Stronger Than You Think

To paraphrase the classic children’s song, “We are weak, but He is strong.”  We can never outgrow those words and the message behind them.  We never truly experience the power of God’s work in our lives until we acknowledge our weakness.  Otherwise, we keep pushing God out of the way and try to take control ourselves.  Once we abandon our prideful conceit that we have what it takes to manage our lives, we have opened ourselves for his power to work within us.  As Paul told his friends when he struggled with an infirmity in his life, “His power is made perfect in my weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

It is God who makes the sun rise, not us.  It is God who guides the course of planets and nations.  When we try to take matters into our own hands, we generally make a mess of it all, and eventually ask the Lord in humility to clean it up for us.  “Let go and let God,” as the old saying goes.  Don’t try to do for yourself what is ultimately in God’s hands.  Surrender your life to him.  Put yourself in his hands.  “Trust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding,” as Proverbs puts it (3:5).  We would all do well to live by these words

Perhaps, however, at times we learn the lesson too well.  While it is true that we depend upon the Lord for all things, and ultimately are powerless over the affairs of our lives, this does not mean that we should sit back helplessly and await God’s activity.  God will act; have no doubt about that.  But how?

I’m convinced that God prefers to act through his people.  He works his power by bestowing it upon the faithful, who then act in God’s name to do incredible things that no human on their own would be capable of.  It may be a great societal injustice, or a character flaw within themselves.  God could use them to turn their community upside-down, or to bring hope to a single person.

If you look at what God has placed before, and if you have heard his call to do something about it, you have several choices.  You can laugh at God and how absurd his plans are.  You can look around you for someone else to take care of it.  You can collapse in a pile of despair and depression, overwhelmed by the impossible.

Or, you can stand up.  You can claim the ability and the strength that God is giving you.  You can look the situation straight in the eye, and know that you can handle it with the Lord’s power at work in you.

Don’t ever hide behind the excuse that “I’m only human.”  You are a child of God.  He has given you, and all of us, responsibility to change the world, to change the lives of people around you, and perhaps most difficult of all, change yourself.

Yes.  We are weak and he is strong.  But that is not an excuse to hide behind.  It is a reminder that our weakness is irrelevant when we accept the strength he gives to us.

Helpful Suggestion or Harmful Criticism?

Years ago I learned something about myself that I try (sometimes successfully) to keep in mind.  When I talk with someone about plans they have or what they have done, I tend to focus on how they could improve it.  In my mind, I think I am suggesting how they can make something good even better.  Unfortunately, what they hear is criticism about what I think went wrong.  I’ve learned that people can hear my comments in the way that I intend if I begin by telling them what I appreciate about their work.  It’s best when I remember that the good quality of their efforts may not be as obvious to them as it is to me.  And I’ve learned that broad comments such as “You did a great job!” aren’t as meaningful as pointing specifics about what they did well.

I realized I still have a lot of work to do on this issue when I met with our student pastor recently to talk about a sermon he had preached.  He did an amazing job in so many ways, and the congregation members had nothing but good things to say about it.  But my brain automatically went to how his good sermon could have been even better.  I was surprised and saddened when I found out he had been dreading our conversation for that very reason.  I still have a lot of work to do in this department.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m alone in this endeavor.  Our church’s theme is “Encourage one another and build each other up,” but too often we discourage one another and tear each other down.  I know about comments that I believe people made with the best of intentions, but stung the recipient.  Some of the faithful servants in our church have confided in me about the criticisms they have received about their work, which sometimes even led them to question if they should continue in their labors.  I know of others in our congregation who choose not to get involved in the work of the church for fear that someone will criticize what they are doing.

Perhaps sometimes you may believe that a fellow church member is hurting our congregation by what they are doing.  If so, please put thought into how you can express your concern in a way that honors the value and worth of that person.

Other times, you have an idea about how their service in our church could improve.  Your thoughts may be exactly what we need to hear.  When you voice them, however, please be sure first to tell the person that you appreciate their efforts, and give specific examples.  Your words will more likely then be heard as an encouraging suggestion, rather than a discouraging put-down.

