Faith Venture

Jesus looked at the rich young man, and he loved him. The young man had followed all the laws for his entire life. He was earnest. He was religious. He wanted assurance of eternal life. Jesus looked upon him and connected spiritually with him and loved him. But…

Jesus loving him and connecting with him was not blind to the entire person. Jesus saw that there was something holding back the young man. He did all the right things, yet he felt no assurance of eternal life. He did, yet he did not feel. Jesus saw that and went to the root cause of the problem–the man’s wealth. It stood between him and salvation.

Today’s point is that we can learn connection from Jesus. It doesn’t mean analysis. It doesn’t mean ignoring unpleasant truths about the person. It means we connect at a deep level and come to understand the other.

Henry Cloud talked about happy people connecting with others, as I wrote the other day. This could almost be seen as a revolutionary statement in today’s American culture, not to mention many other cultures to be sure. He was speaking to Baby Boomers–often called the “Me Generation” after their orientation. The “It’s all about me” generation. And then there are kids of Boomers supposedly raised to be narcissistic. Once again, self-centered. Can people who worship themselves connect spiritually with others?

I don’t think that this orientation is unique to people born over the past 60 years. When you read ancient books–for example, the Old Testament–you see that self-centeredness is actually just a human condition that God wants us to overcome.

Our church sponsors a summer camp experience for teens. The theme used to be (I have no idea any more what the themes are), JOY–Jesus first, Others next, Yourself last. An apt teaching.

There are people who think they connect with others, but they are far from the mark. A long time ago (30 years?) I had a boss whom I kept admonishing to stop making agreements with himself about other people. You sort of need to include the others if you’re making agreements. He didn’t connect. In fact, his failure to connect with others drove the business to bankruptcy.

Check yourself. Are you trying to connect with others? Are you deluding yourself into thinking you’re connecting when you’re not really? Do you practice this piece of wisdom from Ernest Hemmingway, who said, “When others talk, listen completely”?

Richard Foster begins “Celebration of Discipline” saying, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”

This thought came to mind while I was listening to Henry Cloud speak yesterday. Actually, he spoke last weekend at Willow Creek Community Church. I heard him via my iPod while exercising. Cloud is a psychologist who has written several books that are worth your time reading if you have not yet had that pleasure.

He was talking about stages of growth as a Christian. It’s sort of like stages of growth as a human. You start out not knowing much of anything. Then you’re introduced to God, Jesus, the Bible and disciplines such as prayer. Then you enter a stage of doubt only to emerge with a deep relationship with God.

He talked about getting stuck in stage two. You know the type. Maybe, like Garfield the cartoon cat, you “resemble that remark.” You discover God. You discover the Bible. Suddenly it all seems so clear and simple. You think everyone should know this. This is great. But if you become stuck in this stage, you tend to become rigid. Increasingly everything is black and white and you think a few words will save the world.

Many times that type of person becomes obnoxious. No one wants to be around them. Sometimes they may even get in the way of bringing people to God–the very thing they are trying so desperately to do.

It reminded me that when I teach the Spiritual Disciplines I try to return to the reason for the practice. The reason is not for the sake of rote practice. The reason is to bring people to a deeper relationship with God and therefore participate in the liberation that can only be known in God.

Maybe it’s time for a reality check. Are we dealing with people by telling them what to do? Or, are we dealing with others out of a deep relationship with God that we wish to share?

I just heard a talk on “respectable” sins. When we do things that are condoned or expected by society but that are contrary to God’s Law.

We’ve been talking about dressing modestly in church, for example. But society might be pushing certain styles (nothing new, by the way). Last Sunday we had a young acolyte, girl, maybe high school freshman (I’m too old to be able to judge ages that well, now), wearing those ultra short jeans shorts. Why? Probably never entered her mind–or her mother’s–about respect, humbleness, appropriateness. It’s the style.

