Radical Community

Yesterday I went to visit my father and to go with him for his first appointment with the oncologist (cancer specialist). That's an unnerving experience, to say the least. Though heart disease and diabetes are greater health problems in America by far, cancer still has the edge when it comes to 'fright factor.' Just the word makes us feel dread. The tension built up in the three of us; Mom, Dad, and me. What would Dr. Patel say? What is Dad facing in terms of treatment? That's the other thing with a cancer diagnosis. Sometimes the treatment looks as bad as the disease! As it turns out, before a prognosis can be offered or a treatment regimen suggested, there are some more tests the physician wants, so we did not really get answers to our questions. So, now there is more waiting, which adds to the tension.

There was a bright spot of encouragement in the day, however, which I want to share with you. I apologize for the long run-up, but the point needs a context. When my parents moved to Pennsylvania in March of 2006, I was not too happy about their decision to be that far away, in case of the very kind of circumstances that they are dealing with right now. But God had a different plan which became even more clear to me yesterday.

Dad is a friendly guy who feels the need to talk to everybody he meets. In the area where they now live there are many members of the Old Order Mennonite sect as well as the Amish; groups that to outsiders seem indistinguishable. Both groups reject much of the modern world, living without phones, electricity in their homes, automobiles, or computers. They dress plainly in homemade clothing, live simply, and most distinctive of all - practice radical communal living. They are tightly knit groups that few in the world outside really know. As the Lord would have it, Dad has found a 'home' with these groups. He has become a friend of many and they have reached out care for him and his family.

Last night, 'round 7 PM, there was a knock at the door. There stood about an extended family of Old Order Mennonites; straw brimmed hats, overalls, and plain dresses. There were about 12 adults and several little children. Jason, one of the young men in the family, has been doing some work for Dad and knew of his illness. So he rallied his family to give what they could! They asked if they might come in and lift up Gerald (they are a very formal people, too) with songs. They gathered around the dining room table and opened their hymnals. For a little over an hour, they sang without accompaniment, in simple harmonies, songs about heaven and hope! They communally gave my parents (and me!) a great big hug. These strangers touched my heart so deeply that even as I type these words the tears fall from my eyes! What a simple gift, but powerful, amazingly powerful!! These people know the meaning of love that is beyond sentiment. They don't send a card or flowers, they bring themselves. I realized the genius of their form of Christianity. It's not about hats, home made dresses, or horse drawn buggies. Those things are attempts to maintain their distinct lifestyle of radical community. They cannot live with any illusions of independence. They cannot survive without depending on each other. And, now they are giving that love and support to my parents, who are not even 'in' their group!

Incidentally, another Amish man showed a similar love to my father yesterday. Mr. Stauffer takes care of trimming the hooves on Dad's horses. He came by to do that work about 3. He knocked on the door and asked to see Gerald (again, that formal thing). He was so gracious. Two hours later, after he had finished his work, he came back to the house and when Dad went to make payment, the man said, "No, this is my time to give to you." He refused payment for his services. Obviously, he isn't a rich man by any stretch of imagination, but he understands the meaning of caring, sharing in love.

Believer, I am not suggesting that we all need to go back to farming, sell our cars, and try return to the 17th century. But, we do need to recapture the radical love that is the heart of Christian faith. Jesus' words, "all men will know that you are my disciples by your love for each other," took on a whole new meaning for me last night.

Here's a word from the Word. Let the Spirit speak to you today. I hope you will join me in asking Him how we can better become a radical community of love, so that we may demonstrate the truth of the Gospel to those who live around us.

" My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

And friends, once that’s taken care of and we’re no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we’re bold and free before God! We’re able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we’re doing what he said, doing what pleases him.

Again, this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us." (1 John 3:18-24, The Message)

Give it away!

There are givers and there are takers in this world. In 1977, I met Tom Johnson, one of the most giving people I have ever known! I was one of those he blessed. I was in a situation where I needed to support my little family, just three of us at that time. I was trying to balance a call to ministry with the imperative of putting food on the table. I had a back-breaking job that required every waking hour, 6 days a week, leaving me little time to do what I believed God wanted me to do. Tom came by our home one day and said, "Come with me." We went to his place of employment and into the boss' office together. Tom told him, "Jerry is a great guy and I know he can do my job. I quit, hire him!" He gave me his job which paid better and demanded fewer hours so I could pursue my calling! That wasn't the last time that Tom blessed me. And the best part was that he did it all for Jesus, not for himself, not to buy my friendship, not with any strings attached. He believed that people are 'blessed so that they can be a blessing.'

