Hang with the Sheep, Not the Goats!

Matthew chapters 23-25 runs quite an interesting gauntlet.  It starts off with Jesus denouncing the Scribes and Pharisees, proceeds on to discussion about signs of the end of the age, and moves on into Parables about bridesmaids and servants and talents, and wraps up with Judgment.  Now I have heard dozens of sermons preached on individual parts, particularly talents (usually around the time that the Stewardship drive comes around), but I have never seen anyone connect the dots between these three chapters.  And yes, there is a connecting thread that weaves through the three chapters!

Let’s start at the beginning.  In chapter 23, Jesus blasts the Pharisees and Scribes!  Specifically, he sums up his point in verse 23:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law; justice and mercy and faith.  It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others.”

In other words, they know the law.  They can tell you all about the “matters of law”.  But knowing and doing are two totally different things!  They practice and carry out the things that can be seen-the “look at me, I’m giving my tithe of rare and precious spices” but they don’t carry out the things that require an investment that is not always seen-justice, mercy and faith.  Jesus at the very beginning of the chapter tells the listeners to do what the Scribes and Pharisees say, just don’t do what they do!

We then move on to chapter 24-the signs of the end of the age.  A lot of people get hung up on the signs and miss the entire point, which is emphasized at the end-always be watchful!  Keep doing what you are called to do and do it well, because you never know when the end is coming!  Take the talents and multiply them!  Which brings us into chapter 25 and the judgment of the nations.

In chapter 25, what is the standard that differentiates the sheep from the goats?  Jesus sums it up in verses 35 and 36:

“for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”

Justice, mercy, faith-live and in action, are summed up in those two verses!

Which brings me back around to the point of the talents that we hear so much about!  A talent can be money.  It can be your special gift and grace.  But to truly “invest” your talents means that you invest in people and relationships-the one on one daily, nitty gritty of living day to day!  It is not merely about investing in a building or a program!  It’s about investing in life!  It is the stuff that we do, day in and day out, that seems insignificant because, well, it’s simply the right thing to do!

Shall we put it in modern day parlance?  I had a flat tire and you stopped to help me change it in the freezing cold, on the side of the interstate.  My house was blown away by a tornado and you came to help me clean up and save what I could, even though you didn‘t know me.  I was with my children at the grocery store in the check out line and I came up $1.98 short and you pulled out two dollars from your pocket so I wouldn’t have to face the embarrassment of trying to pick what I needed to put back.  I did something stupid as a youth and had to serve jail time, but you didn’t forget me!  You wrote letters and came to visit when you could.  I was new in town and had no family and friends and you invited me over for lasagna dinner.  I could go on, I could list more and more examples, but I think I’ve made my point!

Tell me, what on that list involved some big mission program or involved a building???  Not one!  And only one on that list involved money!

Now, before some of you out there have a coronary and think that I am saying to not support your local church or some special mission program, take a deep breath and relax!  There are certain things that only a church or an organization can do really well and it is important to support those programs!  The Pharisees, even they did that!  My point is, it is only half of the story.  And if you go back and read what Jesus said, that was his point as well!  Do what they tell you, just don’t stop there.  Don’t do what they do, focusing only on those visible things.  If you only do what they do, then you miss this whole other realm of possibility!

Look around you.  There is a mission field right in front of your face!  There are countless possibilities and endless ways that you can help others!  Some may involve money but the vast majority involve hand holding and tear wiping and good old fashioned sweat!  It’s about people and relationships.  It involves sharing yourself with others.  It involves giving your time, not just your money.

In some weird and twisted way, we equate mission with some far off place.  Mission is what “the church” or “the organization” does.  We can give our money but we certainly can’t “do mission” because we are not equipped to do that sort of work.  Jesus, however, reminded us that mission is all around us!

Be ready, Jesus said, because you never know!  Be the servant always on the look out for the little opportunities.  Mission is all around you, if you will just open your eyes and look.  Tithe and support the big stuff, but continually be on the lookout for those justice, faith and mercy moments.  They are more abundant than you might think!  Hang with the sheep, not the goats!

Encourage Courage! Take Courage!

Have you ever run across something that was so eye-opening, so radical and revolutionary that you will never look at a certain thing in the same way again?  Hold on to your hats!  This is gonna blow you away!

Let’s start with Webster’s definition of three very ordinary words-courage, fear, encourage

Courage-the capacity to meet danger without giving way to fear

Fear-the instinctive emotion aroused by impending or seeming danger, pain or evil

Encourage-to give courage or confidence to

Let me expand the definition of encourage-to give the capacity to meet danger without giving way to the instinctive emotion aroused by impending or seeming danger, pain or evil.

