Showing some "Good Sense"

Some thoughts from Paul in Second Corinthians chapter 10 verses 12-13, 15, 18 (Wesley Study Bible NRSV):

“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves.  But when they measure themselves by one another, and compare themselves with one another, they do not show good sense.  We, however, will not boast beyond limits, but will keep with the field that God has assigned to us, to reach out even as far as you…our hope is that, as your faith increases, our sphere of action among you may be greatly enlarged,…For it is not those who commend themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commends.”

Now maybe, these words really struck me because I had just finished reading about John the Baptist, in the beginning of Luke, and it was very clear that his calling was to be the one who prepared the way, even though there were others who wondered.  Maybe it’s because of all of the buzz that has gone on since General Conference.  Either way, this became a real “ah-ha” moment for me this morning!  Classifying and comparing with those who hold themselves up as the standard.  Measuring and comparing ourselves with one another.  These things were going on, even in Paul’s time, and his conclusion on the matter was “they do not show good sense.”

Isn’t that what we just attempted to legislate at General Conference?  Oops!  Yet, God in his goodness, managed to work through mere imperfect mortals and stop it dead in its tracks!  Thank you Lord for saying NO!

So where do we go from here?  Paul actually gives us a blueprint for how to proceed.  He gives us the proper perspective on how to look at things.  Do not “boast beyond limits.”  “Keep with the field that God has assigned to each of us.”  The outcome being “as a (congregation’s) faith increases, (the) sphere of action…may be greatly enlarged.”  Ta da!  Simple, concise, straight forward.  Ya gotta love Paul, for stating the obvious plainly enough, that even today, people can grasp what he was trying to say!  Bottom line, it’s not going to work unless it is what “the Lord commends”, not what we choose to commend!

Where is your  field-your “sphere of action”?  Your local community.  Your friends, your family, your co-workers, your neighbors.  Is it urban, suburban or rural?  Although there are similarities, each one is unique and different.  Different stresses, different focus, different interactions.  What might work in a city is not necessarily going to work in the country and vice versa.  That’s reality.  What works in one community may not work over in the next town.  My field may not look exactly the same as your field.  So, for me to tell you to do things exactly the same way that I did would be crazy!  There are  differences or “limits” and we should respect that!  I do not know your community the same way you do.   I know my community and I need to do what is best for it, instead of worrying about what someone else is doing.    

That doesn’t mean that we do not share ideas, thoughts and suggestions.  Try the things that seem reasonable and leave the rest!  It doesn’t mean that we do not strive for some consistency on our message or worship.  There are certain things that make us Methodist and we need to be crystal clear on those particular points.  But the actual job of ministry in our community- the way that we grow the faith of  those around us,  must be unique and appropriate for our community!  One size can not and should not be expected to fit all!

God has assigned each of us a field.  We are not meant to make them all look exactly the same.  We are meant to know the field, put in what is best and nurture it so it will grow.  Anyone who has ever attempted to garden understands the wisdom in this approach.

Let each of us commit to adapting an approach that actually shows good sense!

Stages Along The Way

Our youth group took a field trip this weekend with our wonderful youth leader, Crystal and Rev. Jeff.  So that meant we had a “guest” minister at church on Sunday.  Rev. Fred Smith is not a stranger, he is actually “retired” (I don’t think ministers ever fully retire from ministry) and a member of our congregation at FUMC Washington.  We just don’t get the chance to hear him preach at our church very often and it is always a pleasure to hear one of his sermons!  Yesterday was no exception!

Fred preached on Mark 1:14-20 and how the disciples dropped everything to answer when Jesus called.  He talked about how they had no idea what was expected of them, the call did not get a job description!  Yet, they followed anyway!  He talked about his own call to ministry and how he had no idea if he had the gifts and graces, yet God gave him what he needed, when he needed it.  Fred made me cry (not in a bad way!)  Fred has this wonderful gift of making a simple message really hit home!

I thought about this as I was reading in Genesis chapters 12-15, in the Wesley Study Bible, which details the call of Abram.  The notes emphasize Abram’s radical obedience to the call.  But I noticed a couple of passages that the notes did not emphasize.  I’m going to emphasize what caught my eye by capitalizing the phrase in the verse.  The first one is Genesis 12, verse 9:

“And Abram journeyed on BY STAGES toward the Negeb.”

