Happy Easter.
As Paul said, “And if Christ has not been raised, our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.”
There is a time for reflection. There is a time for celebration.
Celebrate today.
Happy Easter
March 31, 2013Acting Out the Inner Prophet
March 28, 2013Jesus was an enigma to his contemporaries. No one figured him out. Even today, people have a tough time figuring him out.
Sometimes he was a teacher in the Wisdom tradition. Many of the sayings he taught came straight from the book of Proverbs. Sometimes he gave sayings with a twist–as in adding “mind” to the Shema, and then adding the second commandment “like the first” to love your neighbor.
But he didn’t look like a Wisdom teacher when he acted out his inner Old Testament prophet. As in his last week. He cursed the fig tree that was barren. Like the prophets of earlier time, this was a prophetic act of pointing out the barrenness of religious life under the leaders of the day. And the symbolic act of driving out the money changers and merchants from the Temple.
Sometimes a person just has to be strong. Send a message. He was thoroughly disgusted with the state of religion in his day.
We can learn from this. Even today, we have religious leaders who are exposed as shallow chasers of power and wealth. Who bow to prevailing political winds rather than living out the Gospel of Jesus.
Worth pondering as we approach Easter. What do we place above having an intimate, passionate relationship with our God?
I will be taking a few days to hike in the hills of southern Ohio. There is no Internet at the lodge. They say mobile phones work only intermittently. I’ll take a Sabbath for reflection, if you will, before the Easter celebration.
A Day of Heightened Tension
March 27, 2013It’s Wednesday of Holy Week. I’m traveling this week first to Florida on business (rather successful, too) and then taking a couple of days off the grid in the hills of southern Ohio to refresh my thinking before Easter.
The year before this was Holy Week, Jesus continued to antagonize the religious leaders. He steered clear of Rome. Although his message was the direct opposite of Rome’s those he attacked were the leaders of his religion who had forsaken following God and replaced it with structured religion.
He had attacked the commercialism of the Temple–acting just like an Old Testament prophet. Symbolically attacking the seat of improper power. Events are rapidly heading toward conclusion.
But the conclusion is still a little over a day away. There is still uncertainty in the air. But things have started that cannot be reversed.
It’s the time between deciding and acting. That time of tension. Athletes feel it just before a game. You may feel it just before a big event.
Not like Jesus, though. It was life and death for him. And not a pretty death. But it was also anticipation of the resurrection. Really it was life and death…and life. But the waiting must have been tough. No wonder they recorded the scene in Gethsemane.
It is that still point of tension. Waiting for the inevitable.
Jesus’ Succession Planning
March 26, 2013Who knows where those thoughts emerge from? Is it just me?
Listening to the outstanding Palm Sunday cantata by our choir Sunday that traced through some of Jesus’ last week, the thought popped into my mind–succession planning.
Yes, this is an essential leadership function. None of us last forever. We need to plan for the next generation of leadership. It’s on my mind relative to the soccer referee association that I have led for many years. Now, I’m about to take on a new ministry at church and among my first planning thoughts are how to recruit a successor.
So, Jesus. After that thought (we know from the Gethsemane story) about “what did I get myself into?”, must have come the thought “did I do a good job of succession planning?”
After all, he knew they would scatter. He told Peter that he would deny knowing him three times that very night. John seemed to be more steady, but he was more the intellectual and less the blustery, forceful leader. The movement needed both.
He devoted the better part of three years in succession planning. Now he was facing death. Would they be ready?
We’re the next generation that’s preparing yet another generation. Are we ready? Will they be?
I’m sure the doubt was momentary. Of course he did a good job. And we know that people usually grow into their new leadership roles. Unsteady at first until they find their footing and voice. That first generation went from cowardice and uncertainty to be powerful. They set the pattern.
I’m encouraged by the early leadership of Pope Francis. I pray that many, many other Christian leaders emulate that leadership. Which seems to be of a piece handed down from the master leader.
How Did I Get Into This Mess
March 25, 2013Did you ever commit to something and then begin to wonder about it?
Maybe you agreed to speak to a large group. Maybe you are on a mission trip and about to go face the people. Maybe it’s a court case. Maybe a cross-country drive and the weather turns ugly.
There is a moment after the action is initiated and before the events take place where you wonder, “What did I get myself into?”
I’ve been there. Had that queasy feeling in the stomach.
We know Jesus felt that.
He told his friends that he was heading to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. He had a feeling that bad things would happen. I think John did. Not so sure about Peter and the rest.
But Jesus, even through the celebration of the “Palm Sunday” parade into Jerusalem.
Later Jesus prayed. He had that feeling. Events had been set in motion and there was that feeling you get when you know you’ve got to carry on even though it isn’t going to be pretty.
That’s the pre-Easter feeling. We know the end of the story for Jesus. But we still have to experience it for ourselves.
