Going on to...Accountability?

When United Methodist clergy are ordained, the bishop will first ask them historic questions that were handed down from John Wesley.  The first being, "Have you faith in Christ?"  After the hopeful pastor-to-be answers in the affirmative, the second question is "Are you going on to perfection?"

If you want to be ordained as a United Methodist pastor, you better be prepared to answer yes!

Of course, the bishop usually explains what is meant by this question as "being a perfectionist" is not a positive psychological trait.  The third question may help define what we mean by perfection in that it asks, "Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?"

And the fourth question then inquires, "Are you earnestly striving after perfection in love?"

Perfection in love.  

This refers to being able to love others as we believe that Jesus loves them regardless of whether they return the expression or not.  This has to do with sanctification. 

Sanctifying grace is that grace every Christian should be working with in order to become more Christ-like in their lives.  This is the grace that walks alongside us as works-in-progress!  If the main commandments (according to Jesus) are to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, sanctifying grace would be the acknowledgement that we must work with God's help to get there.

United Methodist clergy have acknowledged publicly that loving with the love of Jesus Christ is a goal they are pursuing.

So what is some practical help for achieving this?

Last month, fellow District Superintendent James Kim and I led some of the laity in our districts on leadership surrounding our Staff (or Pastor) Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) which is our denomination's volunteer personnel department for local churches.

At this point, pastors should have received their feedback from these committees regarding their assessment from their SPRC.   At this time of difficulty in the church, when we hear about increasing numbers of pastors thinking about leaving the ministry, it can be tempting to avoid any critique at all.

However, if done correctly, a church personnel committee can actually help their pastor go on to perfection in love.  

A good SPRC assessment will include a lot of positives on what the pastor has done to further the mission of the church.  Even when we have personality conflicts with a person, we should be able to find positive attributes about this person that we can acknowledge.  If we can't, we may need to work on our own Christ-like love!

But an assessment should also include some areas that need reflection or improvement.  When done in a loving environment, this should help the pastor grow in areas that will actually serve them in their careers as well as positively impact the mission of the church they serve.  

I believe that the best assessments from an SPRC will set goals with the pastor for the coming year.  As an SPRC by Discipline is supposed to meet quarterly, these goals can be reviewed throughout the year.  Of course, a church should also set goals through its committees and walk alongside the pastor to achieve all the goals together.

For the greatest help in evaluating progress, goals should follow the SMART acronym of being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.  These should relate to the overall mission of the church and ideally, speak to specific pieces of that mission that need greater emphasis.

When the lay leadership of the church works with the pastor on healthy, positive assessment and checks in with this assessment quarterly, issues of both clergy and congregational health can be dealt with in a timely manner rather than waiting until they have become a crisis and "something must be said."

Are you earnestly striving after perfection in love?

The ordained clergy have answered yes to this.  If we're honest with ourselves, it will take some accountability such as partnering with the local church to get there!

 

The graphic was published from Ramon 3223 via Wikimedia Commons. 

   

Marks of Resurrection

Lectionary Scripture: 1 John 3:16-24

"All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them."

This is the verse immediately preceding today's reading.  It refers to Cain murdering his brother Abel and makes the jump that hate equals murder.

This is a tough scripture and John juxtapositions it with the love that Jesus has for us.  Rather than taking life, Jesus lays down his life for us.  I'm reminded of Thomas asking to see the marks in his hands and side.  These places of wounding mark Jesus as authentic in his eyes.  Thomas may have even seen the wounds inflicted from a distance.  

They become marks of resurrection in the risen Lord.

Sometimes we have our own marks.   If we are in relationship, we usually gain scars along the way.  Most relationships require us to forgive somewhere or they would have already ended.  There are likely also places we can recall where others had to forgive us as well!

Some places are trickier
to move into than others.

In order to be sincere, our love must take some kind of action.  We can talk a good game but when push comes to shove, we've got to show up.  I can remember being newlyweds headed to graduate school together.  Sheryl and I arrived in Atlanta with our U-Haul full of all our belongings.  We had to park it on a hill and our apartment was then on the second floor - who doesn't want to help move furniture up stairs?

Our neighbors could have hidden in their apartment - but they helped us move our junk up the stairs.  Luckily we didn't have a couch with a hide-a-bed in it.  But it was still a lot of work.

Later, we tried to help others move when the opportunity arose.  I remember one neighbor in particular that we helped move (he had a lot of stuff) and when it came time to help us, he was nowhere to be found.  Sometimes this happens and we may even feel a little used.  

But if love becomes transactional, we may start looking for more gain than what we put into it.  This is a recipe for becoming a user in a relationship rather than a giver.

The example of Jesus is that we give and do not count the cost.  While we may end up giving more than receiving, I don't think this is really true.  If I try to take advantage of someone, I find myself diminished rather than enriched.  It's strange how life works that way!  It may be that we need to consider the people we have forgiven as our own marks of resurrection.

I hope you'll join us as we continue to explore this theme on Sunday.  We'll gather online as always although this will be our last preproduced Sunday before we go back to live-streaming.  We meet in the sanctuary at 8:30 and 11 am and have an outdoor service at 9:45 am (featuring our band).  This Sunday, we will be confirming (finally) our 2020 class of youth at the outdoor service if you would like to support them (but you'll need to bring a blanket or lawn chair).  I'm looking forward to a wonderful Sunday and this will be my first one fully vaccinated!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Jacob Wolman via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Moving Forward as the Church

There has been a lot of talk recently about the Wesleyan Covenant Association and the Global Methodist Church as they have made recent headlines in the Oklahoman.

I want to point out some important facts about The United Methodist Church as I have been ordained to uphold the order of the church and have represented our denomination through the Oklahoma Conference delegation since 2004.  As a recent appointee to become the next Crossroads District Superintendent in July, I also represent United Methodists across this region as well as our conference.

The General Conference is the only organization that has the authority to pass legislation that would allow any kind of formal exit to a different denomination.  Currently, local churches may leave the denomination if they work out an agreement with the annual conference Board of Trustees.  This is because all United Methodist property is owned by the annual conference where it resides.

