I saw a t-shirt today for a construction company that said, “If you’re not bleeding you’re not working.”
A lot of us are bleeding. We’re wounded by past experiences and hurts from others. Why would we want to add self-inflicted wounds to the injuries from which we need healing?
We assume that God wants us to be productive and that the only way to know how productive we are is for us to feel some pain. So if someone seems too relaxed (including ourselves) we wonder if they’re working hard enough. We look for evidence of commitment to God that includes an overloaded calendar and a vaguely harried manner. If I lash out at someone in anger, I feel justified when I think, “If s/he only knew how much pressure I’m under.”
And then I read Isaiah 30:15: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength”. The Martha in me protests, but God has a rebuttal, “but you would have none of it.” Yeah, he's talking to me.
Can God really get his work done while I am resting in him? Do I have time to respond to Jesus’ call, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)? Someone once said to me that God has given me all the time I need to do what he is calling me to do. The problem is that I keep adding other stuff to my calendar. What I really need to do is stop and talk to God and discern what he really wants me to do.
This isn’t to say that there isn’t a cross for me to bear, that I am to share in the sufferings of Jesus. But there’s a difference between wounds that come from taking up the cross and self-inflicted wounds from carrying too heavy a calendar.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
covenant v contract
What’s the difference between a covenant and a contract? In Ruth 4 Boaz makes an agreement between himself and the first in line as kinsman-redeemer. You don’t have to know what a “kinsman-redeemer” is, just notice that Boaz calls the elders of the city together to act as witnesses and pass judgment over the agreement.
In the days before the printing press (or desktop publishing) agreements were made based on a person’s word, which really means it was based on his character (women weren’t usually allowed to make covenants). The witness to that person’s character were the elders of the town. They weren’t legal experts, they were people who knew that person’s life and how he conducted himself and what his reputation was.
These days, we make agreements called contracts and if you pay a lawyer enough s/he will find a way to get you out of the agreement. That’s because the agreement is only as good as its wording. The people who make sure the wording is secure are lawyers and the people who judge if the claims about the wording are valid are judges. The character of the people entering the agreement is mostly irrelevant, as is the character of the people who wrote up the agreement.
Throughout the Bible God’s intentions toward us are expressed in covenants: with Adam, with Abraham, with David, etc. God isn’t trying to wiggle out of his expressed agreements. Instead, he backs up his intentions toward us with his character. And he calls as witnesses the multitudes of people who have found him to be faithful.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)
In the days before the printing press (or desktop publishing) agreements were made based on a person’s word, which really means it was based on his character (women weren’t usually allowed to make covenants). The witness to that person’s character were the elders of the town. They weren’t legal experts, they were people who knew that person’s life and how he conducted himself and what his reputation was.
These days, we make agreements called contracts and if you pay a lawyer enough s/he will find a way to get you out of the agreement. That’s because the agreement is only as good as its wording. The people who make sure the wording is secure are lawyers and the people who judge if the claims about the wording are valid are judges. The character of the people entering the agreement is mostly irrelevant, as is the character of the people who wrote up the agreement.
Throughout the Bible God’s intentions toward us are expressed in covenants: with Adam, with Abraham, with David, etc. God isn’t trying to wiggle out of his expressed agreements. Instead, he backs up his intentions toward us with his character. And he calls as witnesses the multitudes of people who have found him to be faithful.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)
Sunday, July 31, 2011
caring
When did Jesus feed the 5000? According to Matthew 14, Jesus had just heard the news that John the Baptist had been killed. Matthew doesn’t mention Jesus’ emotions, but I’m sure he was grieving. Matthew does say that Jesus withdrew to be by himself for a while. But the crowds found out where he was and came to him. And Jesus was moved with another emotion, compassion. He saw people loved by God, whose dignity and joy was marred by disease and emotional pain. So Matthew tells us that Jesus healed their sick.
The beginning of Eugene Peterson’s memoir “The Pastor” is about the development of his “pastoral imagination.” What is he imagining? He is learning to see people as God sees them. He is learning to envision their future as God does. His job as a pastor, then, is to help them get in touch with God’s love for them and help them cooperate with God’s work in them.