The second one is Genesis 13 verse 3:

“He journeyed on BY STAGES from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,”

When you look at the definition of the word “stage” in the dictionary, you find that there is a very long list of meanings.  Here are just a few:

“the scene of an event; a stopping place in a journey; a point, period or level in a progressive change or development; the distance between two stopping places as a division of a journey”

So, when we talk about Abram making a journey “by stages,” this isn’t just a physical moving about, there is also a spiritual journey as well!

This point is really driven home in chapter 13 when Abram and his nephew, Lot, part ways.  The parting came about because both men had a lot of livestock and the land could not support such a crowd.  The herdsmen were bickering with each other over the limited resources.  Now the notes say that the custom of Ancient Near Eastern tribes was that the younger defer to the older as a show of respect.  But Lot did not do this when he chose where to settle.  The notes say “he chose the best for himself, basing his decision entirely upon his sense…”  The notes go on, further detailing the difference between Lot and Abram “Lot hungrily desires the best his eyes can see, while the Lord charges Abram to see more than he can otherwise imagine.”  The key to getting to the next stage?  “Seeing” more than you can otherwise imagine.  Trusting the Lord to give you what you need when you need it!

The Apostle Paul, makes this same point in Romans 8:24-25 when he says:

“For in hope we were saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what is seen?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Did you ever feel like you were being called or gently nudged to do something but you hesitated?  Or maybe you just flat out rejected the idea as being totally insane because you did not have the skills to accomplish the task?  You could not see how you could possibly accomplish such a thing?!  Maybe you did try once before and failed.  Maybe someone close to you told you that you would never be able to do the task.  You are in good company!  I know I have fallen prey to this pitfall on far too many occasions!  Usually I end up kicking myself for missed opportunities!  And I have a hard time forgiving myself for not following through.  Vicious cycle isn’t it?

But if we take the lesson of Abram to heart, perhaps we would be a little bit gentler with ourselves.  Abram did not become Abraham overnight!  He had a lot of journeying to do before he got to that point.  He traveled both physically and spiritually in stages.  That’s how life works.  We don’t gain maturity overnight.  It comes over years of time and it comes in fits and spurts.  There are stages of progress.  Sometimes we grow fast and other times we seem to level off.  Ask yourself-are you the same person today that you were five years ago or 20 years ago?  Of course not because life is a journey!  We are told that by faith we are saved.  Yet we have no tangible proof of that, but as Paul says “for in hope we are saved.”  Hope is believing in what you can not physically see or, in the case of Abram “seeing more than you can otherwise imagine.”  Our faith is strengthened over time as we go through new experiences and learn new things.  We are challenged, we grow, we level off and we are challenged again.  Sometimes we will miss chances and opportunities and sometimes we will fall flat on our face.  It is all part of the process of each individual life journey!  At each stage, God extends his loving (and forgiving) grace.  All he asks is for us to trust him to lead the way!

If God can forgive us our shortcomings maybe it’s time we do the same.  Instead of dwelling on the opportunities that we missed in the past, make today the day where you focus on the future.  Make the choice to trust God to lead.  Even without a job description, even without any tangible proof, even if you can not see the possibility of success, choose to say yes to God anyway!  Choose to hope in faith.  Choose to see beyond what you can imagine.  Believe that when you get to the next stage God will give you what you need when you need it!  And know that God is right there-walking with you through every stage on the way!

Pondering John's Baptism

This weekend my daily Bible reading took me further in to the Book of Acts, which I've read many times before.  But I was really struck by this story about Paul, and some disciples, in a way that I had never been struck before.  Maybe it is because I am reading it in The Message paraphrase or maybe I just never paid close enough attention!  Anyway, here it is, from Chapter 19:

"Now it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus and happened on some disciples there.  The first thing he said was 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?  Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart:  Did he get inside you?' 'We've never even heard of that-a Holy Spirit:  God within us?' 'How were you baptized, then?' asked Paul.  'In John's baptism.'  'That explains it,' said Paul.  'John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus.  If you've been baptized in John's baptism, you're ready now for the real thing, for Jesus."

I want to point out a few things here-first Paul did not question the fact that they were disciples.  Second, he didn't question the fact that they were baptised.  By asking them if they had received the Holy Spirit, he was in essence asking them what type of baptism they had received.  When the disciples replied "John's baptism", you see Paul saying "That explains it!" 

A modern day reader might look at that exchange and conclude that the disciples were not really baptised because it's assumed that it is a given that we are baptised by the Holy Spirit.  I think Paul would disagree with that assertion.  So, here's what I am pondering.  Those who are in the church are baptised, but how many in the church are stuck in John's baptism?  Weird question?  Let me explain.