There is a trust clause in the deed of all United Methodist property that states this.

One of the other sticking points for leaving would be for a congregation to continue to cover the pension payments for all the years of clergy who served their church.  Most annual conferences will come up with a dollar amount that is fair.  This ensures that these churches are paying their fair share for services received through the years (and those of us who are remaining are not stuck with their bill).

For longer than I have been in ministry, there have been groups that have sought to remove the trust clause from the Discipline which is our governing document.  There have been a variety of reasons for leaving the denomination.  The latest seems to revolve around how we are in ministry with LGBTQ persons.  

Currently, our Discipline does not allow for same gender weddings or for clergy who are in a same gender relationship to serve.  The penalties for violating these policies come through the annual conference and there are places within United Methodism which ignore this language.  In other words, the feeling in those regions is that these behaviors are not punishable.  Others in more conservative regions disagree.

I know of no public violations of these policies within the Oklahoma Conference.  No one is currently on trial in our conference for these violations.

Some in our conference feel that violations in other annual conferences are too close for comfort.  They are seeking to leave (with others) to start the Global Methodist Church.  Currently, this denomination does not yet exist.  There is also movement to start a more progressive denomination called the Liberation Methodist Connexion.  So far, I've not heard of any Oklahoma churches seeking to join this denomination.  The United Methodist Church remains in the center.  There is no guarantee that any legislation will be passed that will pave the way for an easier exit toward any other denomination.

General Conference has been postponed due to the pandemic to August of 2022.  Because we have delegates attending from Africa, Asia and Europe, it would be impossible to gather at this time.  Because of our rules (and time zones and translation issues and sheer size), we are not able to gather online.  How quickly the world can successfully vaccinate will largely determine whether General Conference is able to meet in 2022.  

I have always been outspoken in my desire to stay within The United Methodist Church.  Even though not all agree about this particular issue, there are far greater things that we accomplish together.  When I have worked on ecumenical groups that seek to bring denominations together, we never start with the things on which we disagree.  

As we move through a pandemic, we have seen a lot of division occur.  The election, race issues and how we respond to the coronavirus have all been things on which we have polarized as a country.  Not being able to worship together as a whole and not being able to sit down with one another in Sunday school makes it easier to go our separate ways.  We have had some in our congregation choose to leave because they believed that I was too lenient on the matter of how we should be in ministry with our LGBTQ siblings.  I would be naïve if I thought that the issues I mentioned above did not also contribute.  However, I try to lead with grace as a pastor and this has always been how I would prefer to characterize my ministry.  I wish those who seek to find other places of worship blessing.  I give thanks for the gifts and talents they shared with us.

When we lose people over any issue, it is always difficult.  We grieve and sometimes those who are left behind feel like this position was more important to them than our relationship.  As we see emails and groups trying to pull others away from The United Methodist Church, this is the easiest time to sow division.  We aren't able to meet as we normally would.  

When we walk the road together,
we find strength for the journey.

I have faith that we will hold together.  The love of Christ allows me to stay in community with others who both agree and disagree with me on a wide variety of issues.  As a group seeks to divide over any issue, when they find that they are finally free to determine their own future, it is often the case that they start looking for the next fight.  This doesn't happen on purpose.  If the system is geared toward critique and blame, it is hard to simply set these notions aside after a separation occurs.

The harder thing is often to stay in relationship with one another, but as we consider that we will be reunited in heaven, it makes sense to me that we should seek to work out our disagreements here.

I'm proud of our church.  I'm proud of our denomination.  I would seek for others to be in Christ with us through our Wesleyan understanding of grace.  This Sunday, we'll continue to share in faith through our Easter series, "Abiding in the Resurrection" on First John.  My sermon title is "What if the Sin Just Sneaks Up on Me?" and is based on 1 John 3:1-7.  I would invite you to join us!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Ian Sane via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

What Kind of Normal Would You Like to Get Back To?

Second Sunday after Christmas, Year B

Lectionary Scripture: Jeremiah 31:7-14 (NRSV)

I love to get away and visit new places.  There is something special about finding the beauty in different places and cultures whether that be natural landmarks like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon or human-made architecture such as the Space Needle or the Washington Monument.  I like trying food from different regions and finding local restaurants that offer unique flavors native to that area.  But even on vacation, I will eventually tire from all of the "new" and "different."  Even when it is fun and exciting, I will find that I'm ready to go home.  

Lots of people have experienced this.  Sometimes it can apply to people visiting your home.  As an amateur genealogist, I have read old stories of ancestors that took extended stays with their kinfolk.  My first thought was "how did they keep their jobs?"  These were not wealthy people that didn't need to work.  Sometimes with regards to our relatives, we hear the phrase, "I'm glad to see them come and glad to see them leave."  This doesn't mean that we don't appreciate the visit but it has more to do with the idea of getting back to normal.  

Human beings function well with routine.  We do well when things go as expected.  While describing something as "routine" often has a negative connotation, people actually thrive with a normal structure.  There is less stress involved.  We sleep better.  Our diet is better.  We are more likely to get regular exercise.  We are also more likely to tend to our spiritual lives with prayer, Bible reading and worship.

So as we see the advent of vaccine distribution, we can anticipate getting back to normal after the worldwide disruption of the coronavirus. But what will this "normal" look like?  Our pause has been going on for so long that we may find that some of what we would classify as a regular part of our lives is not returning.  

As we begin life post-COVID-19, there are a lot of things we'll enjoy doing again.  Simply interacting with others without the worry of "am I going to make them sick" or "are they going to make me sick" would be helpful.  Talking to people in person while seeing the entirety of their faces will be healing for us.  Singing the hymns of our faith while standing shoulder to shoulder will give us a lift that we may not know we needed until we actually get to do it.

This is what I missed and look
forward to its return.

