Faith Venture

Henri Nouwen wrote, “True hospitality is welcoming the stranger on her own terms. This kind of hospitality can only be offered by those who’ve found the center of their lives in their own hearts.”

It is as true in America as almost everywhere you read about–this lack of hospitality. This urge to separate into those who are like me versus those who are not.

When we worry more about outward things–ours and those we meet and those whom we merely read about–then we have lost the heart.

Jesus always cared more about the heart of those he met than he did about ethnic identity, gender identity, social diseases.

Among the first conversion stories circulated among the followers were Phillip and a black man and Peter and a Roman. Already in the first years on their own, Jesus followers were breaking free of stereotype.

We can all do the same by finding our center in our hearts. It all begins with me, now, where I am, and with whom I interact. One person at a time around the globe.

A house plant grows toward its light source. Left alone, it will bend toward the light rather than growing straight and tall. Not having volition of its own, it will continue on its disabling path. However, a kindly hand turning it regularly, will assure light to all sides so that it may grow nicely.

We, however, need to bring together self-awareness and self-discipline to achieve that straight, strong spiritual growth that we need.

These together prevent us from fossilizing as merely creed-spouting organisms. Rather, we are infused with God bringing a new attitude to our lives.

We can put anger, greed, hate, fear behind us while basking in the light of love.

The week before my freshman year at the university officially began, I headed to Cincinnati to attend band camp. I had the “honor” of being assigned the cabin of the drum major. He was a pompous little guy and a bully. He picked on a freshman trumpeter. And the more the guy took it, the more the drum major piled on the vile comments.

I was just relieved that there was someone weaker than I to whom the bully decided to aim his aggressive tongue. It could have been me.

High in the news cycle these days is the saga of Harry and Meghan, aka the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. This couple who evidently were not introduced to the history of the English throne married for love rather than political expediency. The facts that Meghan was not only not from the aristocracy but she also had a black mother gave those inimitable English bullies–the tabloid “newspapers”–fodder for article after article. And the more Harry tried to defend, of course the louder the bullies got.

In America, the tone of discourse is not better. We had a presidential candidate leading cheers at political rallies of slogans like “lock her up”, but his opponents would pile vindictive comments right back.

Christians, who once wrote books using the Bible to explain how Africans were an inferior race and that slavery was therefore justified, now use the same thought pattern pointed to homosexual people. Who will be the next target? Could be you.

Freedom of speech has a necessary companion–responsibility. Lacking that, we have undercut the freedom and it will not long live.

Repentance means recognizing we’re on the wrong path and changing direction. We could use some of that around the globe.

Learning what childhood and youth experiences formed you seems a relentless revelation. I was brought up in the Methodist church (which became the United Methodist church and is now the dis-United Methodist church) where I was taught that the church was open to all. Teaching and learning inclusiveness in the late 1950s.

I “stole” this photo from outside of a church from a friend on Facebook. It says all I need to know about the situation:

“Jesus didn’t make exceptions [as to who our neighbor is]. We don’t either.”

• Love thy homeless neighbor
• Gay neighbor
• Muslim neighbor
• Black neighbor
• Immigrant neighbor

• Jewish neighbor
• Addicted neighbor
• Christian neighbor
• Atheist neighbor
• Disabled neighbor

I would bet that 10 am Sunday morning remains the most segregated time in America.

Don’t try to steer the river.

I found that thought nugget searching for a final quote for my Yoga class.

It sort of goes along with a Yoga attitude of going with the flow. Calmness.

I don’t think it means not to try to make changes in yourself, your organization, your business.

The picture is one of great futility. You have taken on an attitude of control. But wisdom lies in understanding that you cannot control everything. Some things just happen. And you are left determining your best response.

Don’t let the attitude of control consume you. Begin with just trying to control yourself. That in itself is a huge task–and one most worthwhile.

“I have turned over the new leaf. I will become humble. In fact, I will be the most humble person in the world.” –Agatha Christie’s dapper little detective, Hercule Poirot.

