Faith Venture

What would you pack?

November 14, 2023

Jon Swanson puts sticky ideas into my awareness. He asked once, If you were leaving to follow Jesus, what would you pack?

I have a small pile of things on my office floor. We are leaving for a hiking and relaxation trip to southern Ohio hills and forests. As I remember items that I should bring I grab them and stack them in the corner—small rucksack for water and snacks, week’s supply of medicines and supplements, beef jerky, toiletries.

I’m sure that Jesus looking upon this if I were to respond to his ever-present invitation to “Follow me” would smile and wonder how long it would take me to realize I was over-packing!

I would call it a thought experiment although I’ve been there:

It’s a meeting. A dozen, more or less, people are gathered in a room. The leader states the purpose of the meeting. “Jesus had a persistent invitation when he met people. He asked them to follow him. Now, what did he really mean? Did he really expect them to get up from their business place and move? I know that Matthew and Peter and Andrew and James and John all immediately left their businesses to literally follow him. But us?”

And they discussed the meaning of following Jesus for hours. Weeks. Sermons were preached. Classes were taught.

Did Jesus ask us to discuss following? Did he ask us to dissect the meaning of following?

I have this funny quirk when I study Jesus’s words. I think he meant what he said. I think he meant literally following.

We can find a way to serve others. And we should do it. We don’t need a committee meeting or group discussion. Jesus has a funny way of putting opportunities before us that we may not recognize at first. Just being kind and helpful is a start.

Posted in Service, Work | Leave a Comment »

Can there be peace without justice?

November 13, 2023

People of the world have lives so much better than ever before. In general, people are healthier. More people live under democracy despite movements to return to authoritarian rule. Most people have electricity, heat, mobile phones (those led to an increase in literacy among other things).

And yet, our 24-hour breathless news cycle leads people, especially in the USA but other places as well, to believe that they are worse off. Indeed, there remain too many places where anger and fear drive terrorist attacks, wars, killings.

Can peace exist without justice?

Justice without humility?

Humility without faith?

Reduction of anger and fear without living a with-God life. Recognizing others as God’s children?

We need fewer driven, successful entrepreneurs and politicians. We need more people practicing kindness, justice, and, yes, love.

Posted in Justice, Love, Peace | Leave a Comment »

The Story of a Family

November 10, 2023

Let me tell you a short story about a family.

Every member of this family lives their role as a server to each other. They look for ways to help. They anticipate the needs of other members of the family placing them before their own.

Just so, the wife serves her husband.

Being a family of followers of Jesus, the husband treats his wife well. He builds her up to be the best she can be. In fact, just like the example of Jesus, he is willing to give up his life for her.

The parents treat their children well concerned with their well being and education. In turn, the children respect the parents. (OK, when they are 2 and later as adolescents, there may be moments…)

When the family goes out, say to a restaurant, they treat the hostess and servers kindly. Same with sales associates at stores they visit.

I have been thinking about how to describe a modern family in English taken from Paul’s description of a family of Jesus-followers in first-century Greece taken from the letter to the Ephesians. Incidentally, the same passage often quoted by people to justify woman’s subservience to men.

I also think Paul would similarly describe the ekklesia, the gatherings of Jesus-followers that today we call the church. He seemed to be big on our finding our roles to best serve each other. And the community. And the world.

Posted in Attitude, Grace | Leave a Comment »

You’ve Got To Know When To Hold’em Know When To Fold’em

November 8, 2023

Apologies to Kenny Rogers, but I’ve just finished two books packed with research and advice on growing in our interpersonal relationships. As a socially challenged geek, I need all the help I can get.

One book STFU: The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut, Dan Lyons tells us how is overpowering urge to talk almost cost him a relationship with his family when he found himself alone in an apartment. He reflected on a life filled with chatter. He worked on learning to maintain quiet. This is a superpower I wish I had. I can be quiet. If someone brings up a subject with which I’m conversant, I will, er, converse….

I used to tape a little label on my phone case: STFU. It was a reminder that I sometimes heeded.

Of course a good essay needs a compare and contrast (one of my political science professor’s favorite test question). NY Times and The Atlantic columnist and author David Brooks explored how to have significant conversations in order to learn How To Know A Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.