As we look at the reading from Jeremiah, we see a good word to a people who were in exile.  They were a people who had known the stress of being invaded by a foreign military and seen loved ones killed.  Then they were forcibly removed from the land they knew.  These were the people who wrote in Psalm 137:4, "How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?"  I like in verse 9 of today's scripture where it states, "With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back" indicating that this is an emotional return where support is needed.  Weeping comes when we joyfully recognize we are home.  Weeping also comes when we recognize and confront the turmoil that we've endured.  We've been through a real thing and it has been stressful.

I feel more akin to Jeremiah than I did before the pandemic.  I've certainly had it easier than he did.  We as a people in the United States have not experienced the same level of trauma that they went through.  But for what we have known, it has been uncomfortable.  And for some, it has been just as devastating.  It is not our preferred reality.

So what do we want?  What should life look like?  

According to Jeremiah, it looks like a watered garden where no one languishes.  Both young and old know joy.  Life should normally let us trade our sorrows for gladness.  This should be a model for our church.  If we share this dream, we can make it real.

We'll continue to examine this theme as we worship online together on Sunday.  We are continuing to hear of an increasing number of positive cases within our congregation so please be safe.  We are nearing the finish line and we will get through this!

In Christ,

Sam

Picture by Trey Witzel of the 11 pm Christmas Eve service at First United Methodist Church of Edmond from 2018.  Used with permission.  Maybe in 2021, even the two front rows of this late service will be filled!

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Patience

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Matthew 18:15-20 (NRSV)

As I assigned various Fruit of the Holy Spirit to the lectionary passages, I decided that this particular scripture was a good one to talk about patience.  You can look at it from both sides.  It would be difficult to be patient with someone who was obstinate in their wrong beliefs or behaviors.  Likewise, it would be difficult to be patient if you thought you were in the right and a group of people from the church were trying to correct you!  I'm not sure which would be more annoying!

Dictionary.com defines patience as "the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like."  While I'm old school and don't like it when you use the root word to explain the meaning, I thought they recovered pretty well!  I think we can be taught to bear provocation.  I think we can also be influenced to be too sensitive to irritants.  I believe stress has something to do with our ability to show patience with a person or situation.  In other words, when I'm stressed out or afraid, I have much less patience with people.

As Christians, our example should be Jesus Christ.  I believe his response to his own suffering and crucifixion showed an immense amount of patience as per the above definition.  The phrase, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" from Luke 23:34 reminds us of the composure Jesus showed on the cross.  How many of us when confronted unjustly in this manner from our enemies (you can picture them) would rather respond, "Father, get them; they're killing me!"

When this is the case, we are setting our minds on human things rather than divine things.

Sometimes rubbing a rock with the word on it
can actually be a good reminder for us!

So how can we show more patience with one another?  I think it is crucial during this time with everything that is occurring.  Since patience is a Fruit of the Holy Spirit, we must immerse ourselves in the Holy Spirit to show the world we are connected with God.  How do we do this?  I think that each person may do this differently.  All of us connect with God in a unique way.  But I also think that today's reading gives us a hint when Jesus says, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."  

When we gather together, we are going to disagree on some things.  It should be expected.  But we also recognize that if we begin to focus on disagreement, we will soon be standing alone.  It is better to focus on that with which we recognize and agree.  The love of Jesus Christ as our witness to the world becomes our focus.  If this was not true, it is much easier to send an offender packing than seeking to work with them in love.

We'll continue to explore this on Sunday - join us online or in person!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by M Cheung via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Self-Control

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Matthew 16:21-28 (NRSV)

Self-Control is one of the Fruits of the Spirit according to Paul.  It seems to be on display here by Jesus who is successfully resisting temptation set before him by one of his disciples.  In fact, he had just praised Simon Peter for successfully identifying Jesus as the Messiah.  He was going to found the church on this rock.

How quickly things can turn around for us!  Now Peter is compared to Satan who tempted Jesus in the wilderness when he was fasting.  Of course, the temptation to avoid "great suffering...and be killed" would be prominent, I would think.  Jesus does later pray to avoid this very fate.  When he goes off by himself before his betrayal, we see this scene:

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated.  Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.”  And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”  Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?  Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”                        Matthew 26:36-41 (NRSV)

So we see the humanity of Jesus on display in that any of us facing the kind of suffering that was coming to Jesus would be upset about it.  Yet, he is able to move forward and doesn't run from impending captivity.  He could have easily left Judas behind and taken the disciples and fled to many of the surrounding towns where he performed his miraculous healing.  Any of those places would have been glad to hide him from the authorities.

But Jesus practices self-control.  He avoids giving into fear or anxiety and moves past it.  

How do we do better?  Too often, I feel like I'm Peter, trying to talk Jesus out of all the suffering and wanting everything to be okay.  Or worse yet, falling asleep when Jesus needs him for some moral support.  It is harder to be disciplined if we think it involves things we don't like or enjoy.  

For example, I hear that it is much easier to avoid the temptations of snacking if you don't keep a lot of snacks around the house.  Of course, this is theoretical for me.

How do we have self-control to read the Bible rather than the latest article from the web?  How do we have self-control that moves us to prayer rather than streaming another show on our device?

It may be that we have to associate these things with reward rather than tasks or chores to be accomplished.  

We'll continue to pursue this theme in worship on Sunday - join us in person or online and we'll at least exhibit some self-control together for 45 minutes!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Blink O'fanaye via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Faithfulness

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Matthew 16:13-20 (NRSV)

Sometimes we hear of great loyalty by our pets.  Specifically, I remember the story of Tommy, a 7 year old German Shepherd dog who accompanied his owner, Maria Margherita Lochi to mass in Italy and was allowed to sit at her feet.  After she died, he apparently showed up for mass every day for two months.  The priest said that he didn't ever cause any trouble and he couldn't bring himself to evict the dog.

We admire this kind of devotion and often speak of it as great faithfulness.  When someone honors their marriage vows in chastity, we speak of them as being faithful to their spouse.  So we may often think of faithfulness as follow-through as if we were staying true to what we said we would do or to a task at hand.  