Learning the With-God Life by Doing
March 22, 2013
Children learning by doing.
Yesterday I wrote a few thoughts on some of the woes visited upon single-parent families–especially when there is no male influence in the household.
I’ve seen a decline in male maturity and responsibility for some time. Not every one, of course, but far too many. One factor that research is now validating is the lack of an influential male parent. I think another is the type of education we now have.
Most girls and a few boys get along well in the sit, read, answer the right question, memorize education system we have developed. Most boys and some girls (many more than we might think) are learners by doing. A friend of mine in the process automation field has often pointed me to a movement called project-based learning.
I think back to when I was learning electronics as a kid. I started by building simple circuits. I learned about the components–resistors, capacitors, coils/inductors, soldering, batteries–and how to put them together. Then I learned to read a schematic–just by looking at the pattern of the schematic knowing a tuner circuit from an amplifier circuit and the like. Then I learned math so that I could know more about the circuits–how much voltage and current is going out compared to how much going in and so forth.
When I went to electrical engineering school, it was all backwards. There was almost no doing. I was bored.
How many boys–and girls–are we losing because of the lack of doing as part of education? Or, how many half-educated people do we have wandering around, lost?
Learning to live with-God
For some reason this morning I got to thinking about all this in the context of Christian living. Are we too much into just memorizing and not enough doing?
I learned in electronics that the schematic diagram was just a representation of the circuit. It really didn’t show me how to do the actual wiring. Sometimes the Bible is like a schematic. I can read Romans and see Paul’s model for spiritual development. It starts with grace and ends with living a good life within that grace
But what if, instead of memorizing Romans, what if we had our “students” live out Romans and then come back to class and discuss how they felt grace in different situations? How they lived up to the expectations of God in a grace-filled life and how they failed?
Kind of like if you did a little mission ministry. You actually performed little acts of service. And you learned to listen to people. You learned to help people. You learned what it means to put other people ahead of yourself. You learned that if your heart was in the right place, then ministry happened. And if your heart just wasn’t right that day how it interfered with your doing. And how to get your heart back into its rightful relationship to God
And then you started to memorize verses because you found you needed to know more to answer questions that came from other seekers. And then you came together to celebrate with joyful songs and praise because of what God had done in the lives of those you touched.
Just a thought from a guy sitting in his living room with a laptop on his lap. Maybe today, I’ll minister to everyone I meet.
Becoming Mature in Christ
March 21, 2013I was thinking many things this morning–such as it’s the first full day of spring as I gazed out the window on the inch of “snow flurries” that visited during the night.
Then I picked up the daily newspaper–yes, “Mr. Online” reads the daily newspaper on paper–and saw the featured story was about many young teachers who have lost their career and even spent time in jail because of sexual misconduct with their students. It may range from inappropriate texting or Facebook posts all the way to intercourse.
I then recalled the many reports from research into poverty and lack of children’s achievement that directly correlates to single-parent homes usually headed by a woman. I don’t think any reports say it’s as much because the head of the household is female as much as it means that there is little or no male influence in the family and in the development of the young people.
Some people who were at university with me had the idea that they would never be a “role model” but just wanted to live the way they wanted. That evolved into Boomer parents who didn’t want to be parents but friends with their children. That has evolved into a “do your own thing” society where seemingly no one wants to grow up and accept responsibility. I see that in so many actions.
Fortunately, this is not descriptive of everyone. But it is descriptive of far too many.
Remember your adolescent years when you hated structure and rules? I do. I still don’t like to be told what to do. But I also had a goal of spiritual maturity. And because I believe (and I hope act) with responsibility people often mistake me for a conservative Republican.
I just think that we all have to grow up. And to those who are not, they are lost. Lost in the sense of no direction. Drifting through life.
Spiritual maturity comes through practicing the Spiritual Disciplines. Learning the goal. James says, “and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Paul writing about spiritual gifts in Ephesians says, “until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.”
You don’t really “teach” Spiritual Discipline. You “guide” people into beginning and then deepening their practice. If there is one thing I wish I could do it would be to help many more people begin their journey to life with-God and help them break their cycle of wandering without purpose.
Forgive me for I have sinned
March 20, 2013
People in discussion.
The ironic thing was that we were studying James.
What’s the singular teaching you should get from James? To hold your tongue. Silence is good. Don’t speak ill of others.
I know that my personality type includes the problem of being snippy when I’m overly stressed or agitated. Have you ever noticed that knowing and doing are different things?
So, I said something. Upset my karma for the rest of the day. That is, my balance and ability to focus on positive results rather than negative thoughts and emotions.