There are people who add life to whatever situation in which they find themselves and there are people who leave everybody around deflated. Which kind of person are you? In his great book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey teaches that we can live with either an abundance or scarcity mentality. If we believe the pie is just so big and that sharing it means everybody must take a smaller bite, we will tend to hold onto what we have. On the other hand if we are convinced that the pie can grow larger, we will tend to share. Generosity isn't just about money, either. We need to be generous in many ways: forgiveness, encouragement, helping others find success, volunteering, with our time, with love. Those are just a few things that come to mind. You can add to that list.

Here's a real paradox! Prosperity is the enemy of generosity. One would think that having more would lead a person to want to give more, but experience argues against that. It is a fact here in America that those who have more wealth generally (there are exceptions!) give away a smaller percentage of their income to charitable causes than do the poor. Before we engage in class warfare, let me ask you - do you support charitable causes? Do you give generously to others in proportion to your income? Generosity starts right where we are, right now; not sometime later when we have excess. Why? Because for most of us, if we do not start practicing the discipline of giving in the present, we will simply expand our standard of living as our store of resources increase.

In the Proverbs there is this wisdom: "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:24-25, NIV)

Jesus taught many lessons about being a giving, generous person.

One was the importance of having the right motive. "When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out." (Matthew 6:3-4, The Message) A person who practices his 'generosity' while putting out press releases is just serving himself. His 'gift' stinks because it is rotten with self interest!

Another is that God values all gifts that are given not just those that are big! "While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. "I tell you the truth," Jesus said, "this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has." (Luke 21:1-4, NLT)

And He taught that an attitude of generosity allows God to bless us! "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." (Luke 6:38, NLT) He was not suggesting that we ought to give to get! But, He was telling us that God isn't likely to trust us with more if we are hoarding what we already have!

God is our resource! He isn't having an economic crisis. He is not short on forgiveness. His love is unlimited. So, let's trust Him, let Him love us extravagantly, receive His grace in abundance. Then, let's pray that God will help us to let His generosity overflow through us. Indeed it is "more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35, NLT) Go bless your world with life gifts today!

Near to the Heart of God

I spent a couple of hours immersed in election returns before turning into bed last night. The arrogance of the prognostication of the talking heads was irritating, to say the least. Though they spoke in certainties, it was obvious they do not know the future or the minds of the American electorate much better than do you or I. I surfed from ABC, to FOX, to CNN, to MSNBC. Depending on the channel I watched, McCain was winning big or not taking the lead expected. Hillary was ahead, but not fulfilling her mandate, whatever that means. On one of the expert panels featured on CNN Paul Begala mocked Huckabee's Christianity. He sneered, "Can you believe Americans are willing to vote for a man who doesn't believe in evolution, photosynthesis, or gravity?" Last time I checked, evolution was still a theory of origins, in an entirely different scientific category than photosynthesis, but never mind the facts. Could somebody just move the election up to March, so we could get on with life?

While all that was being reported tornadoes roared through four southern states, killing 27 people last night. I thought about the lives that ended with a whirl of wind, about living rooms crowded with grief stricken relatives trying to put the pieces of life together. Presidential politics are not all that important to some communities today as they grapple with death and destruction.

In contrast to the chaos of presidential politics and the tragic news of whirlwinds, New York City had a party! They threw a parade for their Giants, raining tons of confetti on their heads as they made their way down Broadway to City Hall, where Mayor Bloomberg handed over the symbolic key to the city to the players and their coach. It was a pleasant distraction, especially when Michael Strahan took the podium, leapt into the air, and landed with a pronounced thud of both feet while declaring, "You know what we did to you? We stomped you out!" It was a gleeful moment in a dreary day.

I am so glad that in a world where life seems to be so unpredictable - yes, even random - I have a Savior! Knowing Jesus does not mean that I live above either the sorrows or the joys of being in this world, but He does provide me with assurance, with an anchor for my soul. Because I know that He does know what tomorrow holds, unlike those commentators who guess at it; because I know He is Lord of life and death even when the storms blow; because I know He gives the faithful joy that supersedes, by far, that produced by Super Bowl victories - I face today with hopeful expectation. When I come near to Him, He gives me courage to get on with life, to take on the challenges this day will bring.