In today's reading, we see Peter being placed at the head of the church.  Was he being rewarded for his faithfulness?  He is certainly enthusiastic.  He tries hard.  But he goofs up quite a bit in the gospels.  I think that this shows us that faithfulness may also be about good intentions.  We often hear the saying, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."  I think this adage may be telling us that follow-through may be more important than intention.  But from a Christian perspective, I think Peter shows us that intention and action don't always align as we would like.  And so, we remember that mercy is also a part of the Christian walk.  We are forgiven and allowed to start anew.

As we see Peter placed at the head of the church, it comes after his correctly naming Jesus as the Messiah.  Maybe faithfulness is also about spiritual insight - knowing what Jesus would want from us.  This requires faithfulness to studying the things Jesus said and did.  It is only as we deepen our relationship with Christ that we discover the things that Jesus would ask of us.  Otherwise, we may only pretend to follow Jesus as we actually disguise what we wanted to do all along.

This Sunday, we'll continue to explore the theme of faithfulness as it relates to the Gospel reading.  Over the next nine weeks, we'll remain in Matthew's Gospel and look at one of the Fruits of the Spirit.  For review they are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control but we won't necessarily explore them in that order.

These are the higher characteristics that we need to display to the world right now.  It won't hurt for us to think on them for a while!  I hope you'll join us on the journey!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo used under the fair use doctrine.

Running a Marathon

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Genesis 45:1-15 (NRSV)

In most races, it seems there is always
someone younger and more energetic
that is going to pass me by!

I’ve never been a long-distance runner but I remember doing some longer runs in my youth.  As a child, I sprinted out ahead and tried to get in front of the pack only to exhaust my energy and get passed by other kids that were normally slower than me.  I figured out that you had to pace yourself and conserve your energy – measure it out for the whole race.

It may be that many of us have hit that initial wall.  The majority of us knew rationally that COVID-19 could last into the fall.  It was communicated quite a bit.  But how many believed last March that we would be facing these kinds of issues with re-opening schools in the fall?  Somewhere in the back of my head, I had convinced myself that things would be back to normal after the summer.  And so, did I conserve enough mental or emotional energy to deal with the reality?

There are so many industries that are facing difficulties because of the changes.  It is hard to fathom how deeply this has affected the economy.  Of course, this impacts the church.  We don’t think about the church as a business but it has utility bills and salaries as well as other ministry costs to operate.  The mission behind our business is not to make profit but to make the world a better place by introducing people to the Way of Jesus Christ.  Most of the churches that I know operate financially with very little margin for error.

For our church, we have grown and been able to offset the normal losses due to death and moving through new people finding us and eventually joining our church.  For a healthy church, this should be normal in the life of the congregation.  But what happens if we can’t worship without taking safety precautions?  When we first re-opened worship in the Christian Activity Center, we wondered if we would have enough room to safely distance everyone who would come.  We quickly realized that this would not be a problem!  

Most of the congregation continues to engage online which is the safest option.  The majority have stayed away because of health reasons.  Others have remained absent while we insist on masks for worship because they choose not to wear them for likely a variety of reasons.  But for the most part, visitors are not coming in person with the same frequency or percentage that they did before the change.

So church continues to adjust to the difficulties.  We still believe in our mission.   In fact, it may be more crucial with all of the turmoil going on.  So how do we reach people today?

We are going to invite our church to continue to participate.  Our church has done an outstanding job engaging with our online worship on social media.  I mentioned that as people like, comment or share the video, this allows us to “see” who is joining us at church!  And so, if you are a lurker (someone who merely observes but doesn’t engage through liking, commenting or sharing on our church’s worship post), this may be foreign or even uncomfortable for you.  It may be something you are not willing to do.  But your presence is important and this is the way we show up today.  I would invite you to prayerfully consider responding in some way this week.

We are looking at spending a small amount of money (around $20) this week to “boost” our worship post to see if we might reach others in our community.  If you find this distasteful, for comparison, many churches used to spend much more than this on weekly newspaper ads.  But the best way for us to reach more people (and it’s free) is for people to “share” the post through your social media account.  If you need help doing this, please email us at info@fumcedmond.org and we’ll have someone walk you through it!  Evangelism looks different to each generation and we are not going to shy away from it just because it continues to evolve and we find the changes uncomfortable.  Our mission is more important than our discomfort.

I like how Joseph saw his own sense of mission in today’s reading.  He suffered.  He went through a lot of difficulty – betrayal, slavery, accused falsely, imprisonment in a foreign land.  And yet, he saw God’s hand in his life and it buoyed him through the turmoil.  We are going through a lot as well.  Maybe if we see how we are working with God to help others know the love of Christ, it will help us too.  

We’ll continue to explore this scripture on Sunday in worship (online and in person).  If you join us online, I hope to “see” you this week!  May God bless you as you adjust to our marathon.  We’re running this together!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Brian Cribb via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Selling our Relatives

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Genesis 37:1-28 (NRSV)

I remember getting a bite to eat at the Garage waiting for the Thunder game to come on.  It was Wednesday, March 11 and Sheryl and I finished Bible study and headed over to watch.  Then we saw them cancel the game and we heard that one of their opponents on the Jazz had tested positive for the coronavirus.  The NBA Season was cancelled soon after that.

We then heard that the NCAA basketball tournament would be played without fans.  Then we heard that it wouldn't be played at all.  

The shutdown across the country was right behind and we've been on hold ever since.

Families have been spending more time together and this has been a positive thing for many.  

Of course, the close proximity can also be difficult.  Sometimes tempers can flare as our normal schedules have been displaced.  

I can remember as a very young child, my mother would sometimes know that it was time for a friend to go home.  She would say, "I think you're getting tired of each other since you've been together all day.  You don't want to ruin your friendship."

There are times when our loved ones can even be too much of a good thing.

Many families were looking forward to going back to school.  Our daughter Kyla mentioned that she's never so looked forward to the start of a semester!  It's not that we've had a bad time together - it's just that we hope the return of school will signal a sense of being closer to normal.

Unfortunately, "normal" is not available yet.

