How easy it is to plant a thought of prejudice into another human! Especially a youth.
She makes a statement. You cannot help yourself but interject a feeling.
Oh, I always hated that (class, person, group of people, country, whatever).
A seed is planted. Perhaps ruining something for that person for life.
Often a pause between thought and exclamation is the most important part of a conversation.
I gave a presentation on the Internet Wednesday. The topic was manufacturing transformation. Someone asked a question about what skills he should develop–innovation? I replied, no, develop curiosity. Broaden your reading. Listen to a wide variety of podcasts. Ask questions. Be amazed. That will lead to being innovative.
I write this post on Good Friday. This anniversary remembers a series of events that has provoked the spiritual transformation of millions of people. Spiritual transformation also transformed the ways millions of people have lived their daily lives, related to those other humans around them, lived within themselves.
The events aroused the curiosity of millions as they try to imagine what it was like in Jerusalem all those many years ago. And to put themselves in the places of the various actors on that stage. What was it like to be a member of the Jewish ruling council? Or Pilate? Or the women followers? Or the close friends?
Better to be curious about what the meaning in your own life. Have you been transformed? What has that meant? What could that mean for how you live tomorrow?
For millions this has been a day to pause and reflect. Grab a bit of time today (or whatever day you happen to be reading this) and pause and reflect.
I sit in contemplation this morning with the full moon beaming in the sky in front of me. This full moon signifies the special calendar times for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All together. I feel connected somehow.
Andy Stanley once asked people to consider what breaks their heart. Many things break my heart—one of which is how much those three religions separate from each other and generate hatred while each professes love.
A couple of days ago we had heavy rains. The next morning earthworms flushed from their lairs in the ground were on the streets and sidewalks by the hundreds. Were the robins out there feasting? No. They were in their same hunting areas as usual hopping, looking, pecking.
They couldn’t see the big picture. They were fixated on the way they’ve always done it.
This full moon 1,990 years ago found Jesus’s friends and followers fixated on what they thought the Messiah would be and do. Jesus spent a huge amount of the day teaching them. They didn’t see the big picture.
Even on Sunday with the empty tomb and the resurrected appearance of Jesus they could not comprehend the big picture.
It must have been 40 days later when it all came together for them.
How about for us? How often do we miss the big picture? How long does it take for lessons to sink in for us? Have we even now grasped Jesus’s teachings of love and grace? Sit in stillness and let those thoughts sink in. And see the big picture.
My study window faces west. Early every morning even before dawn I see robins already beginning the days chore of finding food.
This morning I sit in my mediation chair and look out I see lightning from an approaching thunderstorm. I know it is supposed to hit about my usual time for walking to the fitness center.
I realize, there are no robins. What do they know? Are then sheltered in the evergreens and bushes already?
The rain will come soon.
Do you have any water leaks in your house? Or water rising in the ground around your house? We puny humans have been trying for thousands of years to control water, yet it remains a problem from catastrophic to annoying.
Yet, we think we can search through the writings of the Apostle Paul in order to compile a list of things we are not to do or be and then force other people (or even ourselves if truth be known) to follow these rules exactly!
We can’t control ourselves, let alone have the responsibility to control others.
The power of Easter morning and the realization of the extent of God’s grace.
Search diligently instead for Jesus’ teaching on how we are behave toward ourselves, toward others, and toward God.
Extend grace and love to yourself and each person you meet today.
See if you can do that better than you do controlling water in your house.
I’ve been reflecting on this week almost 2,000 years ago. Yesterday I reflected on what we advertise through what we do.
John Fischer was a “Jesus Music” pioneer who started an online church trying to reach younger people with the message of the Gospel of Welcome, Grace Turned Outward. Sunday’s church at The Catch focused on this teaching after the “Sons of Thunder” James and John approached Jesus about being his next in command in his “kingdom.”
You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.
Mark 10: 42-44
There are places around the world, including here in America, where leaders using the name of Jesus are intentionally doing the first part of Jesus’ observation. They stopped reading after the first full stop (period). The last sentence is the teaching for us who are followers of Jesus to digest and incorporate into our lives.
This is something I’ve tried, and often failed, in my management and leadership career. It’s not easy. I’ve seen many people proclaim themselves “servant leaders” and yet go down in flames. Jesus never made things easy.
Except for grace. Something that comes over you at the moment when you realize you don’t deserve it. The supreme paradox of life.
I am writing this at the beginning of what we call Holy Week. Approximately 2,000 years ago, a man named Jesus of Nazareth began his well documented last week. This week was so important in the lives of his friends and followers that his close friend John devotes a substantial part of his writing (we call the Gospel according to John) to just this last week.