Now let’s take a look at a familiar story in Matthew 14, where Jesus walks on water.  Even a person with a passing encounter with Sunday School will be familiar with this story!  Jesus had sent the disciples on their way, by boat, while he went up to the mountain to pray.  It says that the boat was battered by waves and that in the early morning Jesus came walking towards them on the sea.  It also says that the disciples were terrified because they thought it was a ghost.  Here’s where it gets interesting, verse 27.  The NRSV Bible renders the translation like this:  “…‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”  The King James version says “Be of good cheer.”  For me, neither one of these translations invoke a sense of powerfulness.  What I hear in my head is that old song from the late 80’s early 90’s “don’t worry, be happy!”  Sweet, but not exactly powerful.

Leslie Weatherhead translated it differently.  In the Positive Affirmation for day 18 he translates it this way:  “Courage, it is I.”  I could never recall hearing it translated that way, so I did a little digging and the NIV Bible says this for verse, 27:  “Take courage!  It is I!”  What do I hear in my head?  Every musical track that has ever been used in a movie when the hero comes to the rescue!

Talk about a powerful image!  Here are the men, on this boat, waves literally crashing over the top of the boat while they are tossed around, pretty certain that they are not going to make it, when all of a sudden, here comes this figure, walking towards them, stomping waves like a child stomps an anthill!  They are terrified!  Then suddenly, this big strong voice shouts out to them “ TAKE COURAGE!  IT….IS…I!!!”  Wow!  That is powerful!

Then we go on to verse 28 where Peter says “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  What does Jesus say?  “Come.”  We know the rest of the story, Peter does get out of the boat and does just fine until he gets distracted by the wind and then he becomes frightened again.  Down he goes, so he calls out to Jesus who grabs him by the hand and brings him back to the ship safely.  Jesus says to him “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Now, I want to throw out one more definition.  This word, has about a half page column in the dictionary but, I want to focus on the very first definition listed.

Take-to get possession of by using force or superior strength

When you think about this Bible story and what Jesus said, and the definitions of those key words, “take courage” is not a warm and fuzzy, comforting phrase.  It is a command!  Jesus is telling Peter to forcefully grab on to courage and not give way to fear!  This completely changes the dynamic of this story!  It also gives a new understanding to the question that Jesus asked Peter.  “Why did you doubt?”  Jesus is saying “you had it in your hands, why did you let go?!  Why did you let yourself get distracted?  Why did you give fear free reign again?”  

Think about how many people could use this type of message today!  Average, everyday people, just trying to get by in life.  They want to do something different, but they are afraid.  Their life boat is getting swamped by the waves of bill collectors, threat of house foreclosure, possibility of losing their job.  Their children are struggling in school.  They have a sick parent who needs assistance.  They are living at the mercy of the waves, just barely getting by.  They are baling as fast as they can but still the waves come!  They want to get a different job.  They want to go back to school.  They have an idea for a business but, oh Lord!  It’s just too risky!  They are barely holding on as it is!  What if they take the chance and fail?!  All the people they would let down!  All the things they might lose!  They are terrified, just like the Disciples in the boat!  Fear is a powerful thing!

Courage is equally as powerful if we can just take hold of it!  Look around you.  Is there someone you know who took a risk and against all odds succeeded?  Look at individuals in the military who go above and beyond the call of duty.  I guarantee that each one experienced fear, but they took hold of courage and did something extraordinary!  If you are fearful, look to others who inspire you and who have exhibited courage in their own life.   Or, maybe, you are the courageous one.  Can you be the person who reaches out to another individual and offer encouragement?  Can you help blaze the path?  In a society where fear runs rampant, when failure seems the only option, can you be that person who grabs on and doesn’t let go?

Imagine how different things could be if we made it a practice to encourage courage!  How much change would we see if we delivered this one simple message-take courage!  Even in a storm, we are never truly alone.  Encourage yourself, encourage others.  Imagine how different life could be if we all chose to “take courage!”

I will never look at the story of Jesus walking on water the same way again!  From now on, I will see it as a powerful story of how life can be if we stop living in our own private world of fear.  Take courage, Jesus said.  Take courage and believe!  Take hold of that powerful, awe inspiring message and boldly walk forward in courage today!

Encouragement? Caution? All of the Above

In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus has been talking in parables, telling truths in story form.  At verse 43 he starts talking about evil spirits:

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none.  Then it says ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.  So will it be also with this evil generation.”

