Friday Findings

A few quotes that put it all together for me.

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing. – Theodore Roosevelt

Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity. – W. Clement Stone

All of us knows, not what is expedient, not what is going to make us popular, not what the policy is, or the company policy - but in truth each of us knows what is the right thing to do. And that's how I am guided. – Maya Angelou

I think a big test we all face in life on a regular basis is that discouragement test. Life's not always fair, but I believe if you keep doing the right thing, God will get you to where you are. – Joel Osteen

God lets you be successful because he trusts you that you will do the right thing with it. Now, does he get disappointed often? All the time, because people get there and they forget how they got it. – Steve Harvey

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up. – Anne Lamott

In The Moment

Matthew 5:1-12

The Beatitudes are a familiar passage to many of us. The listing of those who will be blessed for various reasons can make for a series of blogs in and of themselves. What does it mean to be "poor in spirit"? What are those who mourn mourning for? Is being a peacekeeper by using force included?

So many questions, so many answers, so many ideas to feed one's ideology. But which answer is the right one?

This passage begins with Jesus seeing the crowds and going up a mountain, seemingly away from them. He sits, maybe to collect his thoughts, maybe to rest, maybe to just be alone for a while. His respite doesn't last long, though, as his disciples come to join him.

It's in this moment, in that moment when Jesus is searching for rest and realizing rest will never come again (at least not in the way he'd like it) that he decides to teach. Yes, Jesus was in a teaching moment. He saw the opportunity and grasped it to say the words which follow in this passage to his students. Be gentle of spirit, always strive to do what is right, forgive people and help them to forgive each other, and above all, don't worry about what others say about you because you're doing these things just as those who spoke the truth in God's love did before you.

Sometimes when I read this passage I imagine Jesus might just be talking to himself. If we take a look at the rest of the story in Matthew, Jesus lives these words in every story told about him. Not only does Jesus teach with his words in a quiet moment at the top of a hill, he lives those words with and among everyone he meets.

Can we do the same? As Christians we should do our best to try. Will we be perfect? No, but don't let that stop you.

Matthew shares with us an intimate moment between Jesus and his students. Jesus shares with his students how to live a life which shows God's love. Let's be true disciples and live as Jesus asks us, and share this same love of God with all.

Who Speaks For...

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

A sixth-grade teacher was beginning a lesson on how the government in America makes decisions. As a discussion starter she asked the class if someone could use the word "debate" in a sentence. One of her smarter boys raised his hand and said, "On Saturday me and my daddy went fishing, but the big one got away with da bait."

The teacher smiled and gently corrected him, saying that a debate is when two people try to reach an agreement about something they disagree on. At that point a girl who wasn't really paying attention asked, "Why would a fish want a green mint instead of the bait?" The whole class laughed at her.

Another boy raised his hand and said to the class, "I don't know about the rest of you, but that's the best question I've heard all day." The girl looked up at him and smiled, as did the teacher.

In the midst of Paul's rant about how a life with Jesus will turn everything we know upside down he asks what seems to be a random question: "Where is the debater of this age?" What Paul wants to know is that if those of us who proclaim to know things aren't questioning current culture, where are those who will?

According to Paul, Christ is the wisdom of God. To the Greek, a person who possesses wisdom is someone who possesses great knowledge. To be the wisdom of a god, in Greek thinking, is to possess all knowledge of that god. What Paul is saying is that Jesus Christ knows everything God would know, and if we are to be Jesus' followers we would best be prepared for life by learning what it is Jesus was teaching.

Yet, it would seem, that the church in Corinth might not be heeding that advice. To make things worse, in Paul's thinking, is that nobody seems to be standing up for what is right. The people in the church are asking for signs and miracles and accumulation of knowledge. So Paul has to make the argument that Jesus is exactly what they are looking for - signs, miracles, and wisdom. It's in Christ, Paul reminds the Corinthian church, that the church can be unified through all the things which they seek.

Why, then, is there nobody standing up to say these things? Because maybe those who want to speak up don't think they're worthy. Paul has a few words for these people as well. He says, "Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are."

When I began my journey towards ordination I attended a lay ministry course at Whitworth College. There were about 15 of us in this course. One night at dinner we each told our story and discovered that those of us who felt a call into ministry were broken people. We were recovering addicts and alcoholics. We had grown up on the streets, abandoned by those we were supposed to be loved. We were barely living above the poverty line. We were gay, people of color, tattooed, and pierced.

