the civilian death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan reached just one more than the number who died on 9/11 -- a milestone we passed many times over, several years ago -- then we could safely say we became no better than our enemy.
The Old Testament is full of tales of war and vanquished foes. But, ultimately, it would seem, all of that fighting did not serve the Jews well; they are a nation living in the shadow of violence on a daily basis. That is one reason why the teachings of Jesus were so radical in his day; many Jews were expecting a conquering king, not someone who was more interested in promoting love than encouraging revenge.
To frame the context of what Jesus told his followers about loving their enemies, we need to realize they were living in a time when the Romans were a cruel occupying force, and Herod was willing to slaughter babies to stay in power. Wouldn't it seem a real leader would want to do something about that situation? Yes, and I believe Jesus taught what he did about our enemies, because he knew what works, and what doesn't.
Instead of a temporary victory over Rome, Jesus wanted to break the cycle of violence forever when he said in Matthew chapter 5, "You have heard that is was said, 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also." And, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Chapter 12 in the Book of Romans is what could be called a Christian's "war manual." It concludes, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
The past ten years have been a disaster for peace. Thousands of our own troops are dead, thousands more maimed, and it is widely accepted that in Iraq, alone, over 100,000 civilians (perhaps many more) have died because of "the War on Terror." Billions of dollars have been spent. And worse, our society seems to have become immersed in a culture of revenge and hate.
As a result, there are difficult questions we need to ask ourselves. Is this the way a "Christian nation" should represent Christ? What have we really accomplished? Is it possible we have become no better than our enemy? And, finally, what now? We have killed one foe, but what about the next and the next and the one after that? When and how will the violence ever end, and at what cost to the Spirit of Jesus?
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Fire From Above
I saw some good bumper sticker wisdom this week on a truck which pulled out in front of me. This may not be an exact quote because I didn't write it down right away and may not be remembering correctly, but it was something along the lines of, "When Jesus said to love your enemies, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean kill them." That's about as straightforward and to the point as it gets.
I find it fascinating how some Christians have taken an opposite stand to that teaching, especially when it comes to the alleged threat that "Muslims are trying to destroy our way of life." Jesus, the reasoning goes, would never approve of us standing idly by and letting that happen. But there's a story in scripture which is a perfect illustration, it would seem, as to why believers should not condone that line of thinking.
In Luke chapter nine, we read, "When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, 'Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' But He turned and rebuked them, and said, 'You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.' " (verses 51-56)
The Samaritans of the New Testament were, basically, ancestors of the Muslims of today. In this story, they did not want Jesus in their village, and the logical conclusion is because of their religious differences. (Samaritans were not Jews, and Jesus "was traveling toward Jerusalem," indicating he was a Jew). James and John were insulted and outraged by the Samaritans' rejection of Jesus; they evidently thought God was "on their side," and would be willing to destroy the village with fire from above. (An interesting parallel to modern weaponry, wouldn't you say?)
But Jesus set them straight. He did not bring a message of destruction or division. He brought a message of salvation and peace, and he apparently was not threatened by the mindset of the Samaritans. The spirit displayed by James and John seems to be the guiding principle behind much of what is happening in the Middle East right now, but the Word seems fairly clear on this matter; a spirit of destruction is not the spirit of Jesus.
I find it fascinating how some Christians have taken an opposite stand to that teaching, especially when it comes to the alleged threat that "Muslims are trying to destroy our way of life." Jesus, the reasoning goes, would never approve of us standing idly by and letting that happen. But there's a story in scripture which is a perfect illustration, it would seem, as to why believers should not condone that line of thinking.
In Luke chapter nine, we read, "When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, 'Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' But He turned and rebuked them, and said, 'You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.' " (verses 51-56)
The Samaritans of the New Testament were, basically, ancestors of the Muslims of today. In this story, they did not want Jesus in their village, and the logical conclusion is because of their religious differences. (Samaritans were not Jews, and Jesus "was traveling toward Jerusalem," indicating he was a Jew). James and John were insulted and outraged by the Samaritans' rejection of Jesus; they evidently thought God was "on their side," and would be willing to destroy the village with fire from above. (An interesting parallel to modern weaponry, wouldn't you say?)