Paul describes John's baptism as "radical life change so people would be ready to receive the One coming after him" or in other words  taking "God into your mind only."  They received the Holy Spirit but they had not yet "embraced" the Holy Spirit. 

I may be splitting hairs here but I do wonder how many people are sitting in our churches longing for something more and yet getting the impression that this is as good as it gets in their spiritual life.  Faith, to them, is an intellectual exercise that you try to apply in a practical way in your daily life.  I believe taking faith beyond the church doors and using it in your daily life matters!  But I also get the sense that people are longing for something deeper, something more and they're not sure how to find it!  They sense, that there is something more, that there should be something more but how do you find that something more?

Apollos taught what he knew.  He taught it faithfully and well and the disciples followed.   Paul came along and showed them the next step.   They were not aware that there was something more.  Modern day Christians don't have the same exact problem but there is a similar issue-who will teach them how to take the next step?  Who will help point the way to something more? 

This may seem like a weird thing to bring up during Advent but think about it-when a woman experiences pregnancy she knows that the baby and her body will go through change.  There is a process that happens.  There is something more than simply being pregnant.  The first flutter, the first strong kick, the first bout of 3 a.m. false labor.  All of it leads up to the big event, the actual birth!  But there is even more after that-there is raising, to the best of our God given ability, the little helpless squirming bundle that is now in our arms!  There is always a next step, there is something more.  If you apply that analogy to the church-are we as a congregation teaching that something more?  Or are we just letting our members rest in a baptism that is similar to the baptism of John? 

It's a question that I think we should consider pondering.

What we See-What we Convey

Thoughts from Amos (The Message Paraphrase)-the "what we see" part:
Chapter 5:

"Justice is a lost cause. Evil is epidemic.  Decent people throw up their hands.  Protest and rebuke are useless, a waste of breath.  Seek good and not evil-and live!  You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, being your best friend.  Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen.  Hate evil and love good, then work it out in the public square."

"...I can't stand your religious meetings.  I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.  I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals.  I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making.  I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.  When was the last time you sang to me?  Do you know what I want?  I want justice-oceans of it.  I want fairness-rivers of it.  That's what I want.  That's all I want." 

Chapter 6:

"Woe to those who live in luxury and expect everyone else to serve them!  Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others!  Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them!  Woe to those addicted to feeling good-life without pain!  Those obsessed with looking good-life without wrinkles!  They could not care less about their country going to ruin." 

Is it just me or does this sound an awful lot like what we see around us today?  Amos may have brought the message (rather reluctantly) but he was obedient-he said what had to be said.  But he also ended on a hopeful note.  There would be shaking and sifting but a faithful remnant would remain.  And that remnant would rebuild because God would bless them.  

I'm still reading in the Book of Acts and today I read about Paul and Barnabas in Antioch (chapter 13). They were invited to speak twice.  The second time some of the Jews became jealous because of the crowds and they contradicted what Paul was saying.  Long story short, this is the point where Paul told the Jews that they had rejected the message so now they would be going to preach to the Gentiles siting Isaiah 49:6 as the justification for doing so.  It goes on to say that when they Gentiles heard this "they were glad and praised the word of the Lord..."  The message that was conveyed?  There was hope for them too!  They could accept that Jesus was the Savior and they too could be saved.  They could be included as well!  I got thinking about this:  what would it feel like to be an outsider, wanting to be a part of this but being told that you couldn't be included because you didn't have the right qualifications.  What would it feel like to have someone come along and suddenly say "oh that's nonsense, you can be included too!"  Is the church today willing to convey that message-hope.  Or will we stand by and look at what we see and say "this is simply how it is."  What message are we willing to convey?  How far are we willing to go?

If Amos, even in the midst of delivering a very painful message, could still hold out a message of hope, shouldn't we be doing the same?  The message is not pleasant-we all need to repent.  But there is hope!  Jesus is Savior and he is available to all who are willing to believe.  No qualifications necessary other then a believing heart and a willingness to repent our old ways and follow a new way.  That message should be first and foremost today!  Our world needs it desperately!

Religion At Your Doorstep-The Importance of Home Work

Today is Labor Day and for many, it signals the end of summer and the onset of fall.  Labor Day was started as a holiday to celebrate the importance of the worker and was originally organized by Union leaders to show the solidarity of workers.  Let's face it, without workers willing to work nothing would get done!  Leaders and executives can plan all they want, but without workers, none of their plans can be implemented!  Workers do matter!