It is us who God chooses to be the spokespersons of who Christ is in today's culture.

Don't be afraid to raise your hand and ask questions. There will always be someone at your side.

There Goes The Neighborhood

Psalm 15

A dozen or so years ago, the church I was serving developed a relationship with a women's transition home. The home took in women who were trying to leave abusive situations in their own homes, recently released from incarceration, coming off a life on the streets, or otherwise had a need to transition into a new life away from the things that were bringing them down.

A part of the relationship our church had with the home was providing short-term residence as the women transitioned from the home into a place of their own. We would agree to let the women stay in our home for up to 3 months. The living relationships were discussed on a one on one basis and was between the woman and her new family.

My wife and I invited one of the women to stay at our home and all we asked for was that she would help us in any way she could. She said she wanted to give us money for rent and utilities and help with the upkeep of the home and yard. We told her however she can help would be greatly appreciated.

In the 6 or so weeks she stayed with us we were graced to see how the life of someone can change if they are given the chance to be a productive human being; a person with a purpose. We did our best to accept her for the person she was, never judging her for her past. In fact, we never asked why she was in the transition home. To us, it really didn't matter.

She never did anything to harm the relationships within the home. She would sit around the TV and watch football with us, she would join us for meals, and she was always sensitive to the times my wife and I wanted to be alone by saying an early goodnight and heading to her room. She would keep her room clean, as well as the bathroom she used. She also helped keep clean the common areas around the house. She would trim trees, pull weeds, and talk to the neighbors while doing so.

Her presence in our home was a welcome addition. For the 6 or so weeks she was there we had an extra sister in whom we could be family. When she moved out we felt a sense of emptiness.

Another agreement we had with the transitional home was once the women moved on from us we could have no intentional contact with them. What this meant was that we couldn't call, write, or drop by their new home or there place of work. We could, however, say hi and ask how they're doing when we saw each other at church or in some other public area. That stipulation was so that we would keep the women safe from anyone who may be looking for them, as well as keep ourselves safe.

We never saw this lady again.

Somehow I know she did well after leaving us and I would like to believe she is doing well until this day. She is one of those who did what was right and always spoke the truth. She never said a bad word about us or about our neighbors. She never took more than what she was offered nor expected more because of her situation. Above all else she loved God and others as much as she loved herself.

Taking a stranger into our home wasn't easy. I would be remiss if I didn't mention there were challenges during those 6 weeks, but I can also say that both my wife and I learned a lot more about what it means to be unconditionally accepting in God's love. I don't know where this lady is today, but if by chance she happens to see this I want to say thank you for the love and lessons of Christ you brought into our home.

Clean It Up

Malachi 3:1-4

Last night my wife and I was looking for something to watch on TV. Because we live in Hawaii we were able to watch the NFL's Pro Bowl during the afternoon, which left prime time TV open for us. After searching through the channel listings and doing some actual channel surfing we decided the only thing on TV was The Grammy Awards.

We watched for a few minutes then decided an awards show wasn't something we really wanted to watch. So we went to our faithful standby; online streaming. As we searched through the hundreds of choices we had I asked my wife what she was in the mood for. She said something that will make her feel good.

She went to take a shower while I continued to search. I wasn't sure what she meant by "feel good", so I looked for different options. maybe a movie that'll make us cry was what she wanted. Maybe she needed to laugh. Maybe she just wanted to relax with a movie about positive life stuff.

When she came downstairs and sat next to me I told her that after looking through the many choices we had that maybe watching a stand-up comedian would be a good choice. She agreed. As we watched the chosen comedian we both laughed harder than we have in quite some time. His stories were real, his comedy was close to home.

He said things that most people only think about. He was vulgar, obnoxious, crude, and at times down-right nasty. My wife and I were thoroughly entertained by his show of honest reality.

After we watched his show she said she wanted to watch another stand-up comedian. We found another show and began watching a comedian who referred to himself as "fluffy" instead of overweight. He said during his show that he is often asked why he puts himself down during his shows. His reply was that he doesn't say things about himself, rather he repeats what others say about him.

This second comedian was just as funny, just as honest, his stories also hit close to home. The only difference between the two was the second comedian didn't swear or get vulgar.

Later, when we talked about the two comedians we both agreed that the use of language wasn't really an issue as the message was the same: accept people for who they are, even if it means stepping outside of your comfort zone.

