Faith Venture

Your Investments Reveal Your Heart

March 1, 2012

A study group the other day discussed the passage from Matthew 6 where Jesus says to store up treasures in heaven rather than storing up treasures on earth. This is from a long list of “wisdom sayings” gathered in what we call the Sermon on the Mount.

I’ve heard this passage hundreds of times, but this week I’m meditating on the verb “store up.” I suppose from the first time I ever heard this, my mental image was that of a barn out on the farm that is full of things made from precious metals. Somehow this image didn’t really relate to me.

Consider the verse if we used a term common in today’s Western society and even growing in use globally–invest. What are you investing in? For there, we know what your goals and interests are.

Do I personally invest in the growth and health of my body, mind and soul? Or, do I invest in schemes to get rich quickly? Am I accumulating wealth out of worry and fear of the future? Or, do I share from my good fortune when I have some with those in need?

This idea works corporately, too. As a family. As a local church or fellowship gathering. Take for example your local church. Where does it invest its wealth? Does it emphasize maintaining the status quo–attractive building, pastors whose job is to nurture members, save for a rainy day? Or does it invest in helping others, reaching out to others, building a community center, help an unemployed single parent?

For, where you choose to invest your wealth reveals the depths of your heart. Invest in things that are timeless, not in the things that pass away.

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Treating People Like Objects or Ideas

February 29, 2012

It was common back then to hear white people say, “Some of my good friends are blacks.” But that wasn’t really true most of the time. You hung out with people like you, and other people were not always seen as, well, people.

My moral foundation was laid by the civil rights movement. When I got older, I took a lot of teasing from people in my very small rural town–oh, did I mention all white, almost all of German descent, almost all Lutheran. The first black people and the first Jewish people I ever met became my friends at the University. I was 17.

I just thought of them as people–not objects or abstract groups. I guess I’m still reflecting on the reactions of my small group when we read the first chapter of Romans where Paul is trying to get people to reflect on their sins and acknowledge that we have all sinned, and therefore we are not deserving of grace. But a few jumped on the first words of the list and never read the rest. The first thing mentioned was homosexuality. They said, “There. See. Paul hates homosexuals, so we are justified in doing likewise.”

Similarly, I see the political process–not only in the United States, but worldwide–degenerating into similar ideas. Treat us like people, say the people. But rulers, even democratically elected ones, tend to just see groups to be controlled or groups to be bought off.

The writer Donald Miller (“Blue Like Jazz”) differentiates between people who espouse propositional Christianity versus people who try to live like Christ. I sympathize with that remark. Even though I’m trained in propositional, or theoretical, thinking, I think Christianity is dealing with one person at a time. Trying to understand them. Encouraging where they need encouragement. Healing where they need healing. Reprimanding when they have lost the path.

But not in theory toward a faceless group. Only in person.

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Is Common Courtesy Common

February 27, 2012

During this morning’s meditation the terms insensitivity, courtesy and justice presented themselves firmly into my consciousness. There is so much in the news and in my reading that centers on this topic. Groups of people seem to be totally insensitive to the dreams, desires and reverence of other groups of people. When I think of American politics, the words insensitive and belligerent constantly come to mind. When I do a small act of common courtesy for someone who just needs a little helping hand, they seem surprised that anyone would help.

Researching for an article on leadership I just wrote, over and over the first response about leadership advice was ethics and good character. Gary Hamel has a new “business book” out, “What Matters Now,” in which the first thing that matters are values. I’m about 1/3 through that book, but it is the most important book on business, leadership and professional development I’ll read this year.

Why must the many people I’m reading and talking with emphasize these issues? Maybe because we just aren’t treating people correctly. Do we segment our values on Sunday morning from our values during the rest of our life? Do we take a belligerent attitude toward others–“I’m going to force you to have good character by writing laws” attitude? That law-writing exercise worked so well before–not.

Paul writes to the Romans that the law was written so that we know right from wrong (even though he says earlier that even people who don’t have the law know what’s right and wrong because it’s written on their heart). What you need is the freedom that comes from accepting God’s grace. If you ever look at the fruits of the Spirit and consider them as a description of personality, you’d notice that they point to a way of life where you are sensitive to others, truly listen with concern, where you help them experience the joy and peace you have. What would happen if all of us who say we are Christian exhibited those traits?

That would be cool. Forget the acrimonious debates and just love one another. And treat everyone with courtesy.

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Confession and Listening

February 24, 2012

This weekend, I will be guiding our group into discussion of the Spiritual Disciplines of Confession and Worship. Before reading the chapters (Richard Foster, “Celebration of Discipline”), one member expressed surprise that Foster calls Confession a “corporate” discipline, rather than a “private” one.

He may have been thinking, as I was, that corporate meant getting up in a church service and “spilling your guts” as the old movies said. Actually, Foster discusses the benefits of confessing to another person who can immediately pray for you and offer God’s forgiveness.