Now, look at the exchange in Job, chapter 1, between the Lord and “the accuser” or Satan,  verse 7:

“The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’  Satan answered the Lord, ‘ From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”

Notice the similarity in the descriptions.  Satan wanders about looking for a place to land.  He goes to and fro until he finds a resting place.  There is a reason that I bring this up.

As you know, I have been exploring the art of meditation, an aspect of Christian Mysticism, and I have discovered that not all books are created equal!  There are some books that claim to be about Christian Mysticism and Spiritual insight and, quite frankly, they are not books that I would recommend for someone exploring this topic!

There was one book that I read online, that was recommended as the sort of  “7 steps to meditation and mysticism” and, at first, it’s suggestions seemed reasonable.  But as I read further, I discovered that the writer’s view of the source of evil, and mine, parted ways in a dramatic fashion!  In a nutshell, the writer believes that evil comes about by “wrong thought” and that there isn’t really evil in the world.   Bad things happen to people because they “think” it into being.  An individual is in a car accident, for example, because they attracted the negative situation by their thoughts.  A child is ill because a parent had negative thoughts of sickness that manifested in the child.  The solution is simply to “neutralize” the negative thought pattern and then you start attracting positive things into your life.  I wish I was kidding about this but I’m not!  This is the point where I strongly disagree with the writer, based on my study of scriptures.

The entire book of Job is based on refuting such arguments!  It states, right from the beginning, that Job was indeed a righteous man.  His friends make the argument that the calamities that have befallen Job, are the result of some “sin” that he has committed.  If you read the entire book, you know that God himself refutes this argument!  And if Jesus didn’t believe that evil was real then why did he bother sending the demons into the pigs in Mark chapter 5?   Why would John Wesley preach so strongly, a caution about evil, if he didn’t believe that it existed?  Evil is real, and it is a force that is separate from God!

Believing that evil is real does not imply a “dualism” within God, which is the argument that is made to explain the belief that evil is simply thought gone wrong.  Yes, God is good and what he created is good!  God did not create evil.  Evil simply exists.  And that is an important point to remember if one intends to attempt Christian Meditation!

It is no wonder that Morton Kelsey, in his book, “The Other Side of Silence” warns that meditation is not for everyone!  If an individual does not have a thorough grounding in scripture, they could easily open themselves up to more problems then they had before!  Mr. Kelsey says this on the topic on page 52:

“The idea that we have outgrown our need to turn to God for help in dealing with evil, or the idea, in fact that there is no such thing as cosmic evil, would be funny if it did not show such a tragic lack of understanding.”  

Or this comment on page 74:

  “As long as one believes that there is no evil and that spiritual reality is relatively benign, there is no particular reason for caution.  This is why our belief systems are so important.”  (emphasis mine)

I have been impressed by the fact that throughout his book, Mr. Kelsey has emphasized that Christian Meditation is meant to help you discover deeper truths that can be practiced and applied in the here and now.  It is meant to strengthen your faith and it is meant to be used in practical ways to help others!

He also strongly suggests that a person doesn’t “go it alone.”  Yes, meditation is an inward journey but, you need a firm anchor in the world.  A mentor, a prayer group, family, close friends that you can talk to, are all incredibly important!  In taking this journey inward, you may discover things about yourself that are shocking or disturbing and there is a real need to have a support network around you to help “bring you down to earth.”  (On a personal note, I am discovering just how true this is!  I am my own worst critic, and that trait is even more intense in meditation.  My family and friends are far more forgiving of my flaws, as is God, which can be hard to fathom!)

Now, you may read this and think “well that’s just crazy!  Don’t we want to encourage people to go deeper in their spiritual walk?”  Of course we do!  But, the fact remains, it is important to prepare for that journey first.  I’m reminded of what Isaiah says in chapter 28, starting at verse 24:

“Do those who plow for sowing plow continually?  Do they continually open and harrow their ground?  When they have leveled its surface, do they not scatter dill, sow cumin, and plant wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and spelt as the border?  For they are well instructed; their God teaches them.” (Again, emphasis mine.)

It is important to plant, but FIRST they have to plow and harrow and level.  They have to be instructed well by God.  Otherwise, you can end up with weeds planted with the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30) and as the parable illustrates, it can cause a whole lot of problems!

So am I suggesting that Christian Meditation is a bad thing to try?  No.  What I am saying though is be certain that you are as prepared as you can be before you try!  Mr. Kelsey opens chapter 8 with this paragraph.  I am going to close with it as an important reminder.