Which brings me to this morning's passage. I was taught that this passage meant that I have to be "cleaned" by Jesus in order to get to heaven. Being cleaned meant that I had to live a rigid set of rules. As I got into my preteens I had a self realization that I could never live by those rules, so why try.

I'm a lot older now, and have a different understanding of what this passage means to me. Instead of being clean, I should do my best to "sharpen and shine" the tools given to me by God so that I may use those tools to help live the teachings of Jesus.

Last night was a good night. I relaxed at home with my wife and best friend and shared in much needed laughter. All thanks to a couple of funny guys sharing their message to love one another in their own way.

Friday Findings

A few quotes which bring together my thoughts for the week.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. – Aristotle Onassis

People are like stained - glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. – Helen Keller

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. – Albert Schweitzer

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. – Edith Wharton

Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness. – Mother Teresa 

Pass Me The Flashlight, Please

Matthew 4:12-23

When I was a young boy one of my favorite things to do was go camping. Being a scout gave me lots of opportunities to do so. I can remember camping on the beach, in the mountains, in backyards, and just about anywhere one can set up a pup tent.

As a scout we would attend a major camp-out once a year. Every troop in the state was invited to bring their tents and tools, and every scout brought their list of badge accomplishments yet to be achieved. We would arrive at camp in the morning and set up our tents by ourselves. We would sit around the campsite and share our knowledge of knots and plants. We would make fires and cook our meals, which mostly consisted of hot dogs and marshmallows. As night fell we would sit around the big campfire and listen to stories both funny and spooky. At the end of the night we would help put out the fire and settle into our tents for sleep.

Putting out the big fire was always something I looked forward to. These camps were held on a mountain, high above the main roads of the north shore of Hawaii. In those days the traffic was light, the need for lights minimal. As you might be able to imagine when the big fire was put out we were cast into a dark, cold night with nothing to obstruct the bright lights of the night sky. I would always wait with baited breath for that first night to go dark so I could stare upwards and look for the milky way.

Once the embers of the big fire were out, and the darkness of the night was upon us we had to find our way back to our tents. Walking in the dark over uneven ground in an unfamiliar place is never easy. Because we were good scouts, though, we came prepared with flashlights and lanterns. I sit here smiling at the memory of hundreds of lights shining in the darkness, each beam of light pointed to the ground to safely show the way to our shelter.

That image, the image of a light beam shining on the ground to show the dangers which may lie in our path, is what I thought about after reading this passage. The author recalls the words of the prophet and writes, "the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." This image of a light to show us the way out of the darkness and shadows brings to me the thought of walking through the unknown, shining a beam onto the ground so that we may see any obstacles in our way.

This light is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who guides us along our journeys of life and helps us to see the obstacles which hinder us. Jesus' teachings are meant to show us that although we come across events in our life which make it seem as though we've become separated from God, the truth is that God is always with us. As the Apostle Paul says, nothing can separate us from the love of God; nothing.

The disciples in our story made a choice to leave everything they knew - family, friends, jobs, security - to follow the light into the unknown. The question for us is, can we do the same? Are we willing to grab hold of the flashlight which shines brighter than the sun and use it to shine on our path to help us discover the things which make us think we are separated from God?

Only you can make that decision, and when you do you will see the hundreds, if not millions of others who hold that same flashlight to help you along your path towards the love, peace, and joy which the unconditional love of God has for us all.

Have Your People Call My People

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

This past Saturday I attended a 2-hour retreat for our church. The focus was supposed to be on setting goals and communication. What happened instead was a 2-hour conversation about having conversations.

The general feel of the retreat, or should I say conversation, was that those who were there felt good to be able to say the things that were on their minds and hearts in an open and honest way. It was good to listen to, as well as speak about the things we were discussing outside of the usual places; as a gathering of the whole versus a gathering of the parts, so to say.

Most churches, especially the larger ones, do and say things through committee. A church member has an idea. They are asked to approach a member of a committee that best represents that which is being proposed. The idea is heard, discussed and a consensus on how to proceed is made. A representative of that committee goes to another committee to make the proposal. That committee has a question nobody considered along the way, and it all has to go back to step 1.

There's nothing wrong with this process, I've seen it work and it really is one of the better ways to ensure proposals get a fair and balanced consideration. However for some, the process can seem repetitious and time consuming. Also, depending on the proposal or the person proposing it, divisions along certain lines can be made.

