Faith Venture

Gospel of Welcome

April 4, 2023

I’ve been reflecting on this week almost 2,000 years ago. Yesterday I reflected on what we advertise through what we do.

John Fischer was a “Jesus Music” pioneer who started an online church trying to reach younger people with the message of the Gospel of Welcome, Grace Turned Outward. Sunday’s church at The Catch focused on this teaching after the “Sons of Thunder” James and John approached Jesus about being his next in command in his “kingdom.”

You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.
Mark 10: 42-44

There are places around the world, including here in America, where leaders using the name of Jesus are intentionally doing the first part of Jesus’ observation. They stopped reading after the first full stop (period). The last sentence is the teaching for us who are followers of Jesus to digest and incorporate into our lives.

This is something I’ve tried, and often failed, in my management and leadership career. It’s not easy. I’ve seen many people proclaim themselves “servant leaders” and yet go down in flames. Jesus never made things easy.

Except for grace. Something that comes over you at the moment when you realize you don’t deserve it. The supreme paradox of life.

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What Are You Saying By What You’re Doing?

April 3, 2023

I am writing this at the beginning of what we call Holy Week. Approximately 2,000 years ago, a man named Jesus of Nazareth began his well documented last week. This week was so important in the lives of his friends and followers that his close friend John devotes a substantial part of his writing (we call the Gospel according to John) to just this last week.

Jesus spent four or five days teaching, being with friends, being alone with God. Then what we call Good Friday (from the time I was a child, I wondered what was “good” about Good Friday, I’ve always played with words) came with his execution. Of course, the most important remembrance of this week concerns Sunday that we call Easter when his closest friends discovered that he had returned to life. Some sort of weirdly physical life (he told one friend not to touch him, and he walked through walls). But, still, life.

In contemplation this morning, I was stuck on the thought of what 2,000 years of his followers have done to his church. My thoughts rapidly scanned through just people I’ve known or read about in the past decade. Many have advertised themselves as followers, yet the actual advertising I see by their actions betray that self-promotion. Many lives definitely do not reflect the commands Jesus gave about loving God and loving others.

In contemplation, I can reflect on my own actions. What do they advertise? Have I always acted in the right way even through my weaknesses of personality?

Perhaps if you claim to follow Jesus, this is a good week to contemplate what your life has revealed. Perhaps that is motivation for us, you and me, to change. There is still time.

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Teaching Well

March 31, 2023

A theme emerged from the past day’s reading—teaching.

Made me think of a Graham Nash contribution to Crosby, Stills, & Nash

Teach your children well…

And

Teach your parents well…

Jesus taught wherever he went. Some of his teaching was recorded. Obviously, much not. But we have enough—especially if Christians would study his words.

In another place I read about good bosses who know their people and teach them what they’ll need to be better both at work and as a person.

We’ve had teachers at school who influenced us beyond the immediate lesson of math or writing or chemistry.

I’ve taught many things throughout my adult life. I hope that I’ve left some positive influence on at least a few.

We all need good teachers wherever we may find them. We all can be good teachers to those we meet along the way.

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Searching Diligently

March 30, 2023

My morning chair for meditation and writing faces across a yard. This time of year I begin at dark and continue into the first light of dawn. Just before I can really see much outside, my eyes catch dark shapes flying low across the yard.

It’s the proverbial early bird searching for the worm. Robins have awakened. Soon I will see several hopping or running from spot to spot diligently looking for breakfast—for nourishment.

I should be at the same. Reading, reflection, meditation—diligently looking for food for the soul.

They are driven by basic survival needs—they find food or they die.

What drives us to search diligently for food for the spirit?

What causes us to become complacent and lazy? Can we admit that sometimes we open today’s devotional or reading and fail to concentrate? Our spiritual energy has come to a low point.

It’s the routine of the chair that helps. We are there. We are aware. We awaken to the need and begin return to the word.

And now we are ready for the day.

Posted in Disciplines, Meditation, Study | Leave a Comment »

Pay No Attention To What The Gossips Say

March 29, 2023

Some of this morning’s reading:

Pay no attention to what the gossips say

They call the wide-eyed flower Jasmine.

They call the wide-eyed flower a thorn.

The wide-eyed flower doesn’t care what they call it.

Labels blind and tear us apart.
Rumi

I hear so much gossip, innuendo, the Bible calls it “whispering”. People rush to put a label on other human beings. Yet, we are all humans, children of God, made in the image of God.

Perhaps we could change our outlook on life. We could rest in the fruit of the Spirit. When we feel the urge to place a label on someone, we can pause, feel the tension between our thought and our spiritual outlook, and change our thought.

And when they label you…pay no attention. There is no need to respond. We live in the spirit and let the gossips go where the wind blows. Perhaps someday they will understand.

And we, ourselves? We will shun the urge to gossip and label about others.