God often speaks to us through the voice of others.  You have the amazing opportunity to remind fellow members of your church family about the Lord’s great love for them, and the pleasure he finds in what they in his name, and the devotion they express in their service.  Your words of encouragement may be exactly what a struggling brother or sister needs to hear.

Are You an Ox or a Sheep?

Are you an ox or a sheep?  People in ancient times knew a lot about both of these critters, but these days they’re not as familiar to most of us.  However, they offer two different ways to understanding who we are, and how we can relate to God.

Sheep are led and fed; the shepherd guides and cares for them.  In return, they provide fleece, which becomes good sturdy and warm woolen clothing.  The sheep grow their wool without any effort and stress.  They simply go about their merry way under the care of the shepherd, and the wool comes naturally.  Research shows that sheep who are well fed and cared-for produce superior fleece.  And the sheep do it without any work of skill of their own.  It’s all up to the one who takes care of them.

Today’s dairy cattle live similarly to the sheep of ancient times.  The farmer monitors and manages their feed and living conditions, and the cows produce their milk naturally.  Good milk production comes not from the cows’ efforts or exertion, but from what the farmer does to care for them.

Oxen, on the other hand, are whipped and worked.  In the olden days, the ox was everyone’s powerhouse: pulling the plow, threshing the grain, powering the mill.  The ox driver pushed them to strain themselves and give their maximum effort to be productive.  Any rest the oxen received was simply so they could be more effective for their labor the next day.  The oxen endured difficult lives of hard work.  There were no green pastures for them; only the yoke and the stall.  The Bible frequently mentions the ox yoke as a symbol of oppression and punishment (for example, Exodus 6:6-7, 1 Kings 12:13-14, Jeremiah 27-28, and Galatians 5:1).

Scripture tells us that Jesus is our Good Shepherd (John 10:11), and we are sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3).  God did not intend for us to live like oxen; such an existence came from a life lived far away from him and his good plan for us all.

When we recognize God’s love and power in our lives, it is normal and healthy for us to want to respond by giving him our very best.  But the Lord is our shepherd (Psalm 23:1),who makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us to still waters.  He is not our harsh ox driver, driving us with whips and goads. The more closely we follow him and receive what he offers for us, the more fulfilling and blessed our lives become.  And what we offer to him in return flows as naturally from who we are as fleece grows on a sheep. 

God leads and feeds us.  As we follow him and receive what he offers, what we offer to him in return flows naturally from our lives.  Our service and devotion to him is not compelled with harsh discipline; it is rather an effortless response that flows from within.  For this reason, we discover joy instead of drudgery when we follow God’s leading, whether it is to care for those in need, express our faith to the curious, or act for justice.

Are You a Zombie or a Spirit?

As most people within screaming distance of Evans City know, zombie horror began in our area with George Romero’s movie “Night of the Living Dead.”  So as Halloween approaches, I have a question for you: would you rather be a zombie or a spirit?

Christians celebrate the new life that we know in Jesus Christ.  But in order to enter the new life of his resurrection, we must first die to the old life we once knew.  As Paul wrote to the Romans, “We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4).  Paul goes on to describe how the death of our old life frees us from sin, which now no longer has control over us.

And yet we choose to live like zombies clawing their way out of the grave.  The problem with zombies is that they don’t know they are dead.  They stagger around with outstretched arms and soulless groans, trying to live a life they no longer have.  In the same way, we cling to what we used to have and what we used to be.  We seek fulfillment and enjoyment from the activities and interests that we had before we died with Christ.  And like zombies that can’t get enough flesh to eat, we are never satisfied.

Zombie Christians orient themselves to the pursuits of the old life.  Instead of realizing that they are dead, they believe that they must continue to live as they had before.  The only difference is that as Christians they try to restrict themselves from the excesses of the old life by putting up barriers and following “thou shalt nots.”  They ask “What can I keep from my old life and still be a Christian?” in the same way that zombies try to hold onto what few faculties they have that have survived the grave.

