Defend Yourself

August 10, 2010

How do you defend your positions? When someone confronts you with a false accusation or with an argument that is counter to everything you believe in, how do you react? Are you defensive? Do you attack the person? Do you lead with phrases that include “you”? Does your defensiveness or insecurity result in angry responses?

What if your life were on the line? You were wrongly accused, and if you can’t defend yourself adequately, you’ll die?

Watch how Jesus handles himself in his final days. He showed some irritability (cursing the fig tree), and he showed anguish. But mostly he was calm, self-composed, self-assured. He quietly answered questions, but with confidence and courage. He didn’t back down. He didn’t speak evil of his accusers. He even reached out to others (the criminal on the cross). In fact, he was still teaching.

What a role model. When confronted, maintain your poise. Be assured in your relationship with God. Answer with civility and gentleness all the while being firm and confident. Wish I could always be that way.

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Betrayal and Forgiveness

August 9, 2010

[Note: I was on another business trip with days that went from 6 am to 10 pm. Somewhere I need to either budget less sleep or budget my time better on these trips. I slipped on all my blogs.]

I’ve reached the end of Mark where he devotes several chapters to Jesus’ last couple of days. I’ve thought about betrayal. The Bible is full of stories of betrayal. Certainly Jesus was betrayed by one of his friends. That happens. Usually this betrayal is a scene in a larger plot–that of enemies trying to undercut you or even kill you in extreme cases.

And that’s happened to me. I worked for a failing company. One day my boss came into my office and said, “X is going to the president of the company telling him you’re not working hard enough.” I was in the habit of eating lunch at my desk and reading the Wall Street Journal and other business information. Thereafter, I went to a restaurant with the group and had a hamburger and beer. That was considered more productive.

Later when I was at another company, I’d run into X around town. He’d smile and greet me like an old buddy. I remember the incident [the old saying “forgive and forget” isn’t always possible], but I don’t care about him. Within me, I forgave him. He was just trying, in vain, to save his job at the expense of me and probably others. Mostly I just thought about the stupidity of the entire situation.

I just read somewhere a quote that went something like, forgiveness is the beginning of healing. If you carry the betrayal within you it will have the ability to destroy your life. If you forgive, then you can get on with your life free of those negative emotions that destroy you.

Jesus seemed to forgive Judas in a way before the betrayal actually went down. Even facing death, he knew someone had to do the act. Judas was playing his part. Jesus knew. He didn’t go to his death carrying bitterness and revenge toward his betrayer. He was past that and on toward his freedom.

We’re unlikely to face a betrayer who is out to kill us. But the same model exists. Following Jesus as the pioneer of our faith (as the writer of Hebrews puts it) means emulating his model. In this case, forgive them the wrong done to you (I’m not talking about God’s final forgiveness here–that’s up to Him) and then you’re free to live with God.

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Betrayed By a Friend

July 30, 2010

You were happily at play in elementary school when the teacher suddenly pulls you aside and accuses you of stealing something from someone’s book bag. You were nowhere near the bag. Turns out one of your best friends told the teacher that you were responsible.

Or, someone tells the police you had inappropriate contact with a young person. Turns out that person was someone you thought was a friend. And now you’re on trial for your life.

We hold the virtue of loyalty to one’s friends as a core belief. How would you react? Hurt? Vengeful?

Jesus hosted a dinner for his closest friends. These 13 men had spent the better part of three years together. Learning, sharing, caring for each other. This dinner was a deeply religious, sacred dinner. Not just a party. Then Jesus announces that one in the room would betray him–falsely accuse him of a crime to the authorities who would have the power to kill him. He seemed rather matter-of-fact about it. It shocked most. They never saw it coming.

Jesus said to Judas, “Do what you must do.” One way or another, Jesus was destined to die. Judas became the convenient path. But, things didn’t go as Judas imagined. We can figure that out because the story says he hanged himself. They did go the way Jesus imagined. He knew he would die and then be raised from death.

So, there’s betrayal. And there’s triumph. I’m not sure what the story says to us about dealing with betrayal ourselves. Other than being true to our mission in life, holding on to our integrity, and living with the consequences whatever they may be.

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You Better Have Figs

July 28, 2010

“I just know one thing, if the creator of the world comes to you and asks you for a fig, you’d better have some–lots of them.”