Jesus understood this in the spiritual realm as well.  So many of his parables focus on laborers and workers because he knew that without willing workers, nothing gets done!  So it's no surprise to me that in 1 Timothy 5, Paul reminds Timothy about the importance of taking care of the widows and doing work for them.  The Message paraphrase says this:

"...let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep and that they should pay back with gratitude some of what they have received."

Work starts at home.  It starts with helping your family.  It expands to helping your friends, your community and the world around you, but it starts on your doorstep!

If this past week is any indication, I don't think that the average worker has forgotten this lesson!  People who were not effected by the flooding have joined together in their own community to help those who were effected.  I saw the same thing earlier in the spring in Joplin, Missouri after the tornado.  Family helping family.  Friend helping friend.  Neighbor helping neighbor.

What a contrast to the warning that Paul gives Timothy in 2 Timothy 3.  The Message paraphrase says:

"Don't be naive.  There are difficult times ahead.  As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God.  They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals.  Stay clear of these people."

No, I'm not saying the end is near!  But I will admit, I see an awful lot today that fits Paul's description.  Particularly in the world of politics where the concern is not about doing the best for the country or the state or the community.  Rather, it is about doing the best for the individual candidate.  Or, in the corporate world where it is about doing the best for the profit margin so the CEO saves his job.

There is a stark contrast!  I have yet to see an elected official helping with clean up efforts.  They tour, they talk, they look fresh as a daisy standing in the chaos.  I have, however, seen family, friends, neighbors and strangers stepping in and getting their hands dirty and helping with the work.   I am puzzled by this disconnect.  They talk a good talk but where's the walk?  And I wonder if this explains why our unemployment rate has stayed so high?  Is it because they say they get it but the reality is, they honestly do not understand that they could make a huge difference if they would just get off their collective high horse and get to work?

We talk a lot about the unemployment rate as reported by the department of Labor which hovers right around 9%.  But there are economists who look at a larger picture and put the real unemployment rate at anywhere between 16% and 22%.  If the real rate is closer to 22% that means almost 1/4 of our eligible workforce is not working!  With all of the damage from various storms around the country is there really any reason for that number to be so high?  There is work to be done, so why can't our leadership work together to start rebuilding?  I don't get it, I really don't, why there is so little agreement on things that matter to everyone!  They are elected servants of the people first, and leaders second.  And Jesus made it very clear that a true leader serves others first and puts their own self-interest second.  The same principle applies to the business world as well.  It's not about the shareholder, it's about providing the best product to the client.  And in order to do that you provide your workers with the very best equipment to make that possible.  How could they have forgotten that?

I am just grateful that on this Labor Day I can point to individuals who have not forgotten this very basic lesson!  These individuals within their communities are practicing what they intuitively know to be right.  Religion starts at your own doorstep and it means helping others from your own grateful heart!  They are working together to clean up, rebuild and restore.

Thank you God for willing workers!  Let their example shine brightly for others to see!

Moments of Jubilee Amidst Anarchy?

So I have had an interesting convergence of daily Bible readings over the last 24 hours.  Yesterday's reading came out of Second Thessalonians, and today's reading was the last few chapters in Leviticus. 

Let's start with Leviticus because God was giving instructions to Moses about an amazing national celebration that involved rest and restoration-the Jubilee year.  The basic formula is based on the number 7.  God instructed that for six years crops would be planted and harvested but the seventh year of the cycle the land was allowed a rest.  No planting, no harvesting but you could live off of what the land produced on it's own for that seventh year.  There would be seven cycles of 7 adding up to 49 years.  Then the trumpet would be blown and the 50th year would be declared a holy year-a year of Jubilee.  It was a year where individuals would reunite with their families, where property that was sold would return to the original owners, debts forgiven and celebration would occur.  Jubilee-a year to celebrate God's abundant blessings.

There are ministers who like to preach on Jubilee who tell you to expect your time of Jubilee. That time when all goes right in the world and your ship comes in and all is well!  Well meaning, good hearted people do just that-they sow their seed and wait for a harvest.  Meanwhile all hell is breaking loose around them and they wonder what's going on and why their year of Jubilee has not come?  Where is their promised deliverance?  Are they not worthy enough?  Are they not faithful enough?  Did they do something wrong?  Did they miss the Jubilee boat?