It's within those divisions a church can become stuck. People take sides, they say one way is better than another or they like one person's ideas over another. Sometimes, depending on the proposal or issue, the discussion can go on for quite some time, never leaving the confines of a certain committee.

It's in those times that as a church we need to reach out and be willing to cross our lines of division. We need to be able to act as a church of the whole, not a church of the parts, and listen to the ideas of others, regardless of how far-fetched or varied from our own they are. Paul reminds us that we are not a church of one particular person or idea and are instead a church with Christ as our center and focus. It's because of Christ our church exists, and it's through Christ our church survives.

The comment was made this past Saturday that it sometimes feels like we don't do enough conversing as a church. Maybe there's some truth to that, maybe not. What I can say is that if our churches can let go of our preconceived ideologies and at listen to the thoughts and ideas of others then we can find a way to move forward together on our journeys towards God.

Who Got Your Back?

Psalm 27:1, 4-9

I'm not sure if I told you I joined a weight management program. The program, run by Kulana Hawaii, focuses on a complete lifestyle change. They help you understand why you eat and why you don't exercise, then help you to make lifestyle changes to accommodate better choices. Once a month I meet with a dietitian, a fitness trainer, and a psychologist and once every two weeks I meet with a group of people going through the same things I am.

The visits are always uplifting and I'm discovering things about myself I either didn't know, or I refused to admit to. It's been an awakening of sorts and I can honestly say the people in this program are quickly becoming friends I can trust.

Having friends we can trust is important. Nothing is better for our mental and spiritual well-being than having someone we can open up to completely, without fear of judgment. When we're in the presence of these people we feel safe.

That feeling of safety eventually brings a sense of self-esteem. The more others believe in us, the more we believe in ourselves. It's an interesting cycle and one that's been around for a very, very long time. It's the sentiment our Psalmist writes about today.

The Psalmist praises God for being the one who has been the one to guide him and keep him safe. Words like "For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock." show just how much trust the Psalmist puts in God. As a result, the Psalmist's "head is lifted up" as he faces all the things which may come his way.

When we open ourselves up to God, when we allow God to guide us and keep us safe, we begin to be able to fight back all the things that might be holding us back. As the small battles are won, the bigger ones become a little easier to confront. This continues until, with God's help and the help of those around us, we can overcome whatever life throws at us. Like the Psalmist, we can keep our head high in the knowledge that we have the inner strength to get through anything.

God wants nothing less than to be a complete part of your life. Let God in and come to know how God's unconditional love can keep you safe as well as guide you. God got your back.

Free At Last, Free At last

Isaiah 9:1-4

I'm not sure if it's coincidence or if the forces which rule the universe are united as one, but it would seem to me that today's lectionary passage coincides perfectly with the message of Martin Luther King, Jr on a day when the life and message of Martin Luther King, Jr. is being celebrated. In lieu of such a cosmic collision I see it only fitting that Martin Luther King, Jr's "I Have A Dream" speech be printed here today.

Listen to the words of a prophet as a reflection of the words of another:

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. 

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. 

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. 

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." 

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. 

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. 

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. 

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. 

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. 

We cannot walk alone. 

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. 

We cannot turn back. 

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹ 

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. 

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. 

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." 

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. 

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. 

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. 

I have a dream today! 

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. 

I have a dream today! 

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together." 

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. 

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: 

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring! 

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. 

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.   

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.  

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. 

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. 

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. 

But not only that: 

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. 

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.  

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. 

From every mountainside, let freedom ring. 

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
                Free at last! Free at last!
                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Friday Findings

Quotes to tie together my thoughts for the week:

Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught. – J. C. Watts

I pray to be a good servant to God, a father, a husband, a son, a friend, a brother, an uncle, a good neighbor, a good leader to those who look up to me, a good follower to those who are serving God and doing the right thing. – Mark Wahlberg

You know, my family and friends have never been yes-men: 'Yes, you're doing the right thing, you're always right.' No, they tell me when I'm wrong, and that's why I've been able to stay who I am and stay humble. – LeBron James

My spiritual life is... sometimes I have access to it and sometimes I don't. When I do have access to it, it's usually a sense of my understanding what the best course of action or the best thing for me to do. By best, I mean when I have a real sense of doing the right thing and doing good for people and the connected universe of everybody. – Al Franken

The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed. ― Maya Angelou

I don't want to live in the kind of world where we don't look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hand. I cant change the way anybody else thinks, or what they choose to do, but I can do my bit. ― Charles de Lint

Changing Teams

John 1:29-42

Yesterday I told the story of 3 boys from the high school I work at. The story was true, but the names were changed to protect them (and to connect to yesterday's passage). I should mention here that when I do these devotionals, I don't look ahead to what the next day's passage is. I take the passages in the order they're presented in the weekly lectionary and process them individually.