I was thinking this morning about the person hearing the confession. Ernest Hemingway said, “When you listen, listen completely. Most people don’t listen.” Foster discusses the need to remain quiet. The hearer must quell the urge to jump in and offer advice right away. You cannot listen and talk at the same time.

True listening means placing your focus and attention on the other person. Your attitude is one of prayerful attentiveness. Look at the person. Depending upon the accent of the person I’m listening to, I usually focus on one eye, but sometimes I need to see the mouth move to pick up the words correctly. But the person must see you looking at them–not at the walls or other people (if you are, say, at a restaurant).

This takes practice. Maybe years of practice.

One thing Foster doesn’t discuss that might be useful today is listening in an email conversation. I listen. I try to understand. But often, I just can’t pick up the right tone of the conversation. When it becomes important, move the conversation to an audible one.

I don’t hear my Catholic friends discuss going to (the rite of) Confession any more. Is that ritual falling into disuse? But Protestants often fall into an attitude that confession is private–just you and me, God. Many times, though, discussing with a trusted person is necessary to remove the burden, especially if that person truly listens and then prays with you.

Sometimes I think we Christians spend way too much time on talking as evangelism and way too little time listening.

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What’s In a Name?

February 22, 2012

Or, as Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

I usually write meditations on the Bible or on the Disciplines and try to avoid Protestant denominational politics. However, in today’s newspaper I saw a story about a proposal before the Southern Baptist Church that it change its name to the Great Commission Churches (or something like that). It seems that many people remember that the “southern” part of the name came from the pre-Civil War split in the Baptist movement between those who were opposed to slavery (the Northern Baptists who long ago were renamed the American Baptists) and those who supported slavery (the Southern Baptists). Thus the name could be a stumbling block to growth.

The SBC, like every organization in America, is concerned with growth. Darwinism at its finest–if you’re not growing, you’re dying. The article even quoted proponents as discussing “branding” as if they were at a marketing professionals’ conference.

Perhaps it would behoove these leaders to re-read the early chapters of Acts. The early church attracted people in great numbers. It didn’t have a brand, or probably even a name. They were evidently known as followers of the Way. They didn’t need branding. They had passion. And they lived differently from their neighbors. And the way the lived was attractive to their neighbors. It’s like the line from the movie Harry Met Sally, “I want what she’s having.”

So they can re-brand themselves all they want. What matters is the experience when someone walks in the door. Or when someone meets a member on the street and says, “I want what she has.”

We keep worrying about grandiose programs and slogans when all that matters is that we live like we talk–and that life is attractive to our neighbors. And that life we live leads to life with God.

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Let the Spirit Change Your Life

February 19, 2012

Are you nervous? Always anxious? Worried about many things? Or do you have a temper that is often out of control?

I was thinking about how meditation can change your life–or rather your personality and how you approach life. Years ago, I’d have had to answer yes to those questions. I’ve been seriously practicing meditation for more than 30 years, so I don’t remember when it was that I noticed a personality change. It’s not 100 percent, but none of us are perfect. Throughout all the economic turmoil of the 80s when I worked for a series of companies that went out of business, I was able to maintain some equilibrium because of the peace and focus that meditation brought.

Tonight our small group will be looking at the Spiritual Disciplines of Submission and Service. During preparation to lead these discussions the thought came to me–these are really conscious choices we should make about how to live our lives as we live with God.

Submission means laying aside my ego so that I’m free from having to prove myself–to myself and others. I just live each day with God and others recognizing their worth and that I don’t need to have my own way with them.

Service is a lifestyle choice, that is a way of living where my response to God is to do something for others. Often little things. I’ve discovered joy from doing the little, unexpected courtesies for others. Or when someone does something for me. It becomes just a natural part of your walk with God to serve others. Maybe someone reading this is or will be doing something great that will generate an article in The New York Times. Or it may be taking soup to an elderly neighbor.

It’s how you live your life. And as you practice those disciplines, then you will look back one day and exclaim at how much your life has changed for the better. You discover that you have the fruits of the Spirit within you without even seeking them directly–love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

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Spiritual Discipline of Meditation

February 16, 2012

A few days ago I visited a small group of committed Christian men devoted to the discipline of study. During the discussion, the discipline of meditation came up and many seemed uncomfortable with the concept. They evidently thought it was some sort of hippie, new-age thing.

Yes, The Beatles went to India and visited the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and popularized what is called Transcendental Meditation. You know, “Oooohhhmmmmm.” I taught a Yoga practice to a group of disadvantaged young people at a community center for a few weeks and when I told them to sit and listen to their breaths, several started chanting Om. Weird. They had no clue.

Then one (back to the study group) said, well, Gary knows about that. OK, I have studied both TM and Zen in my life. But Christian meditation owes only a little to those traditions. I imagine that the early practitioners were aware of Eastern meditation.