“Meditation is not something one should do simply because others are doing it.  It can not be undertaken like an aesthetic exercise or merely for diversion.  Whether we expect it or not, in meditation we are opening the door to another aspect of reality, potentially just as rewarding and sometimes even more dangerous than the physical world.  Not many of us would turn a child loose in the physical world without teaching that child, as best we can, how to get around safely in it.”

Wise words indeed!

Not Blessed???? It's all in the Looking

Well, the media has confirmed something that I already instinctively knew.  I am no longer in the middle of American middle class.  My standard of living is lower than what my parents experienced.  I, like many other Americans, find myself on the lower end of the scale.  Tell me something I didn’t already know, will ya?

Money isn’t my driving factor.  Sure, it would be nice to have a little more just to be able to go out shopping once in awhile.  But, I’m fortunate-I still have a roof over my head.  I know how to cook and bake which helps.  I don’t need the latest fanciest vehicle.  My husband has been able to keep our vehicles running because he is a grease monkey mechanic at heart!  He works on cars for fun!  My Jeep has 280,000 plus miles on it and it’s still running well.  It’s a much older model than most people would drive and I have it because of where we live.  There are certain times of the year when the only way to get in and out of “east middle of nowhere” is with 4 wheel drive.  So, it’s not a status thing, it’s a practical thing.  Shelter, food, water, they are the essentials and right now, we’re covered!  When you think about all of the individuals just in the United States who have no shelter and no food, let alone individuals around the world who are in a similar situation, it’s tough to complain when you are in better shape than they are!

There are many people in this country who would look at me and pity how I live.  I don’t have as much as they do.  I don’t get to eat out or go to the movies or shop.  I don’t live in as nice a house as they do.  I don’t drive as nice a car as they do.  Compared to them, they view my life as dismal.

I have a different view.  I pity them for being so enslaved to the almighty dollar.  A beautiful sunset can take my breath away.  Watching the birds in the yard can be highly entertaining.  Seeing deer or wild turkeys wander through is priceless.  Playing board games with my children and seeing them become better and better is a wonderful feeling!  My children are healthy.  I’m able to spend time with them.  I can come up with an amazing meal from practically nothing.  My husband can fix practically anything!  I appreciate what I have and I’m not caught up in wanting more things.  I don’t feel the overwhelming need to keep up with the Joneses.  I know eventually that our financial situation will improve.  This is only temporary.

In the Beatitudes many people quote it as saying blessed are the poor.  But it actually says “blessed are the poor in spirit” and my Wesleyan study bible refers to that as meaning humility.  Blessed are those who have a spirit of humility for they shall inherit the kingdom.

Humility is a much talked about virtue but it’s not always an embraced virtue.  Being happy with what you have.  Sharing your gifts with others, not looking for the limelight when you do something.  It can be a tough road to walk when you live in a society that preaches so strongly against such an idea!  Somehow, you should never be satisfied.  Somehow, you should always be wanting more.  Working, striving, questing, never having enough.  Working to better ourselves is not wrong, but when you define “bettering yourself” as only a dollars and cents equation, you’ll find that you are never satisfied.  You get that promotion or pay raise and it’s an empty victory because it is still not enough.  What was the price for that victory?  How many missed dinners?  Or missed ball games, or recitals?  How much living have you missed out on because you’re trying to “make a living?”

I may be poor, money wise, by U.S. standards but I can live with that!  I will admit that there are moments of melancholy when I wish I could go out and buy something because I really do need to replace a certain item but they pass.  I still have more things than a vast majority of the people in the world.  I have things that money can’t buy-time with my family and nature at my doorstep.  Things could be so much worse!

Let us remember what really matters in life.  It’s not how much money you make.  It is about how you live and how much you love.  That is the thing that truly matters!  Everything else is secondary, regardless of what the media tries to tell you!  Blessed are the poor in spirit because they will inherit the kingdom!  Amen!

Seeds of Kindness

I like birds!  I like watching the birds in my yard and to bring them in closer I put out bird feeders.  Without fail, every spring, some stray bird seed ends up on the ground, missed by the birds, but happy to sprout!  These tiny seeds do this all on their own without any help from me and they pop up in the strangest places!  All I did was place the seed out!

This weekend was the kick off to a church wide project that we are calling the mustard seed project.  Jesus in his sermons talked a lot about sowing seed and the theme behind this project is "each one, reach one".  Each person who attended services received a card with mustard seeds glued on with the theme title and this scripture verse from Matthew 17:20:

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you."