There may even be more quarantines if the case-load gets out of hand for hospitals.  We were warned about this at the beginning by infectious disease specialists but that was months ago.

So how do we strengthen each other rather than drive each other crazy?

Sometimes love needs a break!

Sometimes our family members can be a bit much.

In Sunday's reading, we see how Joseph's brothers were ready to sell him.  At first, they were going to kill him but one of the more rational brothers talked them into sending him into slavery instead.  So we can see that he had family looking out for him!

Of course, as we read the story, we can also see how Joseph was a bit much.  It's possible that he needed a little humility in his life.  

That may be something we can think about.  As I hold up this story as a mirror to my own life, I reflect on my close relationships and wonder if I could also use a dose of humility.  There may be times when my family members may have wanted to trade me off to some wandering Midianites.  

Joseph's brothers were feeling threatened.  Daddy loves Joseph more than he loves us.

So as we consider our own families during this time of stress, maybe we need to emphasize and communicate to our family members that we love them very much.  A little assurance goes a long way.  Maybe if you can say it a little more often, they'll take the sticker price off of you.

We'll look again at this scripture on Sunday - I hope you'll join us online for worship.  And if you're going a little stir crazy, grab a mask and join us in the Christian Activity Center at 8:30 or 11 am!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Ken Wilcox via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Wrestling with Reality

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Genesis 32:22-31 (NRSV)

I've always liked the story about Jacob wrestling with God.  It has an earthiness to it with two men trying to dominate one another physically.  It also has a fantastical feel to it - as if it is almost dreamlike.  It can be allegorical in that we all wrestle with difficulties in the dead of night.

How many times have you ever had trouble sleeping because you were struggling with something?

It is interesting that Jacob asks for the wrestler's name but doesn't get it.  There was the notion from antiquity that said that if you knew the true name of a supernatural being, you would have power over that being.  We see that God doesn't comply with this request but God does bless Jacob.

There is also the strongly held belief that mortals are extinguished when they experience the fullness of God - see the face of God.  Bowing in prayer today still comes out of the idea of respect and deference to the divine - something greater than ourselves of which we should be somewhat wary.

Jacob is pleasantly surprised that he has not only survived the encounter, but he actually received God's blessing.  However, it should be noted that the encounter wasn't totally without cost as he walks away from it limping.

This reminds us that growth and maturity often come at a price.  To think that we can get through life unscathed may be somewhat naive.  

What does our wrestling look like today?  It may be that we are wrestling with all of reality as we seek to adjust to a present that is so different from what we knew just six months ago.  We wrestle with one another as we make these adjustments.  Sometimes we walk away with respect for one another but I think that a lot of the time the wrestling just leads to greater division between us.

A new poll taken by the Cato Institute shows that greater number of Americans are reticent to share their political opinions today than even three years ago.  This occurs across the political spectrum with only the extremely liberal as non-anxious about their expression.  This shows that our society as a whole may be growing more polarized and divided as tolerance for political variance wanes.

While on vacation last week, I listened to a podcast on reality.  It spoke about how people see things differently and their ideas shape their responses and actions.  They focused on a town in Minnesota where some people began feeding black bears.  These animal enthusiasts believed that when we lead with respect and carefulness, the black bears will peacefully coexist with us.  Some of the other residents believed that if the handouts were to dry up, the tenuous peace might end in humans being attacked.  Both groups became pretty adamant about their beliefs.  How do these differing groups shape the town response to wildlife control in their immediate urban setting?  Someone isn't going to be happy.

It made me wonder if we have become more entrenched in our views than we were before.  Today, we can set up an echo chamber through selected news media whether by cable television or internet.  We only hear the viewpoints with which we agree.  We only hear the other side cast in a negative light.  We don't stop and ask the question, "Why does my friend believe so differently?"  In other words, what do they get out of it?

Sometimes the reasons are supplied by the outlets.  

I don't think liberals hate America or freedom.

I don't think conservatives are malicious racists who want to keep others unlike them from succeeding.

But if we listen to voices that declare this, we do have difficulty then respecting the differing beliefs.  

You may want to stay in your 
weight class when wrestling.

If we believe the worst about others, it is easier to shut them out of our lives.  When this happens, we strengthen the echo chamber in which we live.  We can then visit with one another but very little wrestling will occur.  If it does, it is mostly harmless and we don't get much out of it.

But if we can wrestle with those who are different with a sense of respect for them, we might find that we are blessed by the encounter.  Yes, you might go off limping but the wider worldview is likely worth it.

I'll continue to wrestle with this text and these ideas in our worship on Sunday.  I'll try not to strike you in the hip.

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Robert Bejil via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Surprising Parables

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary reading: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 (NRSV)

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is often boiled down to great things come in small packages.  This interpretation is influenced by a second reference to the mustard seed in Matthew's gospel, namely, chapter 17, verse 20:

He <Jesus> said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

But the parable from today's reading has a different connotation to it.  If someone sowed mustard seed in your field that already contained a specific crop, you would not be thrilled but would be angry (it sounds very similar to the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat).  One reason for your displeasure in that day is that you would now be out of compliance with the Law.

Leviticus 19:19 mentions specifically, "... you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed" while Deuteronomy 22:9 supports this measure:

"You shall not sow your vineyard with a second kind of seed, or the whole yield will have to be forfeited, both the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard itself." 

It may be that the kingdom of heaven
defies our attempt at order.

But here we have the kingdom of heaven being compared to some kind of subversive action.  It ends up benefiting all creation (well, at least the local birds) rather than just the landowner.  This reminds us that God's care extends beyond us.  Jesus also mentions this in the Sermon on the Mount, in chapter 6:26a: "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them."

Rather than the idea of small things leading to greatness, this parable would have surprised early listeners with its context.  The kingdom of heaven is like something wild that we can't control.  It has benefits but it may be somewhat frustrating. 

We'll continue to look at this parable as well as the others in the reading in worship on Sunday.  It will be good to be back in the pulpit after some time away and I hope to see you in church or online through your comments or reactions!