Reading Second Thessalonians gives a slightly different picture.  This is most definitely a letter of encouragement from Paul!  In The Message paraphrase Paul says this:

"...you're so steady and determined in your faith despite (emphasis mine) all the hard times that have come down on you."

Paul then goes on to address the spirit of anarchy.  Other translations refer to this as the spirit of the anti-christ but I like the word picture that you get from using the word anarchy because it brings to mind chaos and disorder and it reminds me of what C.S. Lewis talked about in "The Screw-Tape Letters".  Here's what Paul had to say:

"That doesn't mean that the spirit or anarchy is not now at work.  It is, secretly and underground."

There's an important lesson here for today.  If you look at the headlines, even over the weekend, with the deaths of 31 service members in Afghanistan and the downgrading of the United States credit rating it does give one cause to pause.  Just when you thought things might be getting better why does it seem like they are getting worse?  If ever there was a time or need to call for national prayer, this is it, in my opinion!

What is the goal of anarchy?  Chaos, confusion, dissent, fear, loss of faith and hope and a host of other negative things.  Yes, these are things that are alive and well and flourishing in our world right now.  Yet, when you look at Paul's letter we know that the church was experiencing persecution.  They were living with anarchy yet they were able to hold steady.  That's the lesson in all of this-the ability to find your Jubilee within the chaos.  The ability to stay "steady and determined" despite the hardship.  That is the key!

I mourn with the families who lost a loved one.  I pray for them. Being the parent of a child in the service this one hits close to home because I know the possibility exists that I could get one of those phone call!  I mourn for the individual who lost their job because of downsizing and I pray that the next opportunity will be even bigger and better than what they had before.  I mourn for those who have lost their home because they couldn't make the mortgage payment.  In the midst of all of this though, I still believe that God is still large and in charge!  I mourn, I pray, I strive to keep my eye on the ball.  I pray for Jubilee. 

I see moments of Jubilee around me every day.  Right now, two of my friends are on their way to Joplin to do what they can to help out with clean up and to bring some much needed supplies.  Every step towards returning to a normal life is a cause for celebration!  They may have lost everything they owned but hope is strong and they are determined to re-build.  The veteran who chooses to endure grueling physical therapy to walk again is a cause for celebration.  They may have lost a limb but they are determined to stand tall and to move forward.  There are many other examples but the point is, Jubilee exists all around us if we just open our eyes and look! 

Bad things happening have nothing to do with a lack of faith or that someone did something wrong or didn't do enough.  Bad things happen because bad things happen.  The spirit of anarchy exists and is an equal opportunity opportunist!  You can respond the way that it would like you to respond-in fear and sadness and loss of hope or you can choose to stay steady and determined.  Even a little faith mixed with hope goes a long way!

To wrap this up, I'm going to quote The Message paraphrase because I think this is a good prayer for us all.  All of this comes from Second Thessalonians and it's powerful stuff if you can get a hold of it.

"May Jesus himself and God Our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.  (I)..pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something.  Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely."

I pray that you embrace the gift of faith and hope and courage and that you walk forth steady and determined.  I pray that you find your moments of Jubilee even in the midst of anarchy.  May God give you eyes to see what is right there in front of you!  Amen and Amen!

Use Your Head!

How many times have I heard this phrase over the years?  It also falls on the list of "things I swore I'd never say but yet I did utter those very words!"  I'm beginning to think in this day and age, it's not such a bad thing to say!

I ran across the phrase in The Message paraphrase of Colossians 4:

"Use your head as you live and work among outsiders.  Don't miss a trick.  Make the most of every opportunity.  Be gracious in your speech.  The goal is to bring out the best in others in conversation, not put them down, not cut them out."

Use your head, be gracious, bring out the best in others, don't put them down-that's some pretty sound advice if you ask me!  Sort of falls along the lines of the old phrase "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar." 

In our day of "instant everything" asking someone to really think seems like a tall order!  It's a critical skill worth cultivating.  Phrases like "think it through", "think before you act", "think before you speak" why do they matter?  They matter because what you say or what you do matters!  You can have a positive impact on your life or someone else's life  Or, you can have a negative impact.  If you want to avoid the negative, then you had better use your head and think it through before you say or do anything!

