Monthly Archives: February 2021

Honesty, Anger, and the Bad People

Life in Christ, Perils of Shepherds

Can I be honest with you? There are some bad people out there. Allow me to spend the next fifteen minutes explaining to you how bad they are and how smart you are if you disdain or even hate them as much as I do.

This is the formula that informs many media presentations as well as political messaging. If you listen to various shows that purport to give you news, you will be bombarded by this kind of talk. Unfortunately, it is often based on half-truths or even outright lies. Where it tells the truth, the intent is to paint the “bad people” in the worst possible light. How fortunate you are that you know better and are so much smarter, better, more enlightened, patriotic, virtuous than THOSE people.

When it comes to painting an unflattering portrait of what a group of people are like, you would be hard pressed to find a more damning description than what the Bible has to say about the human race.

"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
(Jeremiah 17:9)
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
(Genesis 6:5)
All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
(Isaiah 53:6)

These verses are just a sample of the picture the Bible gives about the human race. Three chapters in, the first humans are already rebelling against God and bringing down a curse upon all creation. The story doesn’t get better from there. The humans not only continue to do terrible things but every chance they get, they try to make God the problem, not them. The sides are clearly drawn between the bad people and the good, righteous, virtuous side.

Suddenly we are faced with a startling plot twist. Even though the lies, the rebellion, the corruption of the group that are now the Enemies has caused great anger, something very strange happens. The Right One makes a startling introduction. 

Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."
(Exodus 34:6-7)

God, right, good, and wise, reacts to the corruption and hatred facing Him by offering love, compassion, grace, and forgiveness. While He makes it clear that wrong needs to be dealt with, He explains that His love is stronger and more long-lasting than His anger.

Later He actually comes down to live with these rebels and shows consistent compassion and love for really bad people who had trampled His holy law. Then He goes so far as to use Himself as an example for us.

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
(Luke 6:35-36)

This is a massively different style than what we see on our favorite media outlets? Mercy over anger, compassion over ridicule, love over hate. God does hate sin, He does hate rebellion, He is angry over what we have done as a human race. He is right, and we are so very very wrong. YET, His response to us is based on His lovingkindness. He reminds us that our anger leaves a lot to be desired. No matter how much we want to think that our anger is “righteous” anger, we’re not righteous. 

as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
(Romans 3:10)

We’re not really good at righteous anger, and our anger tends to be something that overwhelms our compassion. Our anger doesn’t move us toward compassion but away from it. Yet even in the