The idea is simple-take every opportunity you can to plant small seeds of kindness at home and out in the community.  Can you hold the door open for someone who has their arms full of toddlers and groceries?  Could you buy a cup of coffee for a stranger at a convenience store?  Can you wave to your neighbors as you drive by their house?  Can you say please and thank you to your waiter or waitress?  How many acts of kindness can you do as you go about your day to day activities?  How creative can you get with planting seeds of kindness? 

Now I know what you're thinking-this is just common courtesy and common sense!  You're right!  It is common courtesy and it is common sense but what happens when our lives get busy?  We tend to forget, don't we?  And sometimes we tend to slip.  It's no big deal if you cut off that driver, because it's not like you'll see them again, right?  But do you know for sure?  Are you certain that you won't see that individual again and that they will not remember you if you do happen to meet again?    Why do you think Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves?  Because what you sow, you eventually reap!

Loving our families seems like a simple task but sometimes we take them for granted.  What simple special things can you do for those you love the most?  It could be as simple as a phone call, an encouraging word, or those special cookies that they love!  Kindness starts at home.

Think of this as purposefully planting seeds.  You don't know which ones will sprout but it's worth the effort to try!  You can be as creative as you want, but remember the point is to plant these seeds of kindness as you go about your everyday routine.  After awhile, it'll become second nature, but for right now, the idea is to purposefully choose to plant some seeds!  You may be shocked and surprised which of those seeds sprouts and takes off!  If you connect with just one person isn't that worth the effort?

So my darling readers, let me extend an invitation.  No matter where you are in the country or around the world, feel free to join in on this project!  And if you would like to share what you have done, leave a comment here or, you can find the First Untied Methodist Church, Washington MO Face Book page and leave a comment there as well. 

Happy planting!

Those Pesky Stumbling Blocks

Matthew 18:6-7 (NRSV) says this:

"If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks!  Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!"

Prior to this Jesus had used children as the example of how one approaches the Kingdom of Heaven.  By parable and example before and after this section Jesus talks about religious leaders being more concerned with outward appearances than inward well being.  Or, about the slave who was forgiven his debt who in turn did not forgive the debt that was owed to him by another slave.  Stumbling blocks, child like faith, leadership, what is the common thread here?

Children today are treated very differently than they were even 200 years ago, let alone 2,000 years ago!  As soon as they could help out with chores that was exactly what they were expected to do!  Or as the notes in the Wesley Study Bible point out, they were treated like servants.  They were not in positions of authority, they were workers.  But I do think that there were some similarities to the children of today.  For small children everything is cool!  Bugs are cool.  Mud puddles are cool.  The weirder it is, the cooler it must be!  They approach everything with a sense of wonder and excitement.  They also have not figured out a sense of right and wrong, which means that they are teachable.  They don't approach others with any preconceived notions of who they are or where they are in the pecking order.  A child doesn't ask why someone is in a wheelchair because they are being cruel.  They ask because they really want to know why is that person in a wheelchair?  Judgements develop with age and life experience cruelty doesn't come in to play until they get a little bit older and base their reactions on the examples that they have seen from others around them. 

There are certain boundaries that we have to set for our children in order to keep them safe, like sticking your hand on a hot stove is bad because you might get burned or look both ways before you cross the street because getting hit by a car would be bad!  These are not stumbling blocks but rather appropriate boundaries that parents traditionally teach.  Jesus went head to head with the Pharisees not because he thought that boundaries or traditions were inappropriate.  He went head to head with the Pharisees because they were putting so many unnecessary rules on people that had nothing to do with God's Word.  They were going out of their way to set up stumbling blocks! 

Pharisees and Scribes were the leaders of the Jewish community.  Their job, their task was to teach and to lead by example.  Their job was to serve the people of the Jewish community.  As time went on they became less concerned with the servant role and more concerned with the status role and that is what they taught to others.  You're wealthy?  Here's where you fall in the pecking order.  You're blind?  You're low down on the list!  It's tradition, that's just the way it is and that's how it has always been done!  It's no wonder that Jesus could not perform many miracles in his hometown because they could not accept who he had become since they knew where he came from!  They were offended because he was stepping out beyond the established hierarchy pecking order.  He was not being what they thought he should be, he was not acting the way they thought he should act.  Nazareth?  Nothing good comes out of that place!  It's the wrong side of the tracks!  Tradition in this sense, became a stumbling block.