Dear friend, are you secure in Him today or are you fearful?
Do the headlines make you want to hide out from real life, or escape into momentary pleasures?

Perhaps you're not even paying attention to the news because your own life is overflowing with drama! Perhaps the source of your insecurity is job loss, marriage problems, or spiritual crisis! God understands. I did not just watch the news yesterday. I was part of real life, too. In one short day, I prayed for a man who needs a job now to meet his family's needs. I preached a funeral for a family. I spoke with a man who was trying to make sense of his own life which presently is overflowing with sorrow. I prayed for a young woman who miscarried her baby two weeks ago and who has made some real dumb decisions since, as she tries to run away from her grief. And there was more, but I won't bore you with the details! I did not just offer sympathy. I took these needs to the One who knows the why and the what. And, I am confident that He is working and will work to bring about His purpose for those who will trust in Him.

Take this word from the Word, as I did today, and take hope from God's promise.
"God has given both his promise and his oath.
These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.
Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.
It leads us ...into God’s inner sanctuary." (Hebrews 6:18-19, NLT)
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There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us, who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.

Near To The Heart Of God
McAfee, Cleland
© Public Domain

It only takes a spark

We sang a song in my youth group (think, 1970!) that included these lines,
"It only takes a spark
to get a fire going,
and soon all those around,
can warm up in its glowing.
That's how it is with God's love,
once you've experienced it.
You spread His love to ev'ryone,
you want to pass it on."
(Pass It On, Kurt Kaiser)
It always moved me. Yes, perhaps you had to be there to be touched by what is a rather banal sentiment, but the general thought is still challenging. You want to pass it on! Are you making a difference where you are?

Too many times to count, people have made this comment or one similar to it to me, "I wish I were a Pastor; then I could really do something good for God and other people." Somehow they believe that being an employee of a church and ordination to a holy vocation confers greater abilities to accomplish good. If you think that way, consider this story. John Ortberg recounts it in his book, When the Game is Over, it all Goes Back in the Box.

Johnny is a bagger at a local grocery store. One day he was invited to a training event for the supermarket chain where a speaker described how every interaction with another person is an opportunity to create a memory and to give a blessing. She told the workers to look for those moments. She gave her phone number and invited follow up calls if someone wanted to talk about what she had said.

A month later, Johnny called her. This 19 year old bagger proudly told her he has Down's Syndrome, then he told her that he liked what she said, but that, at first, he didn't think that there was any way for him to do anything special for the customers at the store. But, then he had an idea. He decided that every night after work he would look for a short thought, something that would be positive and help people think about the good things in life. He would type it into his computer, print out sheets with the line on them and cut those sheets into small strips, each bearing his 'thought.' So he did it, fifty pages every day, carefully cut into ribbons of paper bearing a message. He took his little strips to work and carefully put one in the top of a customer's bag when he finished packing it. As the person was leaving, Johnny would look them straight in the eye and say, "I've put a great saying in your bag. I hope it helps you to have a great day. Thanks for coming here."

Soon the store manager noticed that the line for Johnny's checkout was always three times longer than other lines, that people would even stand in that line even when other check outs were open. People were not just getting words from a boy with Down's Syndrome. They were getting hope from a kid who cared! Six months later, the entire store was transformed! The floral department had once discarded flowers with broken stems. Now they took a moment to go into the aisles and find an elderly lady or a little girl and give the flower, bringing much delight to customers. The meat department decided that it would be nice to put a little ribbon on the packages of meat they prepared. Johnny, the bagger, sparked a retail revolution! He did it by doing what he could do right where he was, not for himself, but for others.

You can read that story and cynically dismiss it or you can begin to believe that God has a way for you to serve Him and to make a difference in His Name; right here, and right now. Some part of you will insist that you have to make a grand splash, that you need $thousands to make it happen, or .... well, just know that there will be many 'reasons' to reject the idea of making a change. Some of them come from common human pride that keeps us from risking too much. Some of that reluctance results from the cruelty of those who are jaded, who sneer at the 'do-gooders' who try to make a difference. They are always on the scene trying to make those who work at loving others feel foolish, childish, or small! Their work is effective, too, but negatively as they suck the joy out of life! And, I am convinced that the Enemy of God and good does his best to cause us to keep the love we have experienced to ourselves, because he knows just how little effort it takes to make a huge difference in an office, a church, a neighborhood, and even in a city.