God did not put us to death with Christ in order for us to be zombies.  He took away our old lives because they were destroying us, and because they would never allow us to experience the joy, peace, and meaning that he desires for us.  The sooner we stop trying to live a life that we no longer have, the sooner we will enjoy the new life that Christ has given us.  God’s blessings come to us not as some sort of restricted or whitewashed version of the old life, but through an entirely new existence that basks in his love.

God has given us a new life by filling us with his Spirit, his very presence to empower us, to guide us, and to show us at all times that he is with us, and that he takes great pleasure in us.  The life of the Spirit opens us to possibilities that could not be possible of even conceivable before we died.  The always-new, always-amazing presence of God awakens in us the very essence of our humanity, and we discover for the first time who we really are.

So I’ll ask you again.  This Halloween, and for the rest of your life, do you want to be a zombie, or live in the Spirit?

More Than a Glass of Water in the Desert

Usually our church’s summer mission trips focus on giving aid to people who have gone through a natural disaster: tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes.  Last month, although we travelled to West Virginia to assist flood victims, our efforts were directed more to people struggling to get by in situations of poverty.  For example, Michelle, who owns the home where I worked, is a single mother who is unable to work, trying to get by on disability checks and what extra money she can earn breeding pedigree dogs.  She is a giver, not a taker, helping neighbors “with money I don’t have” with their own struggles.

It’s one thing to help people going through a crisis, to help them get back on their feet.  But how can we best help people like Michelle, or the residents of the Montana Indian reservation we visited on our first mission trip?  They greatly appreciated our efforts, and Michelle now has a dry, insulated room ready for the winter.  She is grateful for that blessing, but her overall situation still has not changed.  She will still struggle to pay her bills, or decide what necessities she can do without.  She still lives in a community with no jobs, even if she was able to work.  She will still have to wrestle with the dark emotions that rise up from living in a seemingly hopeless situation. 

Our week with her brought a ray of sunshine into her darkness, and we improved her living conditions a bit.  Or as we say here at Old Union, we encouraged her and built her up.  But how much of a difference did we make for her overall?  Did we give a glass of water to someone in the desert, but leave her in the blazing heat?  Did we pull someone out of a ditch, but leave her stranded on the side of the road?

Jesus told a story about a Samaritan who gave aid to someone who had been beaten and left for dead (Luke 10).  As he tells the tale, “when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.”  The Samaritan helped the man, but he was still weak and wounded, unable to fend for himself.  So he put the man on his donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him.  He then paid the innkeeper to continue to care for the man until he was fully healed.  The Samaritan was not satisfied with half-way measures.  He continued to encourage and build up the man until he was restored to full health and strength.

I wonder if at times we are satisfied with half-way measures of our own.  We fix someone’s house without addressing the causes of her poverty.  We give school supplies to children in need, but do little to help them and their families be able to care for themselves.  Half-way measures feel good, because we see immediate results.  We can be the knights in shining armor, helping them in their distress.  We pat ourselves on the back, pleased with the encouragement and up-building we have done.  But the sources of their struggles remains.

How can we be more like the Good Samaritan in the encouragement we give?  I don’t know, but I hope that together we can look for some answers.

Cause and Effect?

Events happen because something causes them.  Your toe hurts because you smacked it into the door jam.  You’re tired because you stayed up too late the night before.  It’s dark at night because the sun sets.  We may argue about the causes of what we experience (is human activity responsible for climate change? have government regulations killed the coal industry?).  And we may not know what the causes are (why do people get cancer?  what started World War I?).  But we all agree that our world operates under the rule of cause and effect.

Philosophers of religion sometimes refer to God as the “First Cause.”  He ultimately is the cause of everything that happens.  The circumstance that causes one event was itself caused by something else, and so on down the line until we reach God himself as the First Cause.  For example, someone’s house collapses because of an earthquake.  The earthquake occurred because tectonic plates under the earth’s surface grind against each other.  The plates move because of the earth’s structure.  The earth is structured the way it is because…. Eventually we reach the first cause: “because of God.”  And God has no cause.  He is the one who causes everything else.