But Jesus set them straight. He did not bring a message of destruction or division. He brought a message of salvation and peace, and he apparently was not threatened by the mindset of the Samaritans. The spirit displayed by James and John seems to be the guiding principle behind much of what is happening in the Middle East right now, but the Word seems fairly clear on this matter; a spirit of destruction is not the spirit of Jesus.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
A Time to Give
John chapter 12 records an incident which happened just days before the crucifixion of Jesus. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, "took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. . . . But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 'Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor people?' Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, 'Let her alone. . . For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.' " (verses 3-8)
Aside from the beauty of the extravagant love toward Jesus shown by Mary and the hypocritical attitude of Judas, the statement in that section of scripture which always leaps out at me is that the poor are always going to be with us. As the story is recorded in Mark, Jesus adds the statement, "and whenever you wish you can do good to them." (14:7)
Poverty is certainly nothing new. Because of a variety of circumstances -- death of a spouse or parents, disability, a generational spirit of poverty, etc. -- there have always been those who have depended on others just to get by. And it has always been, and always will be, the job of those with resources to assist them. While we are to be good stewards, we are also instructed to "give to him who asks of you." (Matthew 5:42)
As the Easter season draws to a close, I can think of no better way to honor Jesus in our lives than by a renewed effort to bless others. With our money, with our time; we should not fear being taken advantage of, we must remember Jesus commands us to give.
For anyone looking for a way to help in the West Plains area, I suggest making a call to our local homeless shelter, Samaritan Outreach Center. They are needing donations of food for their pantry, but also volunteers to give even a few hours a month to help in the office. The phone number is 417-257-7792.
Special observances like Easter and Christmas tend to bring out the best in all of us, but it should be our job to take these times of inspiration and let them propel us to give on a daily basis, because poverty doesn't stop after the holidays are over.
Aside from the beauty of the extravagant love toward Jesus shown by Mary and the hypocritical attitude of Judas, the statement in that section of scripture which always leaps out at me is that the poor are always going to be with us. As the story is recorded in Mark, Jesus adds the statement, "and whenever you wish you can do good to them." (14:7)
Poverty is certainly nothing new. Because of a variety of circumstances -- death of a spouse or parents, disability, a generational spirit of poverty, etc. -- there have always been those who have depended on others just to get by. And it has always been, and always will be, the job of those with resources to assist them. While we are to be good stewards, we are also instructed to "give to him who asks of you." (Matthew 5:42)
As the Easter season draws to a close, I can think of no better way to honor Jesus in our lives than by a renewed effort to bless others. With our money, with our time; we should not fear being taken advantage of, we must remember Jesus commands us to give.
For anyone looking for a way to help in the West Plains area, I suggest making a call to our local homeless shelter, Samaritan Outreach Center. They are needing donations of food for their pantry, but also volunteers to give even a few hours a month to help in the office. The phone number is 417-257-7792.
Special observances like Easter and Christmas tend to bring out the best in all of us, but it should be our job to take these times of inspiration and let them propel us to give on a daily basis, because poverty doesn't stop after the holidays are over.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Cherishing Children
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, established by the Department of Health and Human Services to increase public awareness of the need to ensure the safety and welfare of children. For my own community, there is a horrible irony in that statement (a four-year-old boy was killed by his father this week) which should propel us to think about the plight of all at-risk children around us, and to cherish all children, everywhere.
As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, I have a bit of insight into the legal/protective system put in place to ensure the safety and welfare of children in our area. In many ways, it is a broken system, and that's not because the individuals caught up in it aren't, for the most part, trying to do the right thing. Overworked and mostly underpaid, with resources being cut every day, the people charged with taking care of the kids who end up in protective custody have some of the least-enviable jobs in the country.
How can we go about improving the system? Specifically, what can the faith community do about it? Because I believe it is the job of the Church to rise up and help address this shameful situation.
First, not every person is in a position to be a foster parent, or even a CASA, but I call on pastors in every community to be informed about the needs of these vital programs and to present those needs to their congregations. Where I live, the lack of local foster care providers is a huge complicating factor, with kids from our county who have been removed from their homes being scattered all across the state in various facilities, (many of which aren't much better than where they were living before, quite honestly). This forces the people who work with them to use precious time and resources to go where the kids are, and the children end up being neglected, even within the system.
Aside from what individuals can do, there are churches in every community with enough resources to open residential homes for children who need a safe haven. I call on church members to form committees and investigate how to go about it. A few committed individuals, working together, could make a huge impact on foster care needs, while at the same time having the opportunity to help salvage children's lives, showing them what compassion means and breaking cycles of abuse and neglect
Jesus looked on children as precious, and he cherished them with his lavish, unconditional love. He calls on us to do no less.