Here's a word from the Word. May the Truth spur you to action today. "From the beginning you were told that we must love each other. Don’t be like Cain, who belonged to the devil and murdered his own brother. Why did he murder him? He did it because his brother was good, and he was evil. My friends, don’t be surprised if the people of this world hate you. . . . Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it. When we love others, we know that we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the presence of God." (1 John 3:11-13, 18-19, CEV)
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Father God, all around me there are people in need.
There are sad, lonely, confused, hopeless, deceived, broken people
that I could love in Your Name.
Give me a tender heart that can be touched,
a sensitive spirit that responds to the prompting of Your Spirit,
and a mind that is ready to engage in action to make a difference.

Love me, Lord, not just to make me happy;
but to prepare me to love others in ways that urge them to wholeness,
that allows them to see the hope that Jesus' Gospel brings.
Help me to do what I can do- right here, right now-
to make a Kingdom difference.

In Jesus' holy Name I pray. Amen!

Loving the Truth

The couple with whom I spoke were broken, absolutely devastated by allegations of abuse of their children. He was free on bail, the authorities had custody of their children. The newspaper had reported their arrest and charges with shocking and sensational words. As I talked with them, my heart was torn by their grief, and I wondered, "What are the facts in this case? How did it come to this?"

Truth, what is it? The word is fairly easy to define - the actual state of a matter, conformity with fact, honesty. Living truthfully is much more difficult. In a complex world the 'truth' is often buried beneath layers of shading, spin, and even outright lies. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the Presidential politics that have been everywhere around us. Candidate A declares that Candidate B took a certain position on a critical issue. Candidate B replies that his words are being quoted out of context and that he didn't really take 'that' position, but one similar to it, and we are left to wonder, what is the truth?

You and I cannot control the veracity of others, but we can commit ourselves to living truthfully. The best place to start seeking the truth is with ourselves! Admitting to the reality of certain attitudes or thoughts, acknowledging that we are tempted in certain ways, dealing with the things we would like not to be true, is a huge challenge. When I see that balding, somewhat over-weight, middle-aged man staring back at me in the mirror every morning I'm tempted to refine reality! My mind is tempted to superimpose the image of an energetic 30-something man. I'd be foolish to allow myself to pretend to be 2 decades younger than I really am! Even more seriously, it is hard, when I am before the Lord, to acknowledge the realities of my sinful nature that the Spirit brings before me. When He says, "Jerry, this attitude or this action must change," many times I would rather excuse it or deny it, than deal with it. James tells us that the key to living in freedom is living in the truth. "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:23-25, NIV)

In the gospel of John there are dozens of references to the 'truth.' Truth is declared to make us free, to sanctify (make acceptable to a perfect God) us, and to allow us to live 'in the Light.' Believing what God says, receiving the gifts He gives us, is tremendously empowering.

Jesus said, "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you." (John 8:31-32, The Message)

In another passage, He says, "he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." (John 3:21, NKJV) Interesting statement isn't it? "Does the truth." Truth is not abstract nor is it merely philosophical. We can live it!

In yet another passage, Jesus promises that God will do a miraculous work in our lives with the Truth: "Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth." (John 17:17-19, NLT) When we Believe in He who is Truth personified, Jesus Christ, and we surrender our lives to Him, a transformation begins to happen in our minds and hearts. We reject deception, serving an image, the lies of the Evil one and become holy, shaped by the truth.

Friend, do you love the truth?
Is your life characterized by honesty, authenticity?
Do you refuse to play games with yourself and others?

Living in that way will not necessarily win any popularity contests. Jesus confronted the world with the truth and they killed Him for it! But, living in the truth and letting truth shape your life from the inside out will make you whole and holy, a person who conquers temptation and pleases God. Look for even the smallest kinds of bending the truth in your life and ask God to give you the courage and strength to get it right.

Here's a word from the Word for your thoughts today:
"Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37, NKJV)
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