That being said, I'm awed by how today's passage connects with yesterday's story. I believe I left the boys sitting together in a class after being shunned by the group of friends they used to have. I want to continue that story into later on in the school year.

I was tutoring some students after school when I saw two of the boys walk in with one of the friends that had shunned them. I was curios so called one of them over to talk. I edged my way in, asking him how his day was and what they were going to do during tutoring time. Then, after a few more questions I asked, "Isn't that one of the guys that accused Paul (sticking with the name) of talking bad about that girl?"

He smiled and told me that the real story came out and everyone knows the girl was exaggerating what Paul said to get some sympathy and to create some kind of fight. Apparently she wanted her boyfriend to prove his love by fighting one of his own friends. Teen drama, gotta love it.

That new boy, let's call him Andrew, was a rather new boy to that particular group, and later he told me he had a difficult time choosing which friends to hang out with. But, as Andrew put it, once the truth comes out we have to do the right thing.

John is a witness to the coming of Jesus. He baptized Jesus knowing that Jesus is the one they would call Messiah (translated as anointed one, not as the one who would save us from our history-long oppression). According to John's Gospel, Jesus was given to us by God to shine a light on all that was wrong in this world and to teach us how to make things better.

The disciples in today's passage saw this truth and decided to become a follower of Jesus to learn how to share God's love with those around them as much as know that God loves them unconditionally. They were so convinced about Jesus' reason for coming into the world, that they gave up everything they knew to take a path into the unknown.

This brings up the question as to what we're willing to give up to be a follower of Jesus. Are we willing to leave everything we know, all of our comforts, and join in the journey that the disciples did?

The Andrew in the story I told did just that. He had become comfortable with the friends he had made, but when he heard that the reason he shunned Paul was not truthful, he left those friends and joined the team that might now be considered outcasts, but were at least honorable.

Taking the path that Jesus sets us on is not easy. That path is filled with pain just as much as it's filled with healing. That path has its shares of sorrow as much as it shares in its joys. In the end, though, when we come to understand what it means to be a follower of Christ, and to live the teachings given to us, that path is filled with peace.

I have only one request this week: take an honest look at the path you're on, and if you don't see truth in it, maybe it's time to change teams and follow the Jesus of unconditional acceptance and a passion for helping all people get the same opportunities.

Who Is Your Sosthenes?

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Last school year one the high school kids I work with said something in passing about the girlfriend of one of his friends. He thought that nobody heard what he had said, but somehow word got around that he was "bad-mouthing" this girl. I will be the first to admit that this boy, and to make things easier we'll just call him Paul, says a lot of things without thinking. It is very possible that Paul did say the things he was being accused of, but knowing Paul I really doubt he said it to the extent he was being blamed for.

Paul's friend, let's call him Sosthenes, came up to the classroom to confront Paul, bringing with him others who were out to encourage a fight. I can't say I blame him, or them, really, as Paul is known as someone who says things. As I said, though, I know Paul, and this thing he was being blamed for wasn't true. As the group gathered around Paul, and the cries for harm grew louder, one of Paul's real friends, the one who stands by your side no matter what, came to his rescue.

This friend, let's call him Gallio to make it easier, was with Paul when the words Paul was being accused of saying was said. It was obvious Sosthenes didn't want the discussion to get out of hand, but the cries from those who came with him were relentless. Gallio told the group that there was no way Paul said the things they were accusing him of, and if they wanted to get to Paul they had to go through him first. Because Gallio was very much respected by the group, they backed off, instead picking on Sosthenes, calling him names which demeaned his masculinity.

Later it was found out that the group ousted Sosthenes, saying he wasn't strong enough to do what was necessary. His girlfriend also broke up with him, thinking he couldn't defend her honor. But deep down I believe that he knew what Gallio said was right.

About a week later I saw Paul, Gallio, and Sosthenes talking in the classroom, acting like 16 and 17-year olds should. They seemed to be closer as friends, which is probably the result of Sosthenes' decision not to go along with the cries of harm, and instead going with reconciliation.