Posted in Attitude, Ethics, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »

A Smile To Diffuse Tension

March 28, 2023

We had been on vacation to visit my wife’s two sisters in different parts of Florida. After a long week of travel and visiting, we stood in the queue for our flight from Orlando back home. Our plane arrived late from Denver pushing our departure time back 30 minutes or so.

The joys of traveling to Orlando (on business or vacation for older people) are the kids excited for the trip down and then tired and crabby for the trip home.

Beside us in queue was a father and two daughters aged about 4 and 6. They (probably all three) were tired. The girls were typically crabby and squabbling like tired siblings are want to be. One was lying on the floor. At another point, the second laid down.

An older man crowding behind them suddenly said, “Excuse me. Excuse me. That girl kicked my suitcase.”

Dad responded by reprimanding his daughter. I was proud of myself for not saying to that man, “You sound just like a 6-year-old yourself. Who cares if she bumped your suitcase?” But, I remained silent rather than provoke a greater outburst.

I did smile at the little girl and told her we’d be boarding before long, and we’d all get home.

It didn’t help as much as I would have liked, but it did calm things a bit.

Later that night before bed, I was reading from the latest translation of Rumi’s poetry:

Your laughter turns the world to paradise.
Rumi

That reminded me of some lines, less eloquent yet still meaningful, from the BeeGees:

Smile an everlasting smile
A smile can bring you near to me
BeeGees

Try a smile today. It works. Even when replying to something stupid you’ve seen on social media, smile as typing. Then delete. And smile at the thought of the entire farce.

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Nothing Destroys Like Insecurity

March 27, 2023

I know that my outbursts of anger germinated from a deep insecurity. Insecure people stock up on weapons and use them unwisely. They lash out at people close to them. Any success they may earn quickly evaporates.

Mike Allen, cofounder of one of my go-to news sources, Axios, shares from his experiences with several organizations:

Nothing destroys more relationships, teams or companies than insecure people in power, Jim VandeHei writes. Why it matters: Beneath all bad motives, bad behavior and bad people — at work and in life — lurks deep and dangerous insecurity. It’s an insidious form of cancer that spreads effortlessly — and quickly. A little insecurity is normal and healthy. It grounds and motivates us. I’m talking about insecurity so deep it shapes a person’s character and decision-making.
Mike Allen, Axios

If you find yourself in relationship with insecurity, run, don’t walk, to your next opportunity.

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Progress, not Perfection

March 24, 2023

The famous body builder and “governator” Arnold Schwarzenegger has started a daily newsletter meant to be a positive corner of the internet. His prescription is to do something a day at a time. Mark it off on your calendar and then do it the next day.

It’s a bit like the way the language learning app I’m using to learn Spanish, Duolingo, makes a game of things in one place celebrating daily learning streaks.
Arnold Schwarzenegger

What’s your message to anyone who is struggling to get started on their fitness journey? This is my favorite quote for any type of self journey: “progress, not perfection!”

Striving for perfection is a race to frustration. A step at a time makes a steady progression toward the goal. Make your first step or your next step now.

Note: you can sign up for his newsletter here.

Posted in Disciplines | Leave a Comment »

Pleasing Crowds

March 23, 2023

Going with the crowd gives one false courage. Social media encourages you to “like” and “share” posts that others have copied from most likely some foreign group. When there are already 400 likes, not like seems traitorous. Danish theologian Søren Kierkegaard had something to say about the crowds.

Christ was crucified because he would have nothing to do with the crowd (even though he addressed himself to all). He did not want to form a party, an interest group, or a mass movement, but wanted to be what he was, the truth, which is related to the single individual. Therefore everyone who will genuinely serve the truth is by that very fact a martyr. To win a crowd is no art; for that only untruth is needed, nonsense, and a little knowledge of human passions. But no witness to the truth dares to get involved with the crowd.
Søren Kierkegaard

Politicians in many parts of the world are claiming Jesus as their leader and yet trying to be the leader of the crowd, instigator of new political parties.

Jesus would say, that’s the easy part. People are easily persuaded.

The hard part, living the life of a disciple, like Jesus told the rich young man (or ruler in some translations). Do the hard part and live.

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Seek To Change Yourself

March 22, 2023

“To a disciple who was forever complaining about others, the Master said, ‘If it is peace you want, seek to change yourself, not other people. It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to carpet the whole of the earth.’”
Anthony de Mello

I was president of a high school sports booster organization. A man approached me. “We really should be doing X,” he informed me.

“That’s a really good idea,” I replied. “Could you head up a team to work out the idea and implement it?”

I never heard from him again.

I think that is similar to the disciple above. It’s easy to sit back and think about other people. There are things other people could do. There are ways other people could behave.

What’s important is you, yourself. What can you do? To lead? To seek peace? To seek justice?

First, change yourself. The rest follows.

Posted in Attitude | Leave a Comment »