I’ve been meditating on the Gospel of Mark for the past several months. Getting toward the end, we came to the story (not parable) of Jesus cursing the fig tree. I sort of skipped over that part of the story and went to the explanation. Jesus’ closest friends were shocked to see him exhibit such impatience and pointed out that the fig tree he cursed the day before (May no one ever eat a fig from you again) was now dead all the way to the roots. And that happened overnight.

Driving to Chicago last night, I was listening to the weekend message from Willow Creek Community Church on my iPod. Pastor Wayne Cordeiro from Honolulu was speaking. He cited that passage as one of his examples. He said, I have studied that passage for years. Never could figure it out. Finally I just thought, “If the creator of the world asks you for figs, you’d better have figs.”

A little later in Mark’s story (Chapter 13), Jesus tells his followers to stay awake, be aware of what’s going on around them, be aware of God’s movement in the world and their lives. I bet he was thinking something along the lines of “When I’m gone and you’re the leaders, you’d better have been cultivating figs–and you’d better have plenty. Because you’ll need them. And God’s asking.”

Got any figs?

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Awesome Structures of Man

July 27, 2010

Humans have to build things. It’s in our nature. And long ago we learned how to build awesome structures. So big, so solid, so awesome that it would be unthinkable to suppose they would not last forever. These are usually great symbols of something. The Great Pyramids of Egypt still survive. But the World Trade Centers in New York, symbols of Western greed and immorality to some in the world, were destroyed.

“What large stones; what large buildings,” Jesus disciples said as they were leaving the Temple after his daylong battle of wits with the religious leaders of the day. The Temple was so awesome, so large, exuded so much power, the people from the “sticks” just couldn’t believe it. Sort of like people from Ohio fresh off the farm going to New York to see the large buildings.

Jesus says, don’t be taken in by these works of humans. Mark in Chapter 13 records the conversation. First Jesus says, look at all this, soon not one stone will be left on another. That shocked them. So, when they were alone in the garden, they asked him again. And he told them again that the Temple would be destroyed and pagan worship rites would occur on the site of the Holy of Holies. He said that there would be bad times for Jews in those days. And for his followers.

Within 50 years from this conversation, it all happened. The Temple was destroyed (and to this day it remains down). The big revolt of the Jews against Rome was put down at great loss of life. Think of Masada. Jesus’ closest followers were persecuted, jailed, many killed.

But Jesus said in another place that in his death and resurrection would be a new Temple. A new sacrifice for the atonement of sins. No need to buy animals for sacrifice.

And that’s where we are today. Still with the human urge to think how great are the works of our hands and brains. But what really matters is the person of Jesus who teaches us how to live with God. The Godly life endures. Physical things we build are only temporary–not things to worship, but to use.

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How is your church

July 26, 2010

Jon Swanson writes a couple of blogs. One is “300 Words a Day.” Here he ponders “8 Ways to Find a Church.” If someone comes into your church, how do they “find it?” I don’t mean Yellow Pages. How do they find the experience? What do you think?

Jon has a list:

  1. Do they consider themselves a they or a building? (Church, biblically, is always the people.)
  2. Do people stick around after formalities are done? (It’s a sign of community, whether it’s a large Sunday gathering or a committee meeting.)
  3. Do they acknowledge God in three persons and build from the Bible (This one matters to me.)
  4. Do they teach things that I’m not sure I exactly agree with, but do it in a way I can converse with? (I don’t want a group that only knows what I know. I gotta be stretched. But lovingly. And as an invitation to love.)
  5. Do they allow brokenness or do they expect perfection? (No one isn’t broken. Too often, however, we say “fix yourself and then you can come to God.” That is exactly backwards.)
  6. Do I feel a sense of holiness that makes no sense? (Can’t explain it)
  7. Do you have to be related or part of the cultural tribe before you can be accepted as part of the church tribe? (If everyone is Swedish but you, or everyone is tatted or no one is, or you have to have a beehive.)
  8. Do they go more than they gather? (Are they at the jail and the Starbucks and the neighbor’s garden and traveling across the country with @hardlynormal to visit people without homes.)

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Following the Law

July 23, 2010

You are driving. Ack, there’s a policeman ahead. Am I driving too fast? Am I properly in my lane? Did I just signal the lane change? Is there some other law that I’ve forgotten that I probably broke?

Same feelings of guilt and anxiety can occur in church. Ack, there’s the pastor coming. Did I give to the offering last week? Did I say something to someone that will come back at me? Did I do something wrong? Shoot, I missed two services last month.