I'm sure the three of them get ridiculed almost daily for their actions, but you know what, I don't think they pay any attention to that. Instead the three of them choose to rise above it all and be the best friends they can be to one another; partners, if you will, along the journey of life.

Got Patience?

Psalm 40

I've been living with a stomach flu since yesterday morning. Without going into too much detail, since yesterday's breakfast I haven't been able to hold down, or in, a meal. It's a test of will for me as I like to eat tasty, spicy food.

As I age I notice that my body, and especially my stomach, reacts differently to certain foods. Tomato sauce doesn't sit well, and neither does broccoli, fried chicken, red meat, and other foods which I thoroughly enjoyed in my younger days. Of course I still enjoy some of these foods, I just have to watch how much of them I eat.

As I work through this stomach bug, I have to show a lot of patience so I don't rush into eating something that might cause whatever is going on in there to flare up again. To help me get through it, and to reinforce my patience, I keep in mind that I need to be healthy in order for me to be able to go to work and help my wife with our daily living expenses. I also keep in mind how there are others who depend on me in different ways, and a healthy me is much better than a not-healthy me.

Patience in certain areas of our lives don't come as easy as we would like it to. For some of us it's truly a battle between getting what we need or want immediately or waiting for it. For some of us what we're waiting for is really important and we honestly can't wait. In the same way, some of us understand that there are other things involved in the process and we trust that the things we need or want will eventually happen.

It's in that trust, the trust that there are other things involved in the process towards getting the things we need, that today's Psalm is talking about.

Most commentaries agree that this Psalm can be attributed to King David in some way. The commentaries argue about who the actual author is, but for our purpose we will agree that the Psalm is about what King David is going through. The thing the commentaries agree he is going through is a thankfulness that God has delivered him from a very difficult time in his life. The Psalm was written to say thank you for bringing King David out of a bad place and to pledge a commitment to continue trusting in God.

The latter part of that reason for the Psalm, the pledge to continue trusting in God, is where some of us fall short. We often forget to trust that God is always by our side, sharing in our pains and joys as we walk our life journey. Somehow we expect that when we pray for things to get better, we can simply sit back and wait for things to get better. When things don't get better we lose trust in God, we even think that maybe we deserve whatever we're going through and begin to believe God is trying to teach us a lesson.

God is not vengeful. God does not punish us by making us go through bad times. God has nothing but love for us and when we firmly believe that, when we have unadulterated trust in that belief, going through the difficult times in our life is made a little easier. It's in the belief that we have a God who never leaves us that we can find the patience we need to get through the things in life which challenge us.

Today I will only be able to eat crackers and drink tea. It's going to take a lot of patience not to have some of that leftover fried chicken sitting in the refrigerator. But I trust that chicken will still be there tomorrow and maybe, just maybe, I can have it then.

Before It All Began

Isaiah 49:1-7

As a minister to young people, one of the things I strive to remind them is that they are perfect exactly the way they are. There is nobody they have to make happy by pretending to be anyone, or anything, other than who they are. Those who love them, really love them, will love them regardless of their looks, grades, or personal achievements. Of course, those who truly love them want them to succeed, and at times we, especially those of us who are adults, make it seem that unless they are perfect in every area of their lives they aren't worthy. The truth is, however, that those of us who love them will continue to love them regardless of those things.

I also remind the young people I talk with that it has been this way since before they were born. Sometimes, especially as they become teenagers, it might seem that less and less people understand what they're going through, and there's a lot of truth to that. As adults we really don't know what our youth and young adults are going through. However, some of the reason we don't know is because either the adults are too busy to listen, or the teens don't open up.

This is when I remind them that there is one who always understands what they are going through. I encourage them to remember that we have a God who will never stop loving them and is always available to listen to whatever they are going through. There is nothing, I say to our young people, that can separate them from the love of our God.

I also say to them that as young people they are trying to find their way through a difficult time in their lives. They are at that age where they want to make their own decisions, but are still being guided by parents, coaches, teachers, and mentors. My answer to that is usually to get used to it, because the rest of our lives are guided by others. It's who we allow to guide us that will make a difference.