Jesus spent four or five days teaching, being with friends, being alone with God. Then what we call Good Friday (from the time I was a child, I wondered what was “good” about Good Friday, I’ve always played with words) came with his execution. Of course, the most important remembrance of this week concerns Sunday that we call Easter when his closest friends discovered that he had returned to life. Some sort of weirdly physical life (he told one friend not to touch him, and he walked through walls). But, still, life.
In contemplation this morning, I was stuck on the thought of what 2,000 years of his followers have done to his church. My thoughts rapidly scanned through just people I’ve known or read about in the past decade. Many have advertised themselves as followers, yet the actual advertising I see by their actions betray that self-promotion. Many lives definitely do not reflect the commands Jesus gave about loving God and loving others.
In contemplation, I can reflect on my own actions. What do they advertise? Have I always acted in the right way even through my weaknesses of personality?
Perhaps if you claim to follow Jesus, this is a good week to contemplate what your life has revealed. Perhaps that is motivation for us, you and me, to change. There is still time.
A theme emerged from the past day’s reading—teaching.
Made me think of a Graham Nash contribution to Crosby, Stills, & Nash
Teach your children well…
And
Teach your parents well…
Jesus taught wherever he went. Some of his teaching was recorded. Obviously, much not. But we have enough—especially if Christians would study his words.
In another place I read about good bosses who know their people and teach them what they’ll need to be better both at work and as a person.
We’ve had teachers at school who influenced us beyond the immediate lesson of math or writing or chemistry.
I’ve taught many things throughout my adult life. I hope that I’ve left some positive influence on at least a few.
We all need good teachers wherever we may find them. We all can be good teachers to those we meet along the way.
My morning chair for meditation and writing faces across a yard. This time of year I begin at dark and continue into the first light of dawn. Just before I can really see much outside, my eyes catch dark shapes flying low across the yard.
It’s the proverbial early bird searching for the worm. Robins have awakened. Soon I will see several hopping or running from spot to spot diligently looking for breakfast—for nourishment.
I should be at the same. Reading, reflection, meditation—diligently looking for food for the soul.
They are driven by basic survival needs—they find food or they die.
What drives us to search diligently for food for the spirit?
What causes us to become complacent and lazy? Can we admit that sometimes we open today’s devotional or reading and fail to concentrate? Our spiritual energy has come to a low point.
It’s the routine of the chair that helps. We are there. We are aware. We awaken to the need and begin return to the word.
And now we are ready for the day.
Some of this morning’s reading:
Pay no attention to what the gossips say
They call the wide-eyed flower Jasmine.
They call the wide-eyed flower a thorn.
The wide-eyed flower doesn’t care what they call it.
Labels blind and tear us apart.
Rumi
I hear so much gossip, innuendo, the Bible calls it “whispering”. People rush to put a label on other human beings. Yet, we are all humans, children of God, made in the image of God.
Perhaps we could change our outlook on life. We could rest in the fruit of the Spirit. When we feel the urge to place a label on someone, we can pause, feel the tension between our thought and our spiritual outlook, and change our thought.
And when they label you…pay no attention. There is no need to respond. We live in the spirit and let the gossips go where the wind blows. Perhaps someday they will understand.
And we, ourselves? We will shun the urge to gossip and label about others.
We had been on vacation to visit my wife’s two sisters in different parts of Florida. After a long week of travel and visiting, we stood in the queue for our flight from Orlando back home. Our plane arrived late from Denver pushing our departure time back 30 minutes or so.
The joys of traveling to Orlando (on business or vacation for older people) are the kids excited for the trip down and then tired and crabby for the trip home.
Beside us in queue was a father and two daughters aged about 4 and 6. They (probably all three) were tired. The girls were typically crabby and squabbling like tired siblings are want to be. One was lying on the floor. At another point, the second laid down.
An older man crowding behind them suddenly said, “Excuse me. Excuse me. That girl kicked my suitcase.”
Dad responded by reprimanding his daughter. I was proud of myself for not saying to that man, “You sound just like a 6-year-old yourself. Who cares if she bumped your suitcase?” But, I remained silent rather than provoke a greater outburst.
I did smile at the little girl and told her we’d be boarding before long, and we’d all get home.
It didn’t help as much as I would have liked, but it did calm things a bit.
Later that night before bed, I was reading from the latest translation of Rumi’s poetry:
Your laughter turns the world to paradise.
Rumi
That reminded me of some lines, less eloquent yet still meaningful, from the BeeGees:
Smile an everlasting smile
BeeGees
A smile can bring you near to me
Try a smile today. It works. Even when replying to something stupid you’ve seen on social media, smile as typing. Then delete. And smile at the thought of the entire farce.
Gary Mintchell
Faith Venture 