Jesus had an active pastoral imagination. After all, his divine nature was the one who had helped to lovingly create each person and had a vision and purpose for each one. So even though his human nature was grieving, Jesus took time to heal and feed people.
It’s also true that Jesus didn’t ignore his need to grieve and to be alone. I suppose his time away from the crowds didn’t last as long as he had thought it might. But he took that time nonetheless, as he often did (Mark 1:35, Luke 4:42). He knew that time alone with his Father was necessary for the renewing of his soul and his body.
Matthew 14 is a lesson to me in taking care of others as well as taking care of myself. Lord, help me to see people as you do, as those you have lovingly created. Help me to have the grace to participate in your loving work in them. And help me to be in touch with how much you love me and with what you are doing in me. Amen.
The beginning of Eugene Peterson’s memoir “The Pastor” is about the development of his “pastoral imagination.” What is he imagining? He is learning to see people as God sees them. He is learning to envision their future as God does. His job as a pastor, then, is to help them get in touch with God’s love for them and help them cooperate with God’s work in them.
Jesus had an active pastoral imagination. After all, his divine nature was the one who had helped to lovingly create each person and had a vision and purpose for each one. So even though his human nature was grieving, Jesus took time to heal and feed people.
It’s also true that Jesus didn’t ignore his need to grieve and to be alone. I suppose his time away from the crowds didn’t last as long as he had thought it might. But he took that time nonetheless, as he often did (Mark 1:35, Luke 4:42). He knew that time alone with his Father was necessary for the renewing of his soul and his body.
Matthew 14 is a lesson to me in taking care of others as well as taking care of myself. Lord, help me to see people as you do, as those you have lovingly created. Help me to have the grace to participate in your loving work in them. And help me to be in touch with how much you love me and with what you are doing in me. Amen.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
making others miserable
Why was Martha upset at Mary in Luke 10? Martha was bothered by Mary’s not helping with the chores, but was even more incensed that Mary wasn’t participating in Martha’s sense of frantic busy-ness. Martha wanted Mary to feel the same way she felt. Nothing is so infuriating to an anxious person as a calm person. Misery loves company and wants to drag everyone into the same mire of turmoil.
It’s true that empathy can be healing. But the empathetic person can’t become enmeshed in the same dire perspective as the person who is to be helped or there will be no help. Martha was feeling that everything depended on her. She probably felt that she was even earning some kind of brownie points with God because she was taking Jesus’ presence in her home seriously. On the other hand, Mary was enjoying Jesus’ presence, a presence which made even the everyday surroundings and activities delightful. So Jesus recognized Martha’s feelings and preoccupations, but encouraged her to let go and know that the best things in life, loving and being loved, are truly free… and freeing.
It’s true that empathy can be healing. But the empathetic person can’t become enmeshed in the same dire perspective as the person who is to be helped or there will be no help. Martha was feeling that everything depended on her. She probably felt that she was even earning some kind of brownie points with God because she was taking Jesus’ presence in her home seriously. On the other hand, Mary was enjoying Jesus’ presence, a presence which made even the everyday surroundings and activities delightful. So Jesus recognized Martha’s feelings and preoccupations, but encouraged her to let go and know that the best things in life, loving and being loved, are truly free… and freeing.
Monday, July 11, 2011
loving Jesus
As we sang “My Jesus I love Thee” in worship yesterday, I was moved. We had commissioned the Chongsiriwatana family to serve God in Thailand. Fred had just challenged us to have a serious DTR with God. Obviously, loving Jesus meant sacrifice and service.
Later that afternoon my family was getting on my nerves and I was grumpily doing chores around the house. And then I thought again about what it means to love Jesus. Loving Jesus means serious self-examination, living out of conviction and serving him in faraway countries. But it also means quietly serving my family. It also means asking God for the grace to be kind and patient when I don’t feel like it.