In Christ,

Sam


Photo by Shaine Mata via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Helping God Out

Sometimes the weeds are so obvious!

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (NRSV)

The parable of the weeds and the wheat causes us to stumble sometimes.  We want a clean field.  We don't want weeds taking any precious moisture needed by the growing wheat.  If things are orderly in the field, the rest of our universe becomes more orderly.  It is easier to deal with.

Yet, Jesus tells us to leave the weeds alone.

Don't bother them.

Well, why not?  We can easily identify them at an early stage - when they are easy to root out!

Jesus says to leave them.  We might uproot the wheat in our zeal to take out the weeds.

I think what it really means is that when we find an eye for the weeds in life, we may become more interested in pulling weeds than in nurturing wheat.  And the more we look for weeds, the more weeds we seem to see.  

Is that wheat or a weed?  It could be wheat.  Hmm.  Better not take a chance.  Pull it up.

Of course, Jesus is talking about people.  We don't really know the hearts and minds of people.  We don't know what God thinks about them.  But we think we do.  We're just helping God out a little.  God, we'll pull these weeds now and you won't have to worry about them later.  Oh, don't bother thanking us, we're glad to do it!

This also assumes that people are fixed - that they can never change.  Once they head down the wrong path, they are lost forever.  This kind of thinking would take out most of the disciples of Jesus!

How can we apply this parable of Jesus to our lives together today?  I'm sure you've never written anyone off as hopeless, have you?  No, of course I haven't either.  Maybe if we nurture a weed, it will begin to look like the wheat.  Of course, that's foolish thinking.  Weeds can't become wheat.  That would take a miracle.

Hmm.

Join us as we continue to explore this parable in worship on Sunday!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by alh1 via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Retreat is Good for the Soul

I'll be preaching this weekend but not in the pulpit at Edmond First UMC.  Rather, I'll be preaching outdoors, in an informal setting at Canyon Camp for our Family Camp there July 10-12.  It will be a time of retreat for families who will have their own cabin assignments.  We will be distanced throughout the camp so that there will be much less likelihood of exposure.  Much of the weekend will be unstructured but we will have spiritual activities in which families may engage (or not) at their own pace.

The labyrinth at Canyon is one place where people may engage in a spiritual walk as they pray.  We have a long history at Edmond First UMC of utilizing the labyrinth and there is an outdoor labyrinth on the UCO campus near the chapel if you would like to walk one either by yourself or with your family.  You can also utilize the picture and trace your finger along as you pray at home.

A labyrinth is not a maze in that there is only one way in and one way out.  It is a spiritual walk where we try to pray as we walk.  Often as we walk to the interior, one might focus on one’s own spiritual journey – an inward focus.  As you reach the center, you might give over the things you have prayed to God.  Allow them to be released.  As you walk back out, it is time to focus on the world around us – an exterior focus.  Pray about the wider world and your neighbors in it.

Because we walk with God, we are always changed when we walk a labyrinth.  We are different people when we come out than when we entered, even if just a little bit.  We try to observe silence as we walk it – children can think of it like the quiet game.  This respects the process and respects your neighbors as they experience it too.  Families can walk it simultaneously and don’t have to wait for someone to reach the middle before starting.

  

As we think about COVID-19, there have been a lot of changes in our lives.  One focus of the inward prayer might include the following questions:

What things have you missed the most since the isolation began in March?

If things got back to normal, what is one of the first things you would like to do?

It is okay for us to mourn changes.  Let God know what is making you sad.

God allows us to face all kinds of trouble in life.  Pray for strength for the journey ahead.  Imagine God raising you up on eagle’s wings and giving you resolve to roll with the punches.

In the middle:  Ask God for the resolve to take whatever may come.  Ask God for the ability to find joy in life even though it is different.

As you exit the labyrinth, here’s possible foci for your prayer:

As you have been in isolation, some of our relationships have suffered.  Who have you missed seeing?  Pray for their well-being.  Are you comfortable sharing with them that you prayed for them?

Which people are worse off than you?  Pray for them as well.  Ask for God’s presence to be real in their lives.  Be open to how God might be leading you to make a difference in their lives.

Sometimes a pause like this allows our society to reset certain practices.  Are there any practices you believe need to change in the world today?  If you can’t think of any, ask God to open your mind to some possibilities and remain in the silence for a while.  If something has come to you, make a mental note to discuss this with your family or someone close to you after the walk.

If you go through as a family, I would invite you to process your time together with the following questions after everyone is through:

What’s something you prayed to God about missing?

Who are some of the people you prayed for?  Are you going to let them know?  If so, how?

What changes could you imagine?  Is there anything you would like to do about them?

If there is one thing you could do to make life a little better for someone during COVID-19, what would it be?

This is one example of what we'll be doing this weekend.  There may still be room to sign up at okcamps.org/2020-family-camps/ if you decide you would like to go (assuming you're reading this prior to the retreat!).  But even if you can't, I would encourage you to gather with your family (or meet someone with masks for an outdoor outing) at the labyrinth on campus which is walking distance from our church parking lot.

We will still offer worship at church on Sunday.  Please make your reservations in advance!  We will also have online worship as well.  So whether you get away to our campground or retreat at home, I would invite you to spend some time with God on Sunday!

In Christ,

Sam

Rest for your Souls

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 (NRSV)

Many people may empathize with this feeling
even when we haven't done anything strenuous.

Sunday's reading of Matthew is much more popular than other passages.  Two weeks ago, the lectionary has Jesus uttering gem:

"whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me."                                                                  Matthew 10:38 (NRSV)

In contrast, Jesus tells us this week,

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.                                       Matthew 11:28 (NRSV)

Same person.  Even the same Gospel writer.  When held next to one another, which would you choose? 

Of course, context is important.  People that hold scripture up side-by-side without it, often miss the larger, wider point.  In today's reading, we see Jesus speaking to his disciples.  He's frustrated by the fact that many people may come to "ooh and aah" over his miracles but fail to take repentance seriously (check out verses 20-24 that are left out of the lectionary reading for some reason).  We can see this frustration in the first part of the reading.

