Faith Venture

Always Do Right

April 13, 2012

“Always do right. It will please some people, and astonish others,” Mark Twain.

It is an unfortunate fact that often in the business world–and other times as well–when someone seems to go out of their way to profess being a Christian business person, I instinctively reach to see if my wallet is still with me. I’ve only worked for a couple of guys who made outward emphasis to being Christian. Both broke promises and did not pay me for work done or promised. Had a customer who did not pay for materials purchased. Saw a company president sell a company and pack up his office on a Sunday so that he didn’t have to face his employees on Monday to tell them he had sold and that most likely they would all be losing their jobs within six months.

On the other hand, I’ve worked with hundreds of deeply spiritual people who just did their thing. No bragging. No over-the-top proclamations about themselves. It was all about other people, not themselves.

Always do right. With some people I’ve met–especially in church–Twain was right, I’d be astonished.

I really like the writing of Donald Miller. I read his blog. “Blue Like Jazz” and “Searching for God Knows What” are two of my favorites. Miller deals honestly with his experiences and feelings about “church people” and other people he meets. I say honestly because the tone is not preachy, but rather something like working out the puzzle of life–his and others.

“Blue Like Jazz” is coming 0ut as a movie. Released today (Friday the 13th!) I think. I see few movies. Hopefully I’ll see this one. But he’s already attacked by the self-righteous because of his questioning about people he’s met in churches–and some institutional churches themselves. But it’s really about a story of someone searching for Jesus.

“Always do right.” Seems to be a paraphrase of how Paul told us to live in Romans. Not a bad practice at all.

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Introverts and Extroverts

April 12, 2012

There are two types of people. Well, maybe three. There are people who get energy from being with other people. We call those extroverts. There are people who get energy from being alone. These are called introverts. Then there are people like me, I suppose. On the Myers-Briggs Types Indicator, my scores on that scale come back ambivalent.

But how we are determines how we like to worship. It determines how we work best. But we need a little of both.

A man called Chris Anderson started a conference years ago where he invited people with significant ideas to present short talks (no longer than 20 minutes but most often about 10 minutes) to an audience who paid as much as five figures to the left of the decimal point to listen. He called it the TED Talks conference. It became successful. There are now many of these around the world. He now records them and you can watch for free.

Recently Susan Cain presented on being an introvert in a culture that increasingly rewards (or forces you to be) an extrovert. It is worth a listen.

In our spiritual practice, we need to be aware of our tendency and seek balance. Introverts would tend toward study and meditation. Extroverts tend toward worship, celebration and service. Following the example of Jesus, everyone needs time alone to find God and center themselves. It might be difficult for extroverts, but it is necessary to achieve depth in your celebrations and service. Study and meditation alone will not make you whole. Introverts need to get out and be with people. Learn to celebrate and serve. Just as Jesus often withdrew to be with God in order to serve more, we also need to seek that balance.

Posted in Disciplines, Prayer, Study, Worship | Leave a Comment »

With God Are We Transparent

April 11, 2012

I started meeting with a group of men on Tuesday early morning when I’m in town for study. One of the things we discussed yesterday was the story of Jesus first sending out his disciples to spread the Word. So one guy said that the word that kept springing to mind was “transparent.” The disciples needed to be transparent.

That was a great word. There was to be no duplicity, no trickery, no masks, no false personality. Think of the ways that the word works. The intention of the disciples was transparent to the people (whether they accepted the message or not). The disciples were transparent in the sense that the light of Jesus shone through them (think of like a pane of glass). People saw God through them.

Tim came to a group many years ago. He stated that he always looked for the mask people wore. He believed that all people were hiding something behind a mask. You never saw their true selves, their true motives.

He may be right, but I think that there are people who are genuine. “What you see is what you get,” as the saying goes. That’s what we should be. Our love, our motives, our representation of Jesus should be transparent. We get that way by pausing and looking at ourselves. Every day. Where did we have a hidden agenda? Where did we hide behind a mask? Where should we have let the light of God shine through us?

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Bringing Them Up in the Faith

April 9, 2012

Radio commentator and writer Earl Nightengale once told the story of a little boy in elementary school. He sat staring out the window. He was so lost in thought that he did not notice the teacher stopped lecturing and stared at him. The entire class stared at him. A few giggles were heard. Then the little boy realized something was up. “What were you doing?” the teacher asked. “Thinking,” the boy answered. “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to think in school,” the teacher responded.

Happens to me–a lot. Thinking, that is. Yesterday in church we had an infant baptism. It’s a United Methodist church, which is an offshoot from the Anglican tradition. We have the traditional infant baptism service which brings the new person into the community of faith. We all pledge to bring this child up in the ways of Jesus. (We also do believer’s baptism. Methodists want to make sure they cover all the bases, I guess.)

I started to think about the process. Are we a community enough that we care about each of the little people and consciously try to bring them up in the Lord? Do we work with each one? Do we teach them about spiritual practices such as study, prayer, celebration and the like during their formative years? Or do we turn them off like we’ve done to so many with mindless committee meetings, badgering for money, rules on top of rules?

Children are trained more by watching us than by listening to us. Makes me wonder if I’m doing what I say. All the time. What’s the use of knowing a lot, if I don’t change the way I live? And then model for these young people so they grow up enjoying the fruits of the spirit rather than the bitterness of sin.

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Without Death There Is No Resurrection

April 6, 2012

“It is finished.” He said that and died.

I’m not sure what all was finished. Jesus had just provided for his mother, entrusting her to John. Then John says to fulfill Scripture, Jesus said “I am thirsty,” tasted the wine and died. We know from Matthew that the way he died was unusual. But it was finished–his life, his ministry, fulfillment of prophecies.