And loving Jesus means loving his Church, loving my church, loving even the individuals in my church who irritate me and disagree with me. It means putting aside complaining. It means doing whatever he shows me to help build up these people and this community that he loves.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19-21)
Later that afternoon my family was getting on my nerves and I was grumpily doing chores around the house. And then I thought again about what it means to love Jesus. Loving Jesus means serious self-examination, living out of conviction and serving him in faraway countries. But it also means quietly serving my family. It also means asking God for the grace to be kind and patient when I don’t feel like it.
And loving Jesus means loving his Church, loving my church, loving even the individuals in my church who irritate me and disagree with me. It means putting aside complaining. It means doing whatever he shows me to help build up these people and this community that he loves.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19-21)
Thursday, May 19, 2011
NHPB journal
A week ago I was in Washington DC for the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. Here are some thoughts that I jotted down as I reflected on the experience on the plane ride home.
May 10. On the shuttle from the airport to my hotel I chatted with a fellow passenger. She was the head of her realtor association in a Bay Area county. We were both in DC for conferences and visits with legislators, but she made the trek every year and this was my first time. We listened to news about the floods in Memphis and I remarked that I had been in Biloxi to help with rebuilding after the floods resulting from the hurricanes in 2005. She said that she had just been in Biloxi to encourage government to do more to help homeowners. That was when it hit me that I had an understanding of doing works of mercy, but influencing government officials to act justly was unfamiliar to me. But both are needed. My fundamentalist upbringing encouraged me to remain separate from the world. My Chinese heritage distrusted government and preferred to use the “back door” of relationships instead of the front door of official channels. But this conversation opened my eyes to see that swinging a hammer isn’t enough, that speaking up in the halls of power is also needed. I had made the trip partly because of the tourist appeal of seeing President Obama. God was starting to open my heart to the work that was needing to be done.
That afternoon I received instruction on how to speak to a legislator. I found that conferees would be divided into groups according to the states we lived in so that we could let the lawmakers know that we were their constituents. I received information about Esperanza’s stance on immigration reform and the state of education resources for Hispanics. I learned that Esperanza is anti-amnesty, and for strong borders, verifiable employment status and compassionate treatment of families while still being tough on enforcement of immigration status. This knowledge prepared us to visit the many freshman legislators who had been elected by socially and fiscally conservative voters.
That evening we learned about how many Hispanics were being adversely affected by the housing downturn, losing homes to foreclosure while being targeted by scam artists. We wanted to let legislators know that resources to help Hispanic homeowners keep their homes would pay dividends in the future because immigrants tend to be hardworking and diligent in pursuing the American dream.
May 11. We had to get up early to attend a breakfast briefing in one of the Senate office buildings and then be addressed by Newt Gingrich. His agenda was clear once he disclosed that he was going to officially announce his run for the Presidency that afternoon. In order to appeal to the over 200 mostly Hispanic voters, he began by addressing us in Spanish. Then he argued that he had a strategy for passing immigration reform legislation that was more likely to succeed than the President’s. It made me realize that being in DC was no mean feat. The people in these halls of power are bright and articulate and resolute. And they care about people. But being in DC can isolate a person from the very people that a lawmaker is there to help.
The most striking moment for me was the prayer that was said as we prepared to make our “Hill visits”. The meeting was closed with a prayer that we would be empowered as prophets of old. I realized that I was in DC to “speak truth to power.” I was there to remind the lawmakers of the challenges that their constituents were facing and to suggest ways they could help, primarily by developing and passing laws to fix an extremely broken immigration system while also giving our country secure borders.
I made three visits to the offices of members of the House. All were Republicans: a freshman, a multiple-termer, and the House majority whip. We spoke to staffers who would later be informing the members of their constituents’ perspective. It was a bit counter-intuitive, but the more powerful the member, the more open and reasonable their staffer. The freshman member’s staffer was firm that no immigration reform legislation would be passed by this Congress because jobs and budget were too important. We heard this line all three times, but the more seasoned staffers seemed to understand that it was important to hear us out, even if they disagreed with our agenda.