Shall we stop and reflect on our interactions with others? Do we find ourselves talking at someone or talking with someone? Talking with requires that we actually hear the other person. And not only the words that vibrate our hearing system. What are they saying between the lines? What expressions do they hold? What was left out? Posture? Gaze?

I think a teacher of personal growth could take this book and turn it into a meaningful short-term class.

A particularly moving chapter tells the story of the depression and eventual suicide of Brooks’ lifetime friend. How he didn’t even realize the depth of depression. How he didn’t see the suicide coming. His lesson came later as he realized that not being a professional there was nothing he could have done to heal his friend. But he reflected on the many times he could have heard, deeply heard, his friend. That would have been helpful, if not healing.

Compare and contrast? Sometimes you have to be quiet and really listen to the person you’re with.

Posted in Disciplines, Listening, Relationship | Leave a Comment »

Jesus Was a Hard “A”

November 7, 2023

This professor randomly “cold calls” on students during class. Students must attend class and stay awake. They must all be prepared and ready to speak to the topic at any moment on any of the topics covered.

Is this scary? Do students dread the class? On the contrary. Students love it. The class is oversubscribed. Everyone in the class is involved and committed to the class and to learning. There is no waste.

The professor in my freshman chemistry class should have been so cool. Of course, 350 students in a large lecture hall renders such intimacy impossible. I had mistakenly pledged a fraternity that year. (If you haven’t figured out from my writing that my lack of social awareness should have precluded any such idea, well, then I have not revealed enough of myself.) We were encouraged to hang out with “pledge brothers” wherever we were. One of the guys was a ringleader type who invented a crude religion during the lectures instead of paying attention and being invested in the course. I got better grades when I left the fraternity and actually studied with a small group.

Thinking of these teaching and learning styles, I realized that Jesus was a hard A. He also asked hard questions seemingly at random. Even when you were positive of the right answer, say quoting from Scripture, he’d prove you wrong. He took a harder stance, often turning the answer upside down from cultural knowledge.

It pays to be awake when we study the words and actions of Jesus—as well as the words of Paul and James and John—for those times when they upset our preconceived ideas and teach us a new way of seeing the world and others.

We need to be prepared. That means reading and reflecting and observing.

Posted in Disciplines | Leave a Comment »

Giving and Receiving Grace

November 6, 2023

I have been able to discern through the practice of many spiritual disciplines that God comes to us through grace, or maybe more understandable (less theologically laden) we can say kindness. Some say forgiveness. I like kindness. God extends it. We humans can accept it, or not.

Accepting it, we can begin living with-God. Jesus called it living in the Kingdom of Heaven. It starts with the realization and acceptance that there is a God, and that God offers a better way to live. No rules, no judgement. God tried that rules thing (614 plus additional ones in the Hebrew Bible and Jewish 1^st century practice?).

Sounds simple. Why do we complicate it?

Unfortunately for us, it doesn’t stop there. It’s not all about you (and me).

Living with-God having accepted God’s grace, we must extend that grace to others. Responding to those who are injured and hurting; giving with a generous heart; having conversations with (not at) people showing care; practicing active listening.

Thinking we can live within God’s grace and not share it is like that light hidden under a basket or being salt without savor. Pretty much worthless.

Perform a thought experiment. What would your household, neighborhood, community, nation, world be like if even half of us practiced sharing grace?

Posted in Grace, Living | 1 Comment »

Leaders, Make Others Powerful

November 3, 2023

Are you a leader? Do you aspire to be a leader? Doesn’t matter what level—organization, committee, mission group, weekend soccer league.

Ben Zander, conductor, teacher (search YouTube for his clinics with young musicians), leader, shares this observation:

The conductor of an orchestra doesn’t make a sound. He depends, for his power, on his ability to make other people powerful.

We read maybe with some Schadenfreude about the downfall of prominent leaders whose ego grew large in the belief that they were the organization.

Zander’s observation remembered often and incorporated into our very actions will save us. Sorry, leaders, it is not all about you. You had better thank all those people who make you look good.

I like bringing many things back to the realm of energy. I can sense it in an organization almost as soon as I enter a lobby. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft who rescued it from the Steve Ballmer-generated slide, said this about business, but equally meaningful for any organization of any size, “The only way a business is successful and productive is if employees feel that sense of empowerment, that sense of energy and connection for the company’s mission and are doing meaningful work.”