There is discussion and there is argument. I view discussion as two or more people who are open to each others’ points of view and try to reach an understanding–maybe not agreement, but understanding. I can live in a world where people don’t agree on everything. I view an argument as a thought process of putting forward reasons for your views. An argument is when two people are putting forward their reasons with no attempt to listen to the other.
To me, listening and silence are valuable spiritual disciplines. Violate them and your spiritual balance is out of whack.
Mostly, I hear arguments.
I got so interested in understanding how people can hold views about something that are in direct contradiction to facts that I embarked on a several-year study of the issue. I went through developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, brain science, physiology of feelings and thinking. I love this sort of study. I’m sure most of you reading this would be bored.
One interesting thing is that the brain will believe anything you tell it. Those motivational, self-help speakers use that fact to tell you to put positive thoughts in your brain. Repeat “I will be successful” a hundred times a day is their mantra.
Emotions (to put it entirely too simply) arise from the complex of chemicals originating in your gut.
If a thought in your brain becomes associated with a strong feeling from the chemicals in your gut, voila, an opinion is formed.
And that (once again, too simply stated, but if you want the gory details, I can refer you to a book list) is why arguing with people when they have strong opinions won’t get you anywhere. And that is why I usually know to “hold my tongue.”
By the way, whether they know it or not, preachers and politicians use emotional language to try to arouse your emotions in order to affect a change in your opinions. Watch that the next time you see a political ad.
But sometimes I slip. Hate it when that happens. Forgive me, I have sinned.
Achieving Balance in Spiritual Life
March 18, 2013
Balance, focus, awareness, relaxation
The idea of achieving balance in life came up several times the past few days. Our pastor spoke yesterday about how easy it is to equate busyness with doing something valuable. Someone told me that I was selected for a leadership position with our missions team. Others were talking about busy.
Balance requires focus. When I teach balance poses in Yoga (basically standing on one foot and doing something with the other one), I always begin by teaching focus. You must focus on one stable object.
The spiritual implications of this should be obvious. No matter what you are doing, you must remind yourself of your focus every day. First thing in the morning in your meditation and prayer time is best. Then organize your schedule (remember Hybels’ teaching?) to achieve the important things.
Balance requires emptying your mind. The second teaching point I give in Yoga is to empty your mind of all senseless chatter that goes on incessantly. I teach that after students try the first and discover that after a few seconds they begin to wobble and then have to drop the other foot. A quiet mind goes along with focus. Again this works for life, as well. And early morning quiet time–coupled with regular breaks for intentional breathing–help to quiet the mind.
[As an aside, “productivity gurus” advise working in 90 minute bursts followed by a break to refresh and renew. A few minutes of deep breathing, concentrating on your breath, letting the mind relax, all work toward spiritual and mental refreshment. You can do this sitting, walking, or laying down.]
Balance requires relaxation. This may seem paradoxical. But once you have achieved, say Tree Pose (pictured), you are focusing, clearing the mind, then relax your shoulders. Clear the tension. Settle in.
TS Eliot talked about the “still point” in his poem Burnt Norton. Follow these three steps to reach toward the still point where you find balance in your life.
Pope Francis, A New Model of Leadership
March 15, 2013
Newly elected Pope Francis.
Congratulations to the Roman Catholic Church for such a quick consensus around a new leader. Such a quick consensus shows that Pope Francis is well known and highly regarded by his colleagues. He’s not a Vatican insider. Reaching out signals a willingness to try to change the Church.
I have been traveling and in meetings the past two days, so I’m a little behind in news and study. But following a page from Bill Hybels and my schedule that I wrote about recently, I put on my schedule meetings with Wyatt and Arianna (5 and 3 years old, respectively). Gotta do that once in a while. Oh, had some business meetings, too.
Most of my information comes from unreliable sources–ABC, CNN, The New York Times–but the consensus of the reports about Francis’ lifestyle and leadership are heartening to me. I have great respect for Benedict. He has a brilliant theological mind. But he also was a Vatican insider.
What I’ve read about Francis is that he exhibits a humble leadership by example and a passion for bringing the Church into the 21st Century. Certainly there is a crisis of confidence in the Catholic church as there is within all most all Christendom. Whether we are Catholic or not, the Pope is a leading spokesperson for the faith. He’s an important leader.
We read and write much about new styles of leadership, but humans being humans, we just can’t seem to bridge the gap from the old authoritarian models (“Teamwork means you all doing what I say”) with the trappings of wealth and power to a model of humble leadership. At 76 years of age, I would think that Francis should be pretty well comfortable in his style and remain uncorrupted by the pomp and circumstance foisted off on leaders by the bureaucracy.
I grew up with the mantra that if only women gained power in organizations then things would be different. I have yet to see that happen. The difference between women and men when achieving great power in large organizations seems negligible right now. Maybe a 76-yr-old celibate male priest can show the way.
I hope so.
Gary Mintchell
Faith Venture 