It was a little comical that in the most powerful member’s office our visiting team consisted of no Hispanics, an African American, an Anglo, and an Asian American. But our team worked well together and the assistant chief of staff, was amiable and open. He shared the misgivings of his party so that we could respond and encourage partnership from a standpoint of shared values, even if the strategy wasn’t yet agreed upon. It was in that meeting that I felt most comfortable, allowing my enjoyment of dialog to be a vehicle for the Spirit to give voice to a prophetic message that was needed in that place. And I felt the value and need for working for justice in the halls of power as well as doing acts of mercy among people who are hurting.
After the visits we attended a briefing by senior White House staff, informing us of what the Cabinet members were doing to help the Hispanic community in many areas, including housing, employment, food, and education resources. I realized how important it is to get the word out about the resources that the government is offering. Part of our church’s community involvement could surely include connecting people in need to resources that are already available. As a taxpayer, I don’t want the government spending an inordinate amount of money on advertising campaigns. On the other hand, I don’t want resources that could improve our neighborhoods going to waste. For example, instead of complaining about the high rate of foreclosures, I could help connect people with counseling to help them avoid foreclosure. That helps raise my property values, gets us out of the current credit crisis sooner, and increases overall wealth and economic health for the good of all. It seems like a no-brainer but I’d never thought of it before.
May 12. We had to arrive at 5:30 for a 7:00 breakfast because of the security surrounding an event involving the President. Along with checking everyone’s ID and having us go through a metal detector, we saw bomb-sniffing dogs investigate the platform. Most of us were kept at a distance by a scarlet rope, and we were aware of both highly visible armed guards and of the Secret Service, who were hardly inconspicuous in their dark suits and earpieces. It reminded me that the President is both a powerful and influential leader, and a fragile human being. The actual speech was a bit of a let-down, containing no strategic substance as to what sort of legislation he wanted to sign. He said that he couldn’t do immigration reform alone and needed our help to mobilize our congregations. But the message was a good reminder: none of us can do such important work alone. We are fallible human beings who can become blinded by the trappings of power or frustrated by the lack of a hearing for our good ideas. We need each other in order for all of us to do our jobs well.
May 10. On the shuttle from the airport to my hotel I chatted with a fellow passenger. She was the head of her realtor association in a Bay Area county. We were both in DC for conferences and visits with legislators, but she made the trek every year and this was my first time. We listened to news about the floods in Memphis and I remarked that I had been in Biloxi to help with rebuilding after the floods resulting from the hurricanes in 2005. She said that she had just been in Biloxi to encourage government to do more to help homeowners. That was when it hit me that I had an understanding of doing works of mercy, but influencing government officials to act justly was unfamiliar to me. But both are needed. My fundamentalist upbringing encouraged me to remain separate from the world. My Chinese heritage distrusted government and preferred to use the “back door” of relationships instead of the front door of official channels. But this conversation opened my eyes to see that swinging a hammer isn’t enough, that speaking up in the halls of power is also needed. I had made the trip partly because of the tourist appeal of seeing President Obama. God was starting to open my heart to the work that was needing to be done.
That afternoon I received instruction on how to speak to a legislator. I found that conferees would be divided into groups according to the states we lived in so that we could let the lawmakers know that we were their constituents. I received information about Esperanza’s stance on immigration reform and the state of education resources for Hispanics. I learned that Esperanza is anti-amnesty, and for strong borders, verifiable employment status and compassionate treatment of families while still being tough on enforcement of immigration status. This knowledge prepared us to visit the many freshman legislators who had been elected by socially and fiscally conservative voters.
That evening we learned about how many Hispanics were being adversely affected by the housing downturn, losing homes to foreclosure while being targeted by scam artists. We wanted to let legislators know that resources to help Hispanic homeowners keep their homes would pay dividends in the future because immigrants tend to be hardworking and diligent in pursuing the American dream.
May 11. We had to get up early to attend a breakfast briefing in one of the Senate office buildings and then be addressed by Newt Gingrich. His agenda was clear once he disclosed that he was going to officially announce his run for the Presidency that afternoon. In order to appeal to the over 200 mostly Hispanic voters, he began by addressing us in Spanish. Then he argued that he had a strategy for passing immigration reform legislation that was more likely to succeed than the President’s. It made me realize that being in DC was no mean feat. The people in these halls of power are bright and articulate and resolute. And they care about people. But being in DC can isolate a person from the very people that a lawmaker is there to help.