It makes me wonder what we have set up as stumbling blocks today in our modern society.  How do we hold others back because of the views we have been taught to hold?  Do we judge older adults as being less worthy to hire because we think they do not have the ability to contribute with the skills they have or have the ability to learn new skills?  Do we judge younger people as being less than trustworthy because they have tattoos and piercings so they must be "from the wrong side of the tracks?"  Do we choose not to hire someone with a past criminal record because we are convinced that they there is no way they could possibly change?  Do we close churches because their numbers don't fit our dashboard?  Do we end up accomplishing nothing because we are so entrenched in my way or the highway?  How many potential leaders and innovators have fallen through the cracks because they don't behave the way we believe they should?  How many have fallen by the wayside because of the stumbling blocks we have placed in front of them?

I don't think tradition is the problem.  I think it is how we use those traditions that lead to problems.  I'll give you a modern day example.  We tell our children that they can do anything they want to do.  That in itself is not a bad statement!  What we changed became the problem.  We started grading on "curves", we told them "everybody wins" and we made sure that competitions reflected that philosophy.  We taught them that success could be easy and failure was impossible.  Everyone and everything would work in their favor.  So when our children went out in to the real world and fell flat on their face they were completely unprepared for dealing with failure!  They couldn't understand that work was hard and sometimes tedious and that persistence was important!  We didn't do our children any favors by sugar coating the truth.  If anything, we prolonged the learning curve of life in the real world because they had to totally change their thinking!  In our quest to better "nurture" we created a whole new set of stumbling blocks!

We've done a similar thing in our churches.  Come as you are is good, but we've chosen to leave off the part about Discipleship and confronting things that we need to change in our lives in order to follow this path.  There are key components of a faith journey that we have chosen to either gloss over or just not mention because it might make someone uncomfortable.  Do we offer a method for daily Bible study?  Do we teach about prayer?  Do we teach about church tradition and why the church believes certain things?  Do we teach about humility and serving others being critical elements to an individual's faith walk?  And accountability?  It's not personal, it's numerical.  And we wonder why we flounder about without any clear purpose or sense  of direction!  We've created our own stumbling blocks.

No wonder Jesus warned us strongly about stumbling blocks!  He understood that we could take something meant for our good and twist it so badly that it becomes a stumbling block!  Jesus never said that following in his footsteps would be easy!  He didn't say that there would not be challenges or that the work would be easy.  He did provide us with a starting point-a child.  Approach the Kingdom with a child like heart of wonder and excitement.  Approach the Kingdom as a servant willing to do the work.  Approach the Kingdom without the customary baggage of judgement, pessimism or superiority.  Approach the kingdom as a child like servant and become the leader that God intended you to be! 

That's a fantastic message of hope!  That message is still alive and well today!  We simply have to choose to grab hold of it! Those pesky stumbling blocks will still be there but that doesn't mean that you have to let them stop you!  Hope remains!  Thank you Jesus for reminding us once again that hope remains! 

Leadership-Jesus Style!

Ooh I love it when my daily Bible reading and Disciple study reading converge!  I got so fired up reading today's scriptures that I couldn't wait to share!  This is good!

Let's start with Proverbs 16 because there are just some real gems in this one little chapter!  Here are just a few that focus on leadership.  From The Message Paraphrase:

"A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit...Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kind; sound leadership has a moral foundation...Good tempered leaders invigorate lives; they're like spring rain and sunshine"

Now let's head over to Matthew 12.  Up to this point Jesus has been teaching not only the Disciples but also using parables to teach to the crowds.  He's been working miracles, he's been confronting the Pharisees.  In Chapter 12 he heals the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath.  This did not sit well with the Pharisees and in verse 14 we read that this is the point where the Pharisees started actively conspiring against him in order to get rid of him.  Verse 15 tells us that Jesus departs but large crowds follow him and "he cured them all."  In verse 16 it goes on to say that he told these individuals the following:

"...and he ordered them not to make him known."

In other words, he was quite content with flying low under the radar.  That little tidbit right there is a key element that we tend to overlook when we talk about leadership!  The best leaders are servants first.  They are content to do what they have been asked to do quietly and consistently without a whole lot of hoopla and fanfare. 

Everything that I listed from Proverbs 16, Jesus did in abundance.  His leadership had a moral foundation.  He didn't exploit, he went to those who were being exploited.  He abhorred wrong doing.  He was a motivator and he brought a message of hope, just like a spring rain and sunshine!  He didn't mislead.  He invigorated people's faith in God.  Jesus did everything mentioned in Proverbs 16 as marks of a good leader!  And he did it without being in a front and center position of power or authority! 

My my, how different than what we see from our leaders today who rush out and do the rounds on all the news  programs!  Look at me I'm great and powerful!  I accomplish nothing but I sure sound good! 