The actor played this sentence with a bit of a smile indicating some degree of self-awareness. That it is a little joke on himself. After all, earlier in the story when someone said, “Oh, you’re a detective,” he replied, “Not a, the detective.”

Scan your news sources. Observe people in your organizations or businesses.

There is no shortage of pride in the world. If pride were to be harnessed as energy, we would not need the entire petroleum infrastructure.

And not just today. Read ancient literature about as far back in history as we have recorded. Pride is everywhere.

And humans recorded at least 4,000 years ago and maybe longer the results of pride.

Pride without any self-awareness.

Humility simply means thinking about how we impact other people. And how maybe we should consider the needs of other people before even our own. The antidote to pride.

Here’s to a shot of humility around the globe–and a double for our leaders.

Santé. Prost. Sláinte. Cheers. Drink up!

How many of us have had a mother (or maybe wife) who has set something before us, say for example broccoli, and said, “Eat it, it’s good for you”?

We know that broccoli is just about the perfect vegetable loaded with Vitamin C, other nutrients, fiber. We also know that unless it is smothered in cheese, it is barely palatable.

The rich young man must have felt something like that when he came to Jesus. He had the perfect (in terms of Hebrew understanding of getting right with God) well-ordered life. Wealth implies comfortable living. He also had followed all the laws and rules.

Yet, he knew something was missing from his life.

Jesus offered him the version of broccoli–“Follow me.”

What, give up my quiet, well-ordered life for the uncertain future of becoming a disciple?!

We learn to like broccoli over time and persistence. Same with following Jesus. Some days are harder than others. But, over time and with practice, we learn to do what’s good for us.

I recently listened to a conversation between two medical researcher geeks discussing some of the latest research into mitochondria, glucose conversion, muscle activity (both high performance athletes and we “casual” workout people), imbalances that lead to illness such as Type II diabetes and so on.

When our bodies and minds are healthy, we are in such a delicate balance of systems, nutrients, activity.

Ancient people in India figured out the need for balance–balancing mind/body, balancing the six tastes, balance meditation and action.

Our Western heritage emphasizes brain and rationality often placing it out of balance with our physical and spiritual sides.

This year, perhaps we could learn balance.

• Our needs and the needs of others
• Our brains and bodies and spirit
• Our abundance and the deprivations of others
• Our time spent on family, work, service, meditation
• Our “rights” and the “rights” of others
• Peace as a balance

A rich man approaches Jesus. “What must I do for salvation?”

Jesus asked him about following all the Jewish law. “I have since I was a child.”

In that time, and probably as much in our time, two ways seem assured to get right with God. This man had them both. First, wealth. Second, he followed the rules.

Yet, something told him that it wasn’t enough.

Jesus told him to give it all up and become a follower, a disciple.

The man couldn’t. He went away sad.

Jesus followers were astounded. If a rich man can’t make it, who can?

Jesus told them it starts with God. We have named that grace.

There remained a gap in the man’s heart. Wealth didn’t fill it. Following rules didn’t fill it.

Changing your heart and following Jesus–that will fill it.

What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture by Ben Horowitz introduces the reader to a variety of surprising examples of leaders who paid attention to building a sustainable culture.

He probes into the only successful slave revolt in history (in Haiti), a prison gang leader in Michigan who transferred his experience upon leaving prison, the Samurai in Japan (who ruled for several hundred years and whose influence remains), and Genghis Khan.

The Samurai had a set of practices or virtues. Sort of like what I try to teach about spiritual disciplines–life is not about sitting around telling people your opinions, rather it’s about the practices you exhibit in your daily life.

The Samurai oath sounds strangely familiar. It is worth bringing in one way or another into our lives.

• I will never fall behind others in pursuing the way of the warrior.
• I will always be ready to serve my lord.
• I will honor my parents.
• I will serve compassionately for the benefit of others

Horowitz’s book is one of the rare business books that is worth reading to the end. Too many in that genre say everything they have to say in two chapters and then fill 150 more pages just so a book can be published. Also, the ideas are transferable into any organization.