Posted in Leadership | Leave a Comment »

Brother Lawrence Shows His Relationship With God

November 2, 2023

What you are speaks so loudly it drowns out what you say.

Psychologists who study these things tell us that our children learn more from what we do and how we act than what we tell them.

We get passed aggressively while driving. The car gets around us. We notice a couple of bumperstickers proclaiming “Jesus Saves” and “Follow Me to Church.” We think, “If that’s Christian, I don’t want any part of it.”

I’m reading an early 18^th century book on the life of Brother Lawrence. He was a monk in the late 17^th century renowned for his walk with God. The book is Practice of the Presence of God.

As Brother Lawrence had found such an advantage in walking in the presence of God, it was natural for him to recommend it earnestly to others; but his example was a stronger inducement than any arguments he could propose. His very countenance was edifying, such a sweet and calm devotion appearing in it as could not but effect the beholders.

Reflecting upon such spiritual examples convicts me of my social shortcomings. When did I say something unkind? When did I fail to ask and then listen? When did I grab something at the buffet before someone else could get it? When did I ignore someone when I could have said a kind word?

Posted in Disciplines, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Tools For Mental Health

November 1, 2023

The man who shot many people in Maine last week was described as having had mental illness. Media outlets throw that term about too loosely and in a manner meant to be pejorative. After all, media does not exist to enhance our mental health but to provoke our emotions so that we’ll read or listen more.

Just like my usual advice of reducing news consumption from these sources to a minimum, beware labels these journalists apply.

We all have issues. Sometimes we can deal with them through music or a jacuzzi. Or simply getting outside for a run or walk through nature. Sometimes they become more painful, and we need to talk to someone. Sometimes they are overwhelming enough where a professional counsellor will help us through. Sometimes even further there exist chemical imbalances within us where the only corrective help comes through appropriate pharmaceuticals.

Simply applying a label of mental health or lack thereof is not helpful.

We all need to strive for optimum mental/emotional health. I offer this podcast from Andrew Huberman, PhD. His is in my top three or four that I listen to every week. Sometimes they are interviews, and sometimes he researches and does a deep dive into a topic. In this episode he, well, let Andrew explain it:

In this episode, I provide science-based tools and protocols to improve mood and mental health. These tools represent key takeaways from several recently published research studies, as well as from former Huberman Lab guests Lisa Feldman Barrett, Ph.D., an expert in the science of emotions, and Paul Conti, M.D., a psychiatrist with vast clinical expertise in helping people overcome mental health challenges. I explain the first principles of self-care, which include the “Big 6” core pillars for mood and mental health. Those ensure our physiology is primed for our overall feelings of well-being. Then, I explain science-based tools to directly increase confidence, build a stronger concept of self, better understand our unconscious mind, manage stress and improve our emotional tone and processing. I also explain ways to better process negative emotions and traumas. This episode ought to be of interest to anyone wishing to improve their relationship with themselves and others, elevate their mood and mental health, and better contribute to the world in meaningful ways.

The “Big 6” Pillars

Sleep & Sleep Routine
Light, Sunlight, Dark
Movement
Nutrition
Social Connection
Stress Control; Physiological Sigh

Posted in Awareness, emotions, healing | Leave a Comment »

Time–Time to Complain or Time Simply Adjusted

October 31, 2023

I’m writing this on a Tuesday early morning. It’s dark at 6 am. Next Tuesday the first lightening of the dawn sky will be upon me at this hour. For, the US switches from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time Saturday night.

That means Facebook pages (used mostly these days by older adults who find change difficult to bear) will be filled with the angst of people not wanting to change. Newspaper editors will drag out the semi-annual stories of health risks supposedly caused by changing time. Politicians will jump on the bandwagon and promise to legislate Daily Savings Time into the dustbin of history.

And some, like me, will simply change the clocks Saturday before going to bed—well those that I still have to change—and get on with life.

We worry about so many little things. Sometimes we should emulate the iconic cover boy of Mad Magazine, Alfred E. Neuman, who said, “What, me worry?” For, almost every source of worry never happens.

It’s is healthier not to dwell in worry.

If we must, how about worrying about what good we will do today? How we will be a little kinder to ourselves and others? How we will avoid being known as the community complainer?

Posted in Attitude | Leave a Comment »