No a truly good leader does their job and doesn't search out the limelights.  And that is because they know that it's not about their best interest, it is about doing the best for those around them.  Let me give you an example.  It's something that I did and I'm not sharing this to toot my own horn but hopefully to explain why I'm not going in to formal ministry full time like so many people have suggested that I do.  I'm very very comfortable with just doing what needs to be done and flying low under the radar.  I much prefer being low man on the totem pole!

Before I came to First United Methodist in Washington, a previous minister had decided to start a Contemporary service.  To put things nicely let's just say that there was a bit of controversy that surrounded this move.  I was not fully aware of this before I agreed to join the Praise Team and I inadvertently stepped smack dab into the middle of an undercurrent of disagreement that simmered just under the surface.  Long story short, some individuals left and it looked like the Contemporary service would have to be discontinued due to the lack of a leader for the Praise Team.  After discussion with those of us who chose to stay it was decided that I would be the one who would plan the music for the service.  I took this very seriously!  I would look at the upcoming sermon topics, the scripture and the points of the sermon and I tried to pick music that either picked up on a section of scripture or a point in the sermon.  But I didn't stop there.  I made sure that I sent out a list of songs to the minister, musicians, singers and support team for the upcoming weeks and asked for feedback.   I made sure that we either had the sheet music or had access to the sheet music and created a master file so we were not scrambling at the last minute at practice trying to get it all together.  Every week I sent out a reminder e-mail with the songs and also would add links to You Tube videos of the songs so the musicians and singers could listen to them prior to practice.  And at practice, if a particular song didn't work out-no problem!  We would just switch it out with a song that everyone was comfortable with playing and singing!  Basically, I paid attention to the details.  What did the team need to do their very best was the question that I asked over and over again.  My job as a "leader" was to serve the team in the best way possible.  My job was to make sure that they had what they needed, when they needed it, so they could do their very best!  And when the few people who knew that I was the one picking the music would praise me, I would thank them but I always ALWAYS pointed out the fact that I had a wonderful team to work with and that it was a team effort!  And believe me, being up front leading worship is a team effort, whether it is a traditional choir or a praise team!  Does worship uplift and inspire and challenge and point you to the source?  That's what a good leader can accomplish if they can put their ego aside and use their gifts to bring out the very best in others.  A good leader is first and foremost an excellent servant.  That's what I tried to be and from all reports, I did a pretty good job!  But as far as I am concerned that is exactly what I was supposed to do in the first place!

Look, there are things that I know that I am very very good at-I can preach a good sermon, I can plan an excellent worship service, I can teach an inspiring class and I'm not half bad at writing!  These are my gifts and I have agreed to use them at various times and that is enough for me!  If these gifts, used properly bring just one person one step further in their walk of faith then I have accomplished what I have been asked to do!  Jesus had it right!  Do what you are asked to do, be a blessing to others, do it well and fly low under the radar.  By serving others you lead by example. 

I've told you my story simply as an example.  You may have very different gifts than I have.  That's a good thing!  Maybe your gift is managing money.  Maybe your gift is being able to create really cool graphics on the computer.  Maybe you are really good at making others feel comfortable in a social situation.  How can you use your particular gifts to serve others?  That my darling friends, is truly the mark of a leader-when you can take those God given gifts that you have and use them to help others.  I know there is a leadership gift in each and every one of you!  Use that gift to serve others and you will be a leader-Jesus style! 

Leadership Jesus style is not person driven, it's not ego driven, it is servant driven!  And there but by the grace of God go I.  And by God's grace you will go there too!  Amen and amen!

Seriously, Who Exactly is Driving the Bus?

And the bad news just keeps rolling in!  But as my mother is fond of saying, this too shall pass!  I know the turmoil is real but this is one of those times when keeping your wits about you and focusing on the important things really can make a difference in the outcome!  Who is driving your bus?  The spirit of anarchy or the Holy Spirit that passes all understanding?  Are you living in fear or are you living by faith?  Which bus are you riding?

I have mentioned here previously that I've been working through Disciple Bible Study on my own.  This is the Bible Study program that the United Methodist Church has widely promoted as being effective in teaching about discipleship.  Wonder of wonders, after 17 weeks of study we are now FINALLY getting in to the New Testament.  And this week's section is titled "Radical Discipleship" with today's reading focusing on Matthew 3-7 (talk about perfect timing).  I've been using my Wesley Study Bible as I have gone through the Disciple study because it has extensive notes.

Contained within this section (chapter 5) is The Beatitudes-the "blessed are" verses.  John Wesley preached extensively on the Sermon on the Mount and it is worth reading what he had to say!  If you go to the Wesleyan Center for Applied Theology you can read the sermons (21-33) and I encourage you do so!  Take your time because it will deepen your understanding on these very key scripture verses. 