Jesus must be wondering, "Why are people so obtuse?"  to somewhat quote Shawshank Redemption.  It's as if Jesus gives us an easy way to go but people stubbornly choose the hard way.  It may be how we are wired.

In his book on teenage boys, He's Not Lazy, Adam Price tells the following anecdote about one of his patients telling him the following:

"Whenever I have a paper to do, I tell myself, 'I'll let future Colin worry about it.  You can trust him.'  Then, the night before the paper is due I say, 'That past Colin is such a jerk.'"

We can smile at this story because we've all got a little Colin in us.  How do we willingly choose the easy path of Jesus?  What does this path even look like?  We know that discipleship is not easy.  It requires a lot of reading, praying and then acting upon what we've read and prayed about.  So how do we engage?  Especially when:

We are weary. 

We are heavy laden. 

We would like some rest that is untroubled.

I hope to explore this idea through our worship service on Sunday.  If you are joining us in person at Edmond, we would invite you to register ahead of time.  If you are joining us online, we would invite you to check-in your presence in some way by making a comment for others to see.  My hope for this sermon is not to just trot out some simple answer that may seem trite like, "Just pray more" which really translates as "Be more faithful."  We'll see what I come up with.  I'll try not to leave the sermon writing up to "Future Sam" even though we can all trust him!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Dennis Tai via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Failing the Test

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Genesis 22:1-14 (NRSV)

The story of Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son Isaac is a story that elicits a lot of feelings from a modern reader.  It sounds different if you read it while empathizing with Abraham over if you read it from Isaac's perspective.  Did they ever talk about this experience again together?

How would that conversation go?  Um, Dad, do you remember that time you tied me up and placed me on that pyre?  When you raised the knife, were you really going to do it?

If you were raised a Christian, you may not have thought about how this story sounds to people outside the faith.  It raises an important question, "Does God really test us in the faith where life and death hangs in the balance?"  What if Abraham had refused?

In today's society, what would happen to a father who tied his son to an altar over a stack of wood prepared for a fire and then raised a knife as if to kill him?  At the least, any children would likely be removed from the home.  Does this mean that God no longer tests us in this way?  Or does it mean that Abraham was misinterpreting the test to begin with?

If we explore the idea of tests of faith, could the Coronavirus be a test of faith?  I don't mean that God has sent it to kill nearly half a million people around the world so that we might be tested.  But with the circumstances being what they are, is our faith tested by crisis?

Do we grow closer to God or find our relationship more distant?

If it's a test of survival, such as in Abraham's case, survival of his lineage, how are we faring?

Testing is not so bad if you know the
material but curve balls can be brutal.

Am I adequately feeding myself, clothing myself, and finding medical care for myself during this pandemic?  Most people would include their immediate family in gauging how successful they've been.  What about more distant family?  As a Christian, how do we define family?  We take baptismal vows to help each other within the Body of Christ.  Does this mean our immediate congregation, those of our denomination or the much wider group calling themselves Christian?

As a Wesleyan, I believe in Prevenient Grace and so understand that God loves all people and is reaching out to them whether they believe it or know it, regardless of their response.  Does this make them in some sense my brothers and sisters?

If this is a test of faith, how have I responded to the least of these?  And who would be the least in this scenario?  If I am not among the least, do I have greater privilege than they do?  Should I be examining my life?  How am I spending my time?  

If Jesus commands me to love my neighbor, have I done things to protect them within my means?  Have I worn the mask to prevent possible illness in others?  Have I distanced carefully?  Have I avoided large groups so as to limit the possible contagion?

  

Have I spent enough time in prayer?  Have I asked God for release from this illness?  Not for myself but for all those afflicted?  Today?

I could add more questions.  The point in my asking questions is that one could always do more.  One could always be more faithful.  If you haven’t failed the test, we can always ask more questions until you do.

This is how some people honestly see God.  God is waiting for them to make a mistake.  To slip up.  To commit a sin.  Then they hear God saying, “I knew you were a screw up.  Look at you.  Pitiful.”

This week’s scripture from Genesis gives an early understanding of how people of faith understood God testing them.  What can we learn from it?  What does it teach us about God?  What does it teach us about second chances?  What does it teach us about our commitment to God?

I'll be preaching on this scripture passage on Sunday and exploring some of these questions.  You can join us at our campus in the Christian Activity Center at 8:30 or 11:00 am and we ask that you register your attendance in advance so that we'll have enough space.  We'll also continue to offer worship online and hope that you'll join us there if that is a better option for you right now!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Paul Townsend via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

Jesus Creates Change

Third Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary Reading: Matthew 10:24-39 (NRSV)

I spent a lot of time studying Family Systems Theory developed by Murray Bowen and expanded for religious context by Edwin Friedman.  Much of my doctoral thesis was based on this work. 

One of the teachings of systems theory helpful to remember in a time like this is that systems resist change.  I tried to show in my sermon, "The Spirit of Truth" on May 17th how race relations since the Civil War were slow to change in the United States.  There has been active resistance against the changes brought on by the emancipation of the slaves and the Thirteenth Amendment.

But for the most part, the resistance to change isn't conscious.  It often comes by the majority in subtle ways that may appear to be adoption on the outside but inside continues to fight the change because they may not be comfortable with the new reality.

Friedman tells us that when a leader attempts to institute a change, that one should actually expect sabotage from those being led.  Friedman writes in A Failure of Nerve,

"Eventually I came to see that this 'resistance,' as it is usually called, is more than a reaction to novelty; it is part and parcel of the systemic process of leadership.  Sabotage is not merely something to be avoided or wished away; instead, it comes with the territory of leading, whether the 'territory' is a family or an organization."

This doesn't mean that people are out to get the leader or that they even are aware of their work against the changes, but rather it seems to be how people function in systems.  It is something to expect.  In fact Tod Bolsinger, in his book, Canoeing the Mountains, claims that you haven't truly succeeded in making a lasting change until after you've survived the sabotage.  How many things have we "tried" at the church only to go back to the way they were? 