Thinking is something that Wesley encouraged as well.  One of the church terms that gets used without a lot of explanation is "Wesleyan Quadrilateral".  Simply put, Wesley believed that scripture, tradition, experience and reason are the tools to use on your faith journey.  A life of Holiness is a continual process of engagement not a "check your brain at the door and just do what I tell you" style of living.  Nope!  It involves thinking and doing.  It involves work. 

Wait a second!  We're saved by grace not by works!  (That's what you're thinking, right?)  That statement is absolutely correct.  "Trudy, you just said I have to think and do and work!"  Yes, I did.  On the surface, it may sound like a contradiction, but it's not.  Think of it in terms of your life.  Did you get your diploma, or your job or your house or whatever by hoping or wishing or did you go out, do your homework, come up with a plan and then work towards achieving the goal?  Of course you researched and created a plan and did the work because that is logical!  That's how you achieve goals!    

I've said it before I'll say it again.  Grace is a gift.  It's a gift from God.  In accepting the gift it is understood that you are not going to be the same person you were before!  You're not going to do the same things that you did before!  You are expected to share this gift of grace!  You change and grow inwardly.  That change is then reflected in what you do outwardly!  The change reflects a change in thinking, which leads to a change in how we act towards others.  Rather than discouraging independent thinking, it encourages using your head!

Wesley believed that scripture was God inspired.  Tradition means asking how has this scripture has been consistently interpreted and how does someone else's interpretation line up with the traditional interpretation?  Reason asks "does this make sense?"  Experience shows whether the "latest, greatest" interpretation pans out in the real world.  Bottom line, it matches perfectly with what Paul was saying about using your head!  God is not asking us to sit back and let someone else give us the answers.  God is encouraging us to think and to act! 

How do I help and encourage others?  What can I do to bring out the best in myself, my family, my church, my community?  These are the sorts of questions you start asking on your faith journey.  The God inspired ideas start coming.  Work becomes a joy because your hands reflect the ideas in your head which reflect the change in your heart! 

So let's all use our heads!  That's what the good Lord made it for! 

Deep Spirited Friends

So I was reading Philippians this morning and a phrase caught my eye: "be deep-spirited friends".  It was a phrase that really resonated with me because I have friends that I would call "deep-spirited".  It's not a philosophical meaning, rather it's a practical meaning.  They are the kinds of friends that no matter what happens, they stick by you!  When things are good they are cheering and when things are bad they cry with you.  As the Message paraphrase puts it at the beginning of chapter 2-"put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage.  Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."

I have friends that I have known for as long as I can remember!  My first memories are playing with them or going to Sunday School with them or starting Kindergarten together.  As far back as I can remember, they are a part of my memory, just like my family.  The great joy of the Internet is that I can renew some of those friendships and keep up with what is going on in their lives on a daily basis!  They know me warts and all and still call me friend even after all these years!  They cheer me on, encourage me and set me straight when I need a reality check!  They are, to me, deep-spirited friends!

I have friends here as well, half way across the country who I would call deep-spirited friends.  They haven't known me as long but they still know me, warts and all and call me friend!  Their gift of friendship to me is equally as special because, now that I am older, I understand that I can pick and choose my friends.  In turn other adults can pick and choose their friends as well and they still choose to be my friend! 

My friends are such a gift to me!  I can say with all honesty that I would do anything for them if it was within my power.  Even if it wasn't within my power I'd still try to help!  And I believe that they would do the same for me.  I think that's what Paul meant-true friendship is a relationship that goes beyond the surface and right down to your very core.  Or, as Anne of Green Gables would say these friends are "kindred spirits."  They may be far away but I know that they have been and always will be my friends!

Having said that, I think we all search for relationships like this and we suffer a great emptiness when they don't exist in our lives.  I think that's why Wesley in the early days of Methodism stressed the importance of the "societies".  They were designed to give an individual a chance to meet with others, study, pray, encourage and hold each other accountable.  With the mobility of our society it becomes harder to develop those sorts of deep relationships but I think they are even more critical now than ever before!  We need friend anchors to help us not feel so alone.  We need those friends to encourage us when we're down and set us straight when we've gone off the deep end!  We need deep-spirited friends!

As the old song says "make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold".  If you have lost touch with an old friend maybe today is the day to try to reconnect.  If you are new in town, maybe today is the day to find a place where you can make some new friends.  And if you have lived in town forever and know someone has just moved in, take the time to reach out to them!  We all need to connect in more than just a superficial way.  Take the time to cultivate those deep-spirited friendships.  You'll be glad that you did!

And to my darling friends old and new-thank you for putting up with me!