As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, I have a bit of insight into the legal/protective system put in place to ensure the safety and welfare of children in our area. In many ways, it is a broken system, and that's not because the individuals caught up in it aren't, for the most part, trying to do the right thing. Overworked and mostly underpaid, with resources being cut every day, the people charged with taking care of the kids who end up in protective custody have some of the least-enviable jobs in the country.
How can we go about improving the system? Specifically, what can the faith community do about it? Because I believe it is the job of the Church to rise up and help address this shameful situation.
First, not every person is in a position to be a foster parent, or even a CASA, but I call on pastors in every community to be informed about the needs of these vital programs and to present those needs to their congregations. Where I live, the lack of local foster care providers is a huge complicating factor, with kids from our county who have been removed from their homes being scattered all across the state in various facilities, (many of which aren't much better than where they were living before, quite honestly). This forces the people who work with them to use precious time and resources to go where the kids are, and the children end up being neglected, even within the system.
Aside from what individuals can do, there are churches in every community with enough resources to open residential homes for children who need a safe haven. I call on church members to form committees and investigate how to go about it. A few committed individuals, working together, could make a huge impact on foster care needs, while at the same time having the opportunity to help salvage children's lives, showing them what compassion means and breaking cycles of abuse and neglect
Jesus looked on children as precious, and he cherished them with his lavish, unconditional love. He calls on us to do no less.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Springtime and Hopeful Change
I like to stay busy. When someone says he or she is sitting at home bored, I can't even imagine how that feels. Right now, without even trying too hard, I can think of a a half-dozen projects which need my attention and at least that many more I'd like to start. I have two or three books I'm reading at any given time, one I started writing a year ago which I need to finish and one book already published which I should be promoting. I think many of my friends are the same way -- there seems to be so much to do and so little time to do it.
This morning, I took a few minutes to prop my feet up and stare out the window. I don't do that often enough. While I do have as part of my daily routine, time set aside each morning to pray and read, I don't sit and stare enough, don't take time to soak up the details of what is happening around me. Today, many of the trees are just beginning to have that light green springtime "glow" of tiny leaves and buds. I know that by next Sunday, the landscape will be even more dramatically alive, and it is my loss if I don't take time to enjoy it.
But even in my quiet contemplation, my mind goes to what is happening in our country and how there are significant changes on the horizon. Framed in the context of the new life of springtime, nothing seems too bad, nothing seems impossible. I like to think about possibilities because God is the God of possibility.
Our country has gone through many trying times in the past, and it has not been the end. Out of a revolution came a nation based on democratic principles. Out of a civil war came freedom from the scourge of slavery. Out of a worldwide influenza epidemic came modern medical advances. Out of World War II came the knowledge that war at that level must never happen again.
We'll get through whatever we need to, and it is up to the moderate majority of believers to lead the way. Our hope and faith must be strong, and our activism must be real. We must let our leaders know how we feel, and we must not give up. To my young friends, in particular, now is your time to rise up and decide what the future of this country will look like, what YOUR future will be. Don't give up, friends. I say again, as I say often, better times are ahead. I have to believe it.
This morning, I took a few minutes to prop my feet up and stare out the window. I don't do that often enough. While I do have as part of my daily routine, time set aside each morning to pray and read, I don't sit and stare enough, don't take time to soak up the details of what is happening around me. Today, many of the trees are just beginning to have that light green springtime "glow" of tiny leaves and buds. I know that by next Sunday, the landscape will be even more dramatically alive, and it is my loss if I don't take time to enjoy it.
But even in my quiet contemplation, my mind goes to what is happening in our country and how there are significant changes on the horizon. Framed in the context of the new life of springtime, nothing seems too bad, nothing seems impossible. I like to think about possibilities because God is the God of possibility.
Our country has gone through many trying times in the past, and it has not been the end. Out of a revolution came a nation based on democratic principles. Out of a civil war came freedom from the scourge of slavery. Out of a worldwide influenza epidemic came modern medical advances. Out of World War II came the knowledge that war at that level must never happen again.
We'll get through whatever we need to, and it is up to the moderate majority of believers to lead the way. Our hope and faith must be strong, and our activism must be real. We must let our leaders know how we feel, and we must not give up. To my young friends, in particular, now is your time to rise up and decide what the future of this country will look like, what YOUR future will be. Don't give up, friends. I say again, as I say often, better times are ahead. I have to believe it.
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