Now that I have gone round the mulberry bush and laid the groundwork for what I want to talk about, let me get back to my key point.  Having read this material previously and, having read Wesley's sermons I have found a couple of things already that I disagree with in the Disciple Study and in the notes in the Wesley Study Bible (it's only Tuesday, for heaven's sake!)  And in the grand scheme of things this relates to what is going on in our world today.  Why is there such a hunger for this teaching and yet such a huge misunderstanding of what it means to be a disciple?  Why does it seem like our moral compasses are so skewed and fear seems to be the predominate driving force?  Where are our leaders?  Who is driving the bus?

First, Disciple Bible Study defines a disciple as "a learner".  Having already looked up the word, I know that this is not a fully accurate definition.   It's accurate as far as it goes but it just doesn't go far enough!  A much better definition is "apprentice".  Why?  Because it clearly implies that YOU must be active in your learning.  A teacher may teach,  but YOU must practice and then ultimately you must go out and use what you have been taught!  Another key thing about apprenticeship is that you have to choose carefully who you follow.  Who will be the best teacher?  Or, in the modern vernacular "who are you going to let drive the bus?"  Who are the leaders and teachers today?  More importantly, are they the best choice? 

My second "nitpick" (and yes, I may be splitting hairs here) is the Wesley Study Bible note (section on 5:17-48) that says "Righteousness, a term that is better translated as 'justice'..."  Again, accurate as far as the definition goes but there is so much more to it!  Let me ask you this, does the word grace come to mind when you think of the word justice?  No?  The definition of righteous in my dictionary says "in conformity with the moral law".  What's the ultimate moral law in the Bible according to Jesus?  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and love your neighbor as yourself.  In my opinion, you have to add grace in to the mix along with justice in order to have a full understanding of what righteousness implies. The grace of God through Jesus saves those who choose to follow.  In turn, those who follow are expected to conform to the ultimate moral law, justice THROUGH grace, or put another way, justice BECAUSE of grace, which is righteousness.  To me, this is a much bigger or more accurate picture of what the word means.  There is an active component to this that has to come from me.  Am I acting justly towards others because of the grace that I have received?  Are my teachers and leaders leading by this example?  Or is it a whole lot of self-serving lip service?  Am I looking out for others or am I just looking out for me?  Do I justify my actions or do I really act justly towards others?

All of this brings me around to the topic of morals and ethics and the importance of proper teaching and proper leading.  Seriously, if you follow the news pundits you'd think the world was coming to an end!  I hate to burst your doom and gloom bubble but I have to tell ya, in my little corner of the world the sun is still shining and the birds are still singing!  Yes, the stock market has tanked, yes there has been a loss of paper money but in the whole scheme of things, is making money the ultimate end all and goal of life?  Is the "dash for cash" the key critical factor in life?  Is getting ahead really what I should be working towards?  I know money matters because it pays the bills, keeps a roof over your head and buys the food but it's meant to be a tool, not the controlling mechanism of your existence.  Yet, for a lot of people it is the only thing to live for!

There in lies the problem.  We have people leading and teaching who have made the accumulation of wealth the key component to our existence.  Their moral compass is skewed and when the spirit of anarchy decided to jump in, the end result was fear and chaos!  Panic peaked, fears drove widespread sell offs and the economic engine went splat!  Who is driving the bus?  Chicken little?  Is the sky really falling?  Isn't that what some people think?  This thinking extends far beyond the financial markets.  This extends in to government and business as well.  When the moral compass is out of whack bad policy follows!  Maybe, if those in power stopped and asked the question "is this how I would want my friends or family or neighbors to treat me" we might see some different results!  Which bus are they driving, the fear mobile or the faith express? 

All of this demonstrates why Discipleship is critical to teach and critical for those in leadership.  Apprenticeship, proper training, providing a firm understanding of the foundation and teaching others how to go out and use what they have learned-all of these are key elements to learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit in all walks of life.  It's the source-it's what feeds the deep river and it is what keeps you on track!  Without that firm moral compass you end up with anarchy.  Take a good hard look around you and ask yourself, is this really how I want to live?  Isn't there something more?  Yes, there is and now is the time to grab hold of that something more!

People of God, it's time to start raising up leaders of courage with the right moral compass to drive the bus!  It's time to stop talking about Discipleship and instead start creating true apprenticeships in order to teach courageous individuals how to step forward and lead.  We already have the blueprint, let's start using it!  Fear and chaos need to become the exception, not the rule!  It's time to grab the wheel!