Lately, however, I’ve been wondering if the rule of cause and effect actually runs the world.  What if some things happen for no reason and with no cause?  For example, medical researchers have not been able to find the cause for some diseases.  Because we believe in cause and effect, we assume that there is a cause, and we hope that more research will find it.  But is that always the case?  Could it be that sometimes when we ask “Why did this happen?” there is simply no reason why?  Not that we can’t figure out or understand why it happened, but that there simply is no cause for it at all.

Unbelievers may chalk such events up to dumb luck or random fate.  Sometimes things just happen, they may say.  Life is one giant coin toss: sometimes you come out heads, and other times for no reason at all you end up with tails.

But as believers, we acknowledge that we are under the control of God’s providential care.  He does not need a reason, or a cause, to do what he does.  Job and his friends spent 35 chapters debating the cause for his affliction.  When God finally spoke, he did not provide a reason or a cause for what happened to Job.  He described his power and his control over the most powerful and the most insignificant happenings in creation.  In essence, he asked Job, “Who are you that you should expect an explanation from me?”  Sometimes, we do not know the cause for what happened because there is none.  There is only the will of God.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul considers the question of God’s justice when he blesses one person instead of another.  He does not explain that the person deserved what they got, or even that there is a purpose beyond human understanding.  He concludes that God’s will needs no reason or explanation: “God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden” (Romans 9:18).

God has blessed us with inquisitive minds and the desire to understand.  But at times, we submit to God’s authority by relinquishing the notion that our actions, or events in God’s creation, can explain what happens to us.  God needs no cause or reason for what he does.

A Requiem for Reasonable Discourse

I avoid posting politically-oriented thoughts on Facebook or my blog.  Experience has taught me that they only create anger among those who disagree, and further entrench convictions held by those who may agree.  No one is enlightened, and everyone simply gains more fodder for their own diatribes.  However, I am going to dip my toes into the water and hope the piranhas don’t devour them.  I’m not expressing support or disapproval about a particular issue, but registering my dismay about what has happened to our nation’s political process.

Today I pulled up notes from a sermon I preached in August 2001, hoping to glean some pearls I might be able to use on Sunday.  While making the point that adversaries may be able to respect and even cooperate with each other, I said “You would think the Democrats and Republicans would want to rip each other apart.  Some countries make that mistake, when they believe that political parties should attack each other at any cost.  Republicans and Democrats may disagree strongly, but they share a common loyalty to the Constitution and to our nation.  When push comes to shove, they work together.  They have different goals and strategies, but they are on the same team.”  Perhaps I was naïve sixteen years ago, but these remarks certainly don’t describe politics in the United States today.  The primary objective of our elected officials has become the ascension of their party over the other.  The welfare of our nation and its people, and respect for the Constitution, have taken a back seat.  At best, they have become talking points put to the service of partisan agendas.

I miss the good old days when we expected our elected officials act with respect and honesty.  Do you remember when a President could face impeachment for lying?  Or the shock we felt when a Vice President told a senator of the other party to “Go f--- yourself”?  At the time, episodes like these seemed to have hit the gutter of partisan politics.  Now, they would barely last a news cycle.  American governance has become a zero-sum game: in order for “my” team to win, the “other” team must lose.  The definition of winning in Washington has become the defeat or embarrassment of the other party.  The deliberative process has lost its give and take.  The goal is to do all of the taking and none of the giving.  The concept that the best result comes from both parties working together is now dismissed as a quaint notion.

If you doubt the hypocrisy that both parties demonstrate, go back eight years when the Democrats had the White House and majorities in both houses of Congress.  The Democrats are now saying what the Republicans did then, and the Republicans are repeating what the Democrats did then.  The majority party blames the minority party for being obstructionist, and the minority party protests that the majority is forcing their agenda upon the nation.  It is not the issues that matter, but who holds the power.

If you are inclined to comment on this post by arguing that the “other” party is to blame for the decline and fall of American governance, take care.  Your comment may simply become one more example of how partisanship has trumped reasoned discourse.  And as the originator of this post, I reserve the right to remove insulting or profane comments. 

Now, let’s see if I can survive those piranhas….