The most striking moment for me was the prayer that was said as we prepared to make our “Hill visits”. The meeting was closed with a prayer that we would be empowered as prophets of old. I realized that I was in DC to “speak truth to power.” I was there to remind the lawmakers of the challenges that their constituents were facing and to suggest ways they could help, primarily by developing and passing laws to fix an extremely broken immigration system while also giving our country secure borders.
I made three visits to the offices of members of the House. All were Republicans: a freshman, a multiple-termer, and the House majority whip. We spoke to staffers who would later be informing the members of their constituents’ perspective. It was a bit counter-intuitive, but the more powerful the member, the more open and reasonable their staffer. The freshman member’s staffer was firm that no immigration reform legislation would be passed by this Congress because jobs and budget were too important. We heard this line all three times, but the more seasoned staffers seemed to understand that it was important to hear us out, even if they disagreed with our agenda.
It was a little comical that in the most powerful member’s office our visiting team consisted of no Hispanics, an African American, an Anglo, and an Asian American. But our team worked well together and the assistant chief of staff, was amiable and open. He shared the misgivings of his party so that we could respond and encourage partnership from a standpoint of shared values, even if the strategy wasn’t yet agreed upon. It was in that meeting that I felt most comfortable, allowing my enjoyment of dialog to be a vehicle for the Spirit to give voice to a prophetic message that was needed in that place. And I felt the value and need for working for justice in the halls of power as well as doing acts of mercy among people who are hurting.
After the visits we attended a briefing by senior White House staff, informing us of what the Cabinet members were doing to help the Hispanic community in many areas, including housing, employment, food, and education resources. I realized how important it is to get the word out about the resources that the government is offering. Part of our church’s community involvement could surely include connecting people in need to resources that are already available. As a taxpayer, I don’t want the government spending an inordinate amount of money on advertising campaigns. On the other hand, I don’t want resources that could improve our neighborhoods going to waste. For example, instead of complaining about the high rate of foreclosures, I could help connect people with counseling to help them avoid foreclosure. That helps raise my property values, gets us out of the current credit crisis sooner, and increases overall wealth and economic health for the good of all. It seems like a no-brainer but I’d never thought of it before.
May 12. We had to arrive at 5:30 for a 7:00 breakfast because of the security surrounding an event involving the President. Along with checking everyone’s ID and having us go through a metal detector, we saw bomb-sniffing dogs investigate the platform. Most of us were kept at a distance by a scarlet rope, and we were aware of both highly visible armed guards and of the Secret Service, who were hardly inconspicuous in their dark suits and earpieces. It reminded me that the President is both a powerful and influential leader, and a fragile human being. The actual speech was a bit of a let-down, containing no strategic substance as to what sort of legislation he wanted to sign. He said that he couldn’t do immigration reform alone and needed our help to mobilize our congregations. But the message was a good reminder: none of us can do such important work alone. We are fallible human beings who can become blinded by the trappings of power or frustrated by the lack of a hearing for our good ideas. We need each other in order for all of us to do our jobs well.
a pastor's heart
My bro-in-law Tony died suddenly on the Saturday before Easter. We were both interns under Dr. Murphy Lum 30 years ago. At Tony's memorial service in L.A. two nights ago, Pastor Lum ended with an invitation to accept Christ as savior. It was an old-fashioned altar call, albeit brief. It impressed me because it showed Dr. Lum’s heart. More than anything he wants to see people come to know Jesus. I may think his methods are old-fashioned but I can’t disagree with his heart. He is in alignment with Jesus and Paul. Jesus said that his message was to repent because the kingdom of heaven is near (Matt 4:17). Paul said that our message is to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:19-20). Entering the kingdom of heaven and being reconciled to God are the summum bonum of human experience, the highest good that we could experience. Wanting this for everyone that he can influence is what makes Murphy a successful pastor, regardless of attendance numbers or the size of the church building where he has an office.
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