As for me, I am guided by the teachings of Jesus. I choose to live my life as close as possible to that as exampled by Jesus. That's the life, I strongly believe, that I was meant to live. The decisions I make, the actions I take, the words I speak are ones I strive to make as an example of Jesus. I do this because I know, absolutely know, that this is what God wants me to do. It's why I was born, it's why I've experienced the things I have, it's why the paths along my journey of life have taken me where they have.

This same message is what Isaiah is telling those who will listen. God has a purpose for you. We may not know what that purpose is yet, but we have to trust that those around us who truly love us are put into our lives for a reason. That reason is for us to always have someone who will be there to comfort us when we fail, to celebrate with us when we succeed, and to keep us safe from the things that can bring us harm.

There are few things which bring me more joy than seeing young people realize their purpose in life. It doesn't matter to me if they're fry cooks or lawyers, I can see in them the love they have for what they do and for the people they do it with. And that is what true happiness is about.

Friday Findings

A few quotes about my thoughts for the week.


Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. – Rabindranath Tagore

If patience is worth anything, it must endure to the end of time. And a living faith will last in the midst of the blackest storm. – Mahatma Gandhi

Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things - with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope. – Corazon Aquino

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength. – Saint Francis de Sales

All the laws and legislation in the world will never heal this world like the loving hearts and arms of mothers and fathers. If every child could drift to sleep feeling wrapped in the love of their family - and God's love - this world would be a far more gentle and better place. – Mitt Romney

The sound of 'gentle stillness' after all the thunder and wind have passed [is] the ultimate Word from God. – Jim Elliot

Not For Some

Acts 10:34-43

First and foremost let me put into context the use of the word "fear" as used in this passage. The Greek word used is phobeō which has 3 distinct definitions: to scare away; to be afraid of; and to show reverence to. Because I don't believe that God is so frightening as to scare people away, nor do I believe that God is one to be afraid of, I can say with certainty the definition used here by the author of Acts is "to show reverence to".

When we show reverence to something we treat it differently. This may not be a good example, but it's the only one I can come up with: think about how a pallbearer carries their loved ones. It's as though they become a part of something greater than them while at the same time understanding they are separated from it. There's a deep understanding by those chosen to bear their loved ones that the duty they perform demands from them complete participation of their bodies, minds, hearts, and souls.

This is the kind of "fear" Peter is talking about as he speaks to those gathered about a God who has given Jesus to and for all people. According to Peter, Jesus "went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed." Jesus didn't pick and choose which ones to heal. Jesus didn't ask anyone to fill out an application and list their qualifications, then make an appointment for an interview. No, Jesus came to this world to be with, eat with, travel with, laugh with, cry with, and heal all.

With this in mind, it becomes our duty as Christians to do the same. Jesus did not judge who was or was not worthy of his presence. Jesus showed what the true love of God is by accepting all people as the people they were and for the place they were along their life's journey. Shouldn't we do the same?

There is no better way to be a healing presence than to simply love people without condition. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have treated as close friends those whom society outcasts. I don't begin these conversations with, "Hi, I'm a Christian." or, "Are you saved?" I usually begin with, "Hi, my name is Randy. How are you today?" Then I sit and listen.

It isn't easy to be this way, it took a lot of inner change; change that came about because somewhere along the way someone came to me and said, "Hi, my name is...How are you today?" and listened. I've heard it said that every time we meet another person we have a chance to place a pearl on their necklace or a rock in their path. Jesus laid nothing but pearls. Let us do the same.

Through The Storm

Psalm 29

At first I really didn't want to write about this Psalm, not because I don't like it but because I didn't understand it. Sure, I know what the words mean - God is great, blah blah - but I didn't give the Psalm a chance to really speak to me. I looked at the other passages from the week's lectionary, all of which had something to say, but for some reason I wasn't able to move on.

I sat in silence to reflect on the Psalm - nothing. I closed my eyes and envisioned the Psalm - nothing. I read each line slowly, taking in the meaning of each word and phrase - nothing. What was I to do? The Psalm just didn't inspire me...Sorry.

Then, as I clicked on different commentaries and descriptions about Psalm 29 I came across one which said that the Psalm would have been read aloud during a "tempest." Not simply a storm, or even a thunderstorm. The words written in this particular Psalm is meant to be read amid, and even above, the noises which a strong-winded, heavy-rain filled, extremely loud thunder-clapping storm brings.

Not only were the words meant to be said during such a storm - a storm which could bring down the walls of a King David-era middle-low class house, a storm which can knock down the fences of a sheepfold and scatter one's livelihood - but these words were, and are, meant to remind us that no storm, in fact nothing, is more powerful than our God.

