Faith Venture

‘Tis a strange thing, Sam, that among us people can’t agree the whole week because they go different ways upon Sundays.

George Farquhar

The county where I grew up and lived most of my life contained approximately 1 church for every 400 people. Yet, on a given weekend (Sunday), only about 20% of the people darkened the door of one of those churches.

I think there are about four Roman Catholic churches. Maybe 120 of a variety of protestant churches with more differences in theology than I could even begin to count.

And this is part of the “Bible Belt.”

There are so many churches. Yet, seemingly so few Jesus followers. It makes me pause and ponder human psychology.

But the Apostle Paul trying to herd the cats of his start-up churches back in the first century surely felt some of those same feelings. How could he keep them focused on the things that matter? How could he get them to calm their bickering? How could he convince them to be accepting of each other in all of their varieties of races, genders, ethnicities?

That is the subject of most of his writing. Let’s focus on Jesus and spiritual development. Let us not drag old baggage into the new fellowship.

That is what keeps Paul relevant every generation who must learn that first century message again.

I wrote yesterday about beginning the day asking what good will I do and closing the day reflecting upon what I had done. This, I suppose has some similarity with the Examen in the Ignatian tradition. But I experienced an entire day. I wonder where I did good.

I read yesterday somewhere that November is “Gratitude Month.” Maybe that is because we celebrate a holiday called Thanksgiving in November in the US. Or, maybe it is a “Hallmark Holiday” devised so that the greeting card companies can sell more cards.

Sort of like reflecting on the day and wondering where I did something good. Where did I add to someone’s pleasure or well being? Where did I support someone? Where did I fail?

Do you also have trouble sitting and listing things/people/situations for which we are grateful? Sometimes I think it’s a pretty mundane list. Trite, even. I might say health, then reflect on all the areas where my health is less than perfect (although my new massage therapist says I’m in good shape–implied, for an old guy). I go through the same plus/minus thinking for about all the gratitude items.

Maybe I need an attitude adjustment? I need to wake up to gratitude.

A favorite pastime for Baptist youth used to be (I don’t know, maybe still) was memorizing Bible verses. There were competitions, prizes, pride. Of course, there is a value to remembering things. Probably 90% of medical school is memorizing. Patients appreciate their doctor’s recall ability when a diagnosis is required.

The question for us in our journey to spiritual growth is how much we merely quote people we have memorized rather than how much we know.

Have we read thoroughly, but not only that but also thought about what we read? How much of what we discuss comes from knowledge gleaned from the fruit of our knowledge plus our thinking?

Do you merely quote a sentence or a partial sentence from, say, Paul? Or perhaps you have read the entire works of Paul plus some scholarly research and thinking (like the 1,700+ pages from NT Wright I studied a few years ago) and then when you say something there is more meat to it. And it reveals your own thinking?

Repeating what you’ve memorized is child’s play. Speaking of what you know comes with maturity.

One sure way to irritate me is to quote a writer out of context. It is done often. And it is lazy. And often deceitful.

I love good analogies. Much like how Jesus taught–with brief stories of deep observation.

The Roman thinker Seneca said this about those who do that very thing. “Examine the separate parts, if you like, provided you examine them as parts of the man himself. She is not a beautiful woman whose ankle or arm is praised, but she whose general appearance makes you forget to admire her single attributes.”

Yes, I see someone and wish to know the whole person. Same with reading someone. It is cute to pick out aphorisms. Better is to understand the breadth and depth of their thinking.

When is the last time you changed your mind? About anything?

Go on, I’ll wait…

Maybe at a restaurant? You know you always get lasagna at this restaurant, but you sit down and change your mind ordering the linguine with clams.

How about something more major? Say you saw a person you vaguely knew across the room. You remember you don’t like that person for some reason. Maybe politics or theology or social views. Then circumstances happen that you wind up in a conversation with that person. You discover a quite delightful person with a balanced outlook, friendly, inquisitive. You change your mind. That person is really OK.

There is an old folk song, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.”

This is changing your mind.

But is there more? Perhaps.

We must not only change our mind; we must also change our behavior. Ancient wisdom says we become what we think about. We change our minds. Which changes our behavior. Which changes who we are.

Pink Goldfish: Defy Normal and Exploit Imperfection

I’ve offered feedback to one of the authors of this book. It came in the mail yesterday quite by surprise. It’s a book on marketing by a couple of crazy and smart guys. The idea is to succeed by standing out—your product or you yourself.

I’m offering a marketing book rather than theology or philosophy or similar because staring at it this morning, a thought struck me.

You (or your church) can stand out or you can be outstanding.

The first thoughts concerned all the outlandish ways Christians, especially in America, try to stand out. How can I make a big news splash, they ask. There are futile demonstrations. Shouting. Anger. Even hate. Sometimes shooting.

Then I thought about how the early church grew. It was by being outstanding followers of Jesus.

The first type drives most people away from Jesus. The second type is attractive.

Maybe you can succeed in marketing your product by being different by being outlandish (pink suit anyone?).

Maybe in life you succeed by being an outstanding disciple.