But, not to worry. Christian meditation centers on Christian things. The beginnings are the same everywhere. Stand, sit (preferably), lie, even walking, focus on your breathing. A good meditation is to simply say the Jesus Prayer softly or to yourself on the exhales–“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.”

Another great meditation accompanies study. I love to meditate on the story where the resurrected Jesus appears to the men walking to Emmaus. What did he say? What did they ask? I put myself in the story as I slow my body down through regular breathing and gain new insights into the story.

Meditation isn’t exotic. It’s as old as Christianity within our tradition. It’s just another way to gain insight and let God talk. Oh, it also has great health and personality benefits. Regular practice for years will change your personality. It can help you go from Type A to Type B, become more mellow, and lower blood pressure.

And “Om”? It isn’t necessarily mystical in and of itself. It is a “primordial sound” that many believe helps focus your attention on God. Sounds are OK. Sometimes you can’t concentrate. Slow your mind with Om until you relax and can focus on God.

Don’t get uptight. Just slow down and let God in.

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Working On Your Own Spiritual Development

February 15, 2012

There is a book that influenced a generation, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” by Robert Pirsig. The book was neither about Zen or motorcycles. In it Pirsig said, “The real motorcycle you’re working on is yourself.”

Today I’m thinking about working on practical things. Your (and my) daily life. Last week I was swamped with meetings and took little time for myself. Whose fault was that? Mine, of course. Why? Because I booked a schedule that did not include time for me and my spiritual development.

When that happens, you can lose balance and perspective in life. For me as a reporter and writer, that can be dangerous.

The solution is to schedule my time—in my calendar application—not only with appointments with others but also appointments for myself. This is also good to assure time with spouse, time with kids, time to pray, time for service. “Hey, can you…?” “No, I’mm busy.”

Now, if I could only do as I say 😉

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Spiritual, Mind and Body Disciplines

February 13, 2012

I had only a few long-term goals for myself that I first conceived as a teenager. These were never written as new-age self-help gurus preach–with detailed plans and all that stuff. But they have been a guiding force for my entire life. First, I would never have a “beer-belly”, that is, I’d stay lean and fit. Second, I’d continue to develop my mind for as long as my physical body allowed. Third, my spiritual development would lead to wisdom, that is, I’d gain perspective and insight.

The discipline of the first goal is watching what I eat and exercising. Eat less and exercise more is still the best method of weight loss and toning. As soon as I finish this post, I’m off to the gym for my usual workout.

The discipline of the second goal is reading good books. I keep a list. Whenever someone recommends a good book, I write it down and then buy it. I seldom watch TV (although the Serie A match between AC Milan and Udinese yesterday was entertaining) and seldom read novels purely for the story (although I find murder mysteries to be a great way to relax yet still think). A further discipline is to reflect on the books.

The discipline of the third is continual reading of the Bible and spiritual leaders such as Augustine (St. Augustine if you’re Catholic). This also entails meditation and contemplation.

In this third discipline, I’ve found that the ancient tradition is correct–you will at some point early in your contemplation be shown by God all the sins that you have done and that you are capable of doing. You will experience this apartness from God to the depth of your soul such that you’ll never forget. But then, you will experience the saving grace of God–not as an intellectual concept but as a reality deep within your experience.

I mention all this, because once again I tried to get my small group to see the list of sins that Paul assembled at the beginning of the letter to the Romans in such a way that it applies to each of them. It is too easy to read the list and say, “I’m saved, so I’m past all these. Now I can point my finger at the sins of others and piously tell them to accept Jesus and be saved.”

No, this is an experience that we all need to recall. We are all sinners. We carry that with us. But if we have turned to God and let Him help, then we can also experience grace. Without the first, we’ll never have the second.

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Discipline Amidst Busyness

February 12, 2012

I didn’t really take the week off. It was one of those travel weeks where the day began early, breakfast meetings, individual meetings, lunch meetings, more meetings, dinner with clients until midnight, then do it over. The schedule is at once energizing and tiring. And there is little time for contemplation unless I cut my 5 hours of sleep to 4 hours.

A weak excuse, I know. I’m in charge of most of my schedule. With discipline, I could carve out a half hour or so. As I reflect on a very busy week, I am forced to re-evaluate how I budget my time during my travels.

We all have busyness challenges. One woman told me she already gets up at 5 just to get ready for work when I suggested that we just get up a little earlier to read and contemplate and pray. Then I can’t follow my own advice.

Paul described us when he said that he doesn’t do what he wants to do and does what he doesn’t want to do. Guess it happens to us all.

I also took a weekend class last week (sacrificing half the Super Bowl) to improve my Yoga teaching skills and knowledge. Some Christian fundamentalists are worried that Yoga is a religion. It’s not. It’s a discipline–a way of disciplining your body so that it is fit for the rigors of contemplation and prayer. It all fits together–your body, your mind and your spirit. When it all comes together–what a wonderful thing.

I’m a work in progress. How about you.