So as we see all of the changes that have taken place in our society recently, it would not at all be surprising if people were experiencing some change fatigue.  This fatigue may come through our subtle resistance to what we've been experiencing. 

For my own experience in dealing with COVID-19, I wear a mask when I go out in public spaces.  Yes, we have started to re-open but it is possible to continue to spread the disease as we have seen in the rise in Oklahoma cases over the past few days.  The last two restaurants I visited were strange experiences for me.  One was in rural Oklahoma after we had spent some time outdoors as a family.  We stopped in to get some take-out and there was no distancing and I was the only one in the place wearing a mask.  The other was an Edmond restaurant where we decided to eat on the patio.  We had to go through the restaurant to get to the patio.  I noticed the same behavior as at the rural location regarding precaution.

The risk is still present.  Why the lackadaisical response to safety?

I think it involves resistance to change.  We don't like to wear masks.  They are uncomfortable.   We don't like to distance ourselves.  Human beings are social beings.  So we may claim that this is all overblown and there is no real danger.  This doesn't come as a rational response but as an emotional one.  Of course, emotional responses are valid and sometimes they move us to action more so than rational responses but we also need to understand that they are sometimes based on what we want to be true rather than what we know to be true.

I must admit that when I was the only one wearing a mask, I could feel the eyes of everyone on me.  I felt a little bit like an Amish person driving my horse and buggy to town.  But I continued to wear the mask.

So as we gather for worship on Sunday, we will wear masks even though much of Oklahoma has forgone this device.  As I mentioned in our expectation video, the mask is really more about concern for the neighbor.  What does Jesus say about his expectation of the treatment of our neighbors?

"So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you."                       John 13:14-15

This is the example of service - to be in service to one another.  And so, while social distancing prevents us from washing one another's feet (I know you're disappointed), we can put on the mask which may be uncomfortable in order to keep the most vulnerable among us safe.

Save a Grandma, Wear a Mask!

So I imagine that there will be some resistance to this change.  Both of the medical doctors that I've spoken to in our congregation strongly encourage the wearing of the masks.  We're not telling you that you have to do it outside the church building (although it is a really good idea in public), but if you really don't want to wear it in our public worship, I would encourage you to continue to worship online at home with us. 

Jesus does tell us in Sunday's gospel reading that we are to take up the cross and follow him.  So in retrospect, wearing a mask is not that big of a deal.  That being said, I do expect there will be some resistance to this.  But I expect the movement of the Holy Spirit and the compassion we have learned from being followers of Jesus to overcome it.

I am looking forward to seeing our congregation again.  I am a social person and it has given me a lot of anxiety to be isolated the way we have.  And when the time comes to put away the masks, no one will be happier than I.  We all hope to get back to normal.  Sunday will be a good step to get there.  I just don't want us rushing into anything that will harm some of us.  So if you disagree with me that is fine, just know that my stance comes out my love in Christ for each of you.

In Christ,

Sam


The Photo is from a campaign to sell masks by Glendale UMC in Nashville.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Bolsinger, Tod.  Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory.  Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2018.

Friedman, Edwin H.  A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix.  New York: Seabury Books, 2007.

We're All in the Same Boat

Second Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Lectionary text: Romans 5:1-8 (NRSV)

I’m not privileged.

I have no special status.

No one has helped me.

I don’t owe anything to anyone.

I have pulled myself up from my own bootstraps.

I haven’t had an advantage that others didn’t have – in fact, I can name several ways that I was disadvantaged growing up and have overcome it.

When I was getting ready to attend college, my parents were going to help me with the cost of tuition.  We had a family business dealing with software for the oil and gas industry.  When I was starting college in the fall of 1986, oil had fallen from $27 a barrel to less than $10 a barrel.  Sound familiar?

I remember my parents coming to me and telling me that while they would help as much as they could, paying for college was going to be up to me as our business was barely hanging on.  So I managed to graduate in four years and came out with only a few student loans that I paid off before going on to get my master’s degree (which I also paid for).

I could easily have folded and said it was too hard.  I pressed on.  

I could have easily blamed the economy and quit.  I endured.  

I could have gone into deep debt but I lived frugally in order to have a brighter future.

Let’s all give it up to me!

Well, the details of this story are all factual but they only tell part of the story.  I was privileged to have two parents in the home that supported me throughout my childhood.  It was a stable home and I was never mistreated nor did I worry about my parents splitting up.  I was privileged to have parents that instilled in me a sense of hard work.  I was able to creatively work my way through school to lessen the debt load because I had parents who modeled a can-do attitude.  I was privileged to even want to pursue education because I was born to parents with college degrees (dad also had a master's) who set an expectation for higher learning.

     

Beyond these privileges, I have always been in the racial majority.  This is an advantage that is difficult for those who haven’t experienced otherwise to understand or comprehend.  What does it mean to be the only one of your race in a social setting?  What if there were historic social inequalities that remain hidden just beneath the surface?  What if I had to second-guess my relationships with those of the majority race because of past slights I had experienced?

I don't even want to
get started on this sign!

This week’s epistle reminds us that we are all sinners.   Yet, we all receive the grace of God in Christ Jesus.  We are privileged to stand before God blameless – not because of anything we earned but because what we’ve received in the love of God.  If I can stand on this privilege, I must do so with humility, recognizing that we are all in this together.

This may be a crucial step for Christians to take in order to recognize our brothers and sisters who may be hurting because of injustices built into a system where people have not received the same treatment under the law.   It may be a matter of gratitude.  I am grateful for the blessings – earned and unearned – that I have received.  If we can’t develop a sense of thankfulness, we will end up entitled – maybe like I portrayed myself in the first part of the blog.  I think the apostle Paul would say that a sense of entitlement is deadly spiritually.  

I don’t think it will help us as a society either.

Join us for worship on Sunday as we continue to unpack this text together.  I'll try to bring more humility and less entitlement!

In Christ,

Sam

Photo by Steve Harwood via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.