God's voice is stronger than the wind. God's voice is louder than the thunder. God's voice can do what no storm can do and snap the mighty cedars into pieces. Yet the Psalm reminds us that God's voice can also calm the storm. It is for that reason we give glory to God, because although God is mightier than the mightiest storm, God is the one who will keep us safe in the storm and bring us through it.

No matter the storms in your life - addictions, doubts, sickness, poverty - know that there is a God who can, and does, huddle you in strong arms to keep you safe until the storm has passed.

Gentle Power

Isaiah 42:1-9

My heart warms each time I witness a father holding his newborn. I can remember this one particular time as I sat in a restaurant and watched a father reach into a baby carrier as his baby began to fuss. This man must have been as tall as a tree and as wide as a canyon, with muscles just as large as the mountains. I watched with a smile as his biceps, which had to be as big as my head, bulged while he gently reached under the child's torso and head. He handled that baby as though it could break, but it wasn't going to be him that breaks it.

Once that child was in his arms the entire room could feel his love. The father's eyes were fixed on those of his child as he held it close to his chest. He was completely unaware of those of us in the restaurant watching him, all of us with awe-inspired looks on our faces and warmth in our hearts.

That's the feel I get as I read today's passage. I can feel the words of the prophet as he speaks of an all-powerful God coming into this world not to break that which is already hurt, but instead to bring healing. The words which speak of the most powerful one, who will not break a bruised reed nor let a dim candle go out, reach deep into my soul and bring me only comfort. I know there is a God who will keep me safe and bring me through the things which bring me pain.

As you go through today, my hope is that you will know that regardless of the distresses and discomforts you face, God is with you, holding on to you until your peace can once again be found.

Close Doesn't Count

Matthew 2:1-12

Happy Epiphany!

Epiphany comes from the Greek word epiphanea, which is defined in the English as a " manifestation or striking appearance." In Christianity, the word is used to proclaim the appearance of the Christ-child to the Gentiles of the world (aka the wise men).

The story as told in Matthew brought a new meaning to me this year. In the story the wise men go to Jerusalem to find the child they call the king of Jews. In doing so they visit the palace and ask King Herod where that child might be. King Herod, apparently unaware about this child, verifies the prophecy he is being told of, then sets a trap to find that child himself in order to kill him.

So much in this story and we can get lost in all of the details. But, we're not going to do that, instead we'll focus on where the wise men are in their search for Jesus.

The wise men, having followed a significant celestial event and with a working knowledge of scripture, visit the palace in Jerusalem to ask about the new-born king of Jews. They go to where they would assume a king would be living, and as they discover the child they are looking for isn't there.

How many times has that happened to us. We search for the things we've spent our entire lives coming to understand, only to find we're looking in the wrong places. Many of you know I am a recovering addict, currently in my 19th year of sobriety. However, 19 years ago wasn't the first time I tried to quit my addictions, but it was the first time it worked. What made it work this time is I did it for the right reason; for me.

Each time before that I had quit to make others happy, and when those people were no longer a part of my lives I went right back to making bad decisions. Then, one day I just woke up and said, "Enough!", and it was. I wanted to be clean, I wanted a better life, I wanted to know love, real love, again. I stopped living the life I was in, and started talking with God again. Through God's grace I met my current wife and so began my new and renewed journey towards God.

I later realized that I was looking for that which could keep me safe, that which Thomas Aquinas defines as preserving things in the good, that which we call salvation, in the wrong places. My Epiphany was finding that God lives in every moment of every day and that God has never left my side. I just wasn't looking in the right places. I was looking in the palaces of my life, not in the Bethlehems.

In our story from Matthew, the wise men leave the palace and travel just a few more miles to a nearby town and eventually find Jesus. Our question for today is are we willing to do the same? If we don't find the peace we seek in the places we're looking, do we give up or are we willing to go just a little further to get there? If we can't find joy, do we stop or keep going until we get to where we need to? If love isn't in the places we're searching, do we give up and go back the way we came, or do we go forward just a little bit more until we find it?

Epiphany not only celebrates the discovery of the Christ-child, but also the relentless journey the wise men took to get there. To honor this day we need to make the commitment to never give up in our search for that which will bring us true happiness - the understanding that we have a God who lives among us and will always love and accept us.