My wife would say that the styles are driven by men perpetrating evil on women. But my observations and those of others I trust suggest that women mostly dress to fit in with and impress their peer group of other women. It’s society.

Heck, we’ve had a male worship leader who appears with tattered jeans and bare foot to lead worship. I’m the last one to suggest suit and tie–but I wonder what society he’s trying to fit in with.

That’s all mild to other things we do. In the guise of “caring” about others and rather than just praying for a brother or sister, we’ve got to learn more about the illness or life situation. We’ve got to ask more about it, talk about it with others. Where does caring end and gossiping begin? Tough to know.

Paul knew. In several places he talks about not going your own way if it might hurt someone else.

It’s worth stopping occasionally to reflect on what we’re saying or doing or how we’re dressing or how we’re acting–is it society or is it God’s Law?

Are you religious or spiritual? Both? Neither (well, in that case you probably wouldn’t be reading this!)?

Ravi Zacharias in “Why Jesus?” posits that the growing belief among Americans that they are spiritual, but not religious, has opened a door to the New Age peddlers of sort of a pseudo-spirituality that’s pervading our culture.

Bill Hybels at Willow Creek Community Church observation that the traditional, formal, structured way of worship was not attracting people the way an Acts 2 community should pioneered the revolution of how to do church.

Researchers have been applying the principles developed by sociologists for years to study popular culture and church–and church has come up short in most research. I took my first class studying those results somewhere around 1973. I’ve seen some in the past five years or so.

So, what is religion? I’ve been guilty of taking the “I’m spiritual but not religious” approach in my life. But it’s all about the definition of religion. I grew up Protestant, which probably colors my thinking. My year of teaching in a Catholic school attending Mass  twice a week was an enlightening experience–but didn’t convert me.

What I was against was organized religion. Groups that draw boundaries with admittance requirements–many requirements. Groups that fought each other. At that time long ago, the term Acts 2 church wasn’t talked about, but that’s what I was seeking. Small communities–maybe a house church–of committed followers. Not an exclusive priesthood with a huge bureaucracy.

I also don’t care for church politics. I’ve studied bureaucracy both from public and business perspectives. It applies to church denominations, too. Bureaucracies tend toward self-perpetuation. Cover up negative situations so that you always project truth and light.

There is also the phrase, doing things religiously. That means with regularity and reverence. I think this is the kind of religious we lost with a generation or two rejecting the formal religious stance.

Developing regular Spiritual practices (disciplines) actually can be just a New Age synthesis of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and hocus-pocus promulgated by rock-star handsome speakers or seemingly sincere women.

It’s the reverence toward God that puts things in perspective. I’m part of a church community, but I have had nothing to do with church politics for most of 30 years. I just teach. You need a grounding in doctrine and community to keep you on the narrow path.

But, don’t let people off the hook with the “I’m spiritual but not religious” comment. It’s a cop-out. They’re free (in their minds) to believe about anything–minerals, pyramids, auras, vague spirits. Don’t get lost. But stay Spiritual.

Paul (the apostle) used sports analogies to teach spiritual practices. He talked about training and perseverance.

A big part of my professional life is attending conferences. This week I was in Orlando for a big software conference with about 1,800 of my closest friends (as they say). One of my colleagues remarked, “A keynote is just a keynote.” There are about three kinds of keynotes in our professional circles. One is for the CEO or business leader to talk about how great things are and how they serve their customers (who each paid around $1,000 to be there). The second is  for the technology head to present new products.

The first two are staples of the trade. The third type of keynote speaker is tasked with imparting some emotional response to get the audience charged up to learn more and go out and conquer the world.

Sugar Ray Leonard, boxing legend, gave the third type of keynote at this week’s conference. I’m not a fan of boxing, but his presentation was moving. Intermixing clips from his more famous fights, he talked us through the triumphs and defeats of a champion.