Moses received 10 commandments from God. Before he died, he turned the 10 into many more. By the time of Jesus, generations of religious leaders continued to add to the 10. They needed lots of laws to “explain” the 10. A whole profession grew up–the scribes–to record and interpret all these laws. Pretty much like our courts and lawyers. But these were religious laws–all meant to show you how to get right with God.

Then Jesus came. He taught that the scribes and Pharisees used the laws to put a burden on people. These laws actually came between people and God–and put the scribes in a position of power over people.

So, in the Temple during Jesus’ last week, he and the scribes and religious leaders engaged in verbal sparring over theology. Finally one scribe asks, “What is the greatest commandment?” What is the one thing you should do above all else?

Jesus replies with the “shema”–“The first is, ‘Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The scribe replied that Jesus was right. Jesus replied that the scribe was not far from the kingdom of God with his understanding.

Jesus says, when you’re feeling burdened, overwhelmed, anxious about meeting the obligations of the church, remember there are two basic things you need to do and the rest will take care of themselves. And remember, love is an action verb. It’s not an emotion. You love God by studying, communicating and witnessing. You love others by doing things to help them. If you are doing this, then there is nothing to worry about regarding your being right with God.

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Just be one

July 22, 2010

Ever go to a meeting where there are endless arguments and discussions about what the committee should be, or what it should do? Ever get bored? Wish everyone would just get off their “backsides” and get on with the work?

OK, this guy isn’t a Christian writer, but Marcus Aurelius was on target with this thought, “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be; just be one.”

I once had a boss who said, “Everyone knows who the good teachers are.” Quantifiable? Not particularly. Explainable in a few words? Not really. But by the quality of the person, truly everyone just knows. By the way, he was an engineer. They are typically fact driven people. But if you just go forth to “be one,” people will know. You will know. God will know.

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Learning or Living

July 21, 2010

The United States is not unique in world history in placing its youth in a competitive atmosphere in learning. We’ve just tried (with mixed results) to extend it to all youth, not just those in either privileged classes or who show interest and potential for learning. So, after 13 years of constant comparison with our peers relative to learning, we are guided to think that learning (intellectual development) is the highest goal of life.

True, you do need to know certain things. To be completely ignorant is not a path to God. However, Thomas a Kempis rightly says, “Indeed, it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God.”

I’ve been studying Mark for the past several months. I much prefer the Gospels to Paul’s letters. Paul is so culturally bound and focused on how to organize the new movement that he is often hard to understand. Jesus, on the other hand, although enigmatic at times, points us to how to live.

Learning  is easy compared to living a holy life minute by minute. It’s not only what you know but what you do with it.

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Politics and religion meet the spirit

July 20, 2010

By what authority do you teach? When you stop to think about it, that’s an interesting question. In today’s world, if you’re “ordained” by a religious body (say, Catholic, United Methodist, Lutheran, and so on), then you teach by the authority of that organization. Me? I just started teaching. Never thought about authority.

That question directed by the Jewish leaders (who were both religious and, in many ways, civil, leaders) to Jesus was what we call a loaded question. Jesus was openly questioning their authority. They thought they were just part of the leadership lineage that traced back to Moses. Somebody had to be in charge. Somebody had to oversee religious rites, tell people what was right, interpret God to the people. There had always been priests beginning when Moses appointed some. They were appointed to be part of that line of authority. They were essentially political leaders.

Mark says that this confrontation came the day after Jesus drove the commercial people out of the Temple. This was a revolutionary act directly affecting the income of the leaders–as well as their authority. So they asked Jesus by what authority he did that. But Jesus asked them about where John the Baptist derived his authority. Many people thought it came directly from God. But the leaders had opposed him.

Ah, here is where politics and religion meet the Spirit. If you are a leader and you want to maintain your authority, you begin to think like Mark reports. “If we say from man, the people will get mad at us. But if we say from God, then they’ll ask why we didn’t support him.” So, they didn’t answer. And that’s the problem with organizational leadership where people in power want to maintain power as their objective. This can happen at any level of any organization where someone gets comfortable and likes being in charge.

Jesus did not organize in that manner. His organization technique–one that is being emulated by many even in businesses today–is one of teaching, empowering, setting free. He gathered willing people to join him. Taught them. Gave them the power to act along with the foundation that would prepare them to act in a right manner. And eventually he set them free to lead themselves.

No matter where you are a leader–family, church committee, civic organization, political, denominational–think on these things. Are you in it for you? Or are you in it because God wants you to lead, teach, empower and set free?

Oh, Jesus authority? It came from God. By whose authority do you teach?

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