Jewish leaders had won. They got the Romans to execute their adversary. But it was a short-lived victory. In 40 years the Romans had enough of the rebelliousness of the Jews and sent in an army big enough to crush them, destroy the Temple and disperse them. The Romans were not known for treating people kindly.

Life was much different in those days than we have it in western Europe and America. We are supposed to be much more “civilized” (although I’m willing to bet that there are peoples in the world who aren’t so sure about that). But their treatment of Jesus was not one of sympathy and understanding. They beat him (a common occurrence) and hung him in such a way that he would die slowly. In other words, an instrument of public torture.

This had all happened so quickly. The leaders were afraid of the crowds. They did the arrest at night and hurried his trials early the next day. The idea is get it done before anyone realizes it. Then it would be too late for a rebellion. So it took only a few hours from Jesus teaching his followers to Jesus being killed.

It’s amazing how life–and history–can change in such a short time. The changes were momentous. Within 50 years, Jewish leadership and the Temple were gone. Jesus was living with an increasing number of followers who lived throughout the Roman Empire. Even reaching into Rome, itself.

But it took an agonizing death to change everything.

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What has happened to Christians

April 5, 2012

OK, so that’s a headline more designed to be provocative than to be answered. I’m back in Ohio staring out at dawn breaking through my magnolia on Colonial Drive. And 30 degrees chillier than yesterday as I prepare for my run.

Ah, preparation. Today is the Thursday before Easter. This day some 2,000 years ago, Jesus had dinner with his closest friends. Their last act together before the momentous events to come. We commemorate two of the acts. Some have turned them into rituals. Others call it remembrance. There is, of course, communion (or Holy Communion). Not remembered as well was the demonstration of servant leadership through the act of foot washing. This has either been forgotten or turned into a symbolic ritual.

What started the thoughts I’m pondering today was a car on the Miami expressway we passed on the way to the airport. The owner had hung a large cross from the rear view mirror. And I thought, how can we have so many Christians, yet seemingly we have such little impact on the world?

That may not be a fair thought. It just popped into my head. But I’ve been pondering it. What has been my impact? Am I Jesus to the people around me? Or, do I get trapped in rituals or bumper-sticker Christianity? You know, theology by slogan.

In communion, we celebrate (I hope you do, at least) Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. But I think we forget the foot washing too often. It’s what Jesus really wanted us to remember. As a leader, am I too prone to human failings of desire for power and prestige? Or, am I serving those who follow me–only to turn them loose in turn to do the same?

Jesus was thinking about the Monday after Easter. What are we to do after the resurrection? Go and serve.

Posted in Faith, Leadership, Living | 1 Comment »

Do Not Be Anxious

April 4, 2012

I’m sitting on a private balcony overlooking the famed Doral golf course in Miami, Florida at daybreak. The fountains provide soothing background music. A few birds are beginning to speak. It’s peaceful.

No, it’s not Spring Break for me. It’s business. I’ve been meeting with people all day for two days discussing information technology relating handing over a new petrochemical plant (for example) from the engineers and contractors to the owner/operators. 8 am keynotes always mess up my schedule and my spiritual practices.

In the peace of the moment, my mind flits from quiet to hyper. I plan out everything in my mind. I’m thinking about checking out, getting a taxi to the airport, getting to the airport early enough to check baggage (I don’t usually, but as an Elite customer, my bags fly free and I don’t want to worry about overhead space), finding my way in a strange airport, where’s the United Club–you know the whole trip thing.

It’s silly. Jesus said to not be anxious. I fly probably 20 times a year. I know the routine. My stuff is organized for getting through security efficiently.

Then I thought–you ever wonder what Jesus was thinking this week? Did he plan things out? Or at least play scenarios in his mind going over various alternative outcomes? He knew if he died, then his followers would be saved from certain slaughter as the Romans cracked down on the movement. He knew about resurrection, but he’d never experienced it. So he was facing a new experience. Did he remember his advice about not being anxious?

We don’t get any first person narrative from Jesus in the Gospels. Except for the 40 days in the wilderness following his baptism, every other thing recorded was witnessed by someone and reported in third person descriptions.

But I still wonder what he played in his mind as the events of the week unfolded. And then how he could face the authorities with calm, assurance, confidence.

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Reside in the Mystery of God

March 30, 2012

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.

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Why Is It So

March 28, 2012

Why? Did you ever notice that when you are studying something and a question is raised, you or someone will answer fairly quickly–probably with the “correct” answer? But a skilled group leader will continue probing until the answers become much more meaningful?

In manufacturing, we have a way of thinking called “Lean.” One of the techniques we use is called “5 Whys.” If you start asking that question, after 2 or 3 you’ll begin getting at the root cause–the real reason.

In a group, the thing to watch out for is that often the brightest person gives that quick, correct response. That’s what they were taught in school. Remember and regurgitate. I had immense difficulty in school–especially with chemistry and math–until I discovered the remember and regurgitate formula. When I discovered math was simply manipulating symbols according to rules, it became easy. But I always asked, “Why?” Or, “How do you know that?” And that got me into trouble.

Asking five whys is a great way to study the Bible and other spiritual writing. If I ask, “What’s the most important thing about Jesus?”, you could say, “He came back to life after dying.” You would be correct. Collect your “A” and go home.

But, you could take that correct answer and ask “Why?” Then ask it again. Pretty soon you will reach the deep meaning that the Resurrection has in your life.

“Why” can be the best friend you have in study. It will lead you toward understanding. It’s not so important how much you know, as it is how deep you go.

Posted in Study | 1 Comment »

Simple Rules Hard To Do

March 26, 2012

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?