Paul would have been proud of some of his points. Determination, training, endurance, perseverance. He showed how keeping the goal in mind during the toughest fights kept him in the fight until the end. Without training and preparation, he would never have had the endurance to come back when he was behind and achieve victory. How to overcome defeat and bounce back higher than before.

These apply to our spiritual life as well as our professional life or personal life. We must be determined to reach to goal of living with Jesus. Without training, such as study, prayer, meditation, service, we will never stay in the fight. Those are part of the foundation to help us bounce back from personal tragedies to be stronger in the faith than before.

As I said, I’m not a fan of the fights. But watching his clips of comebacks against the odds gave me chills all over. And the encouragement to continue on my own journey.

[I’m heading to Germany tomorrow for another business event. My timing will be off, but hopefully I can keep the posts up. Maybe I’ll see a couple of readers there?]

Last night I was talking with one of my Yoga students who had arrived early about how people come and go and about how people sometimes show up and then stop for a while. I’ve been going to the class every Tuesday and Thursday that I’m in town for the last 12 years. Early on, though, I was still refereeing a lot of soccer, so I would miss for games. Now, for the 2012 season I have not assigned myself to any Tuesday-Thursday games. It’s a discipline.

My goal in life has always been to be as fit and healthy as possible. If there is something I can consciously do to maintain good health, I try to do it. It’s a discipline. I’m up every morning for a run or some sort of exercise. Yoga practice several times a week (which is a great way to build strength, stamina, flexibility, balance and reduce stress).

Eating is the hardest. There are foods that should be avoided, but for which I have great weakness. I try to keep them out of the house. And I try to watch portion size.

This is another post that came about through the joining of several streams of reading and thoughts. Yesterday, I picked up a news feed from Business Insider, “How Should America Solve Its Fat Problem.” Henry Blodget writes some incredibly intelligent posts–usually economics. This one tries to look at the complexity of the problem.

Then Jon Swanson wrote in today’s post at 300 Words about how he’s discovering that Snickers Doesn’t Always Satisfy. He quotes Isaiah:

Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Taking care of yourself mindfully becomes another Spiritual Discipline. Junk food is akin to junk thoughts.

Information seems to flow in bunches–I guess a sort of Fast Fourier Transform for the mind if you’re into math. I’ve been thinking about study for a few days and then yesterday listened to this interview from a show called TechNation where host Moira Gunn interviewed Dan Roam, author of a new book called Blah, Blah, Blah: What To Do When Words Don’t Work.

Roam says that for more complete communication, we need to use both words and pictures. As I was running through Tawawa Park, I started pondering those thoughts. This works on the study end of the conversation, too.

When I read stories in the Bible, or even puzzle through some of Paul’s seemingly complex prose, I find drawing a diagram or visualizing a picture is a big help. If it’s a story about Jesus doing something, I sort of play a movie in my head–sound, colors, smell, the whole thing–and then look at the scene from different perspectives. Look through Jesus’ eyes. Look through John’s or Peter’s eyes. Look through the eyes of one who was helped. It’s a great way to understand the impact of the story.

While studying Romans recently, I found that drawing a diagram that traces Paul’s argument to be most helpful in seeing where he was going.

Similarly, if you are trying to talk to someone and cannot draw a simple picture or diagram to help explain, maybe you haven’t thought the subject through enough to be clear.

One more book for my booklist, I guess. Another aid to my study. Another idea for assembling better presentations.

Women paint their faces, arrange their hair, wear provocative clothing (or sometimes very little clothing). I suppose there are many reasons for doing that, not being a woman I haven’t experienced the emotions. Feminists would say it’s because men make them do it. Some, I’m sure, think it’s cool.

I’ve been in Las Vegas for the better part of a week. One of those conferences that start early that cuts down my morning routine. Hence, no posts here from last week. Back to my thoughts–in Vegas, it’s part of the show. All carefully orchestrated to put on the appearance of glamour. Keep the people gambling and drinking.

Disney orchestrates in the same manner, by the way. Just targeting a different audience. All designed to give customers an experience that will part them from their money.

Back to Vegas. If you look past the initial glamour, you notice a certain vacuum behind the facade. For most of the girls I saw as I walked through the casino on my way to the conference, though, I think they were just feeding their families. Just a job with a costume.

These women were just part of the act, but they’re paid for it. As an unsettling juxtaposition, one morning I was listening to a podcast on my way through the casino to the lobby door to go out for a run. This particular morning it was the message from Willow Creek Community Church.

Guest speaker Nicholas Kristof, author of “Half the Sky,” talked with Senior Pastor Bill Hybels about the terrible sins against girls and women across the globe. Sex trafficking with girls as young as 12. Women forbidden from gaining an education which would help them break the cycle of poverty. Kristof noted that the things that helped were smaller acts of person to person, not grandiose government to government programs. Read the book, listen to the message (it’s on iTunes or you can download by clicking the link). Give some money or some time–or both.

Study is an important spiritual practice. Some of us are predisposed to study as a strength–or spiritual gift. I, for example, am an ENTP on the Myers-Briggs Types Indicator. Several other personality profiles I’ve taken also indicate a strong predisposition toward thinking and analysis. I wrote Wednesday about an analytical method for studying Scripture. That was one way I got into trouble as a student.

Just as some people are naturally predisposed toward study and analysis, others are predisposed toward enthusiastic praise. Praise worship services can be among the greatest experiences you can have. Too often, the two personality types clash.

There is something else to ponder. Mystery. Analytical types of people are prone to thinking they can (or do!) know all the answers simply by thinking and memorizing. I think Paul the apostle was originally that type. He seems to be exceptionally skilled at reasoning and arguing from texts.

Then he ran into mystery. Just who is this God? Just who is this Jesus? How is it possible that someone who was dead is now alive? Paul’s experience with Jesus shook him to the very core of his beliefs. For the rest of his life, he struggled to understand.

Take for example the middle of his letter to the Romans (chapters 10-11) where he struggles to understand the role of the Jewish people. They were the original mono-theists–people who believed in the One God. They were entrusted by God to proclaim His glory to the world. But they kept failing. Now they have rejected Jesus. They have almost killed Paul several times. Has God forsaken them? Are they now lost? Paul wants to know.

Then he writes, “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

After trying to understand by reasoning and analysis, he basically gives up and says it’s all a mystery. We just can’t know everything about God. We just have to accept the mystery. For some of us, it is humbling to admit we can’t know it all. That’s OK. Accept the mystery of God and live in it.

I deal in expectations and roles. I’m not big on lists of rules. That is a personal orientation that I’ve had all my life as far as I can remember. I also don’t believe in ordering people around, although there are times, hopefully rare, when you need to exercise command.

Now that our kids are grown, I seldom have much contact with families with young children. I spent last week with my grandkids–living in a hotel. Those experiences always heighten my awareness of young people and their parents. All of a sudden, I see these families everywhere. So I observe and reflect.

Then I remember how as a young parent myself, I was amazed at how some people had a long list of hard and fast rules about bringing up kids. I was actually learning on the job. I just had expectations and defined roles. I expected that my children would further their education in a field that interested them. I didn’t say it every day, but they felt it. And today they are doing just that. Otherwise, I tried to be consistent in discipline (with my wife) and consistent in love (although I’m not a very expressive person verbally).

Jesus had two simple rules of life–boiled down to love God and love your neighbor. That’s simple. Should be easy to understand. Should be simple to do–right? But humans like to apply brain power to define the terms and then figure out ways to get around them.

Parenting has just a few simple rules. Consistent discipline is one. Kids know the limits and can operate within them. Failure to consistently apply the limits confuses kids, and they wind up constantly trying to find them.

I observe a lot. I reflect on what I did wrong. I’m amazed–how easy it is to state a simple rule of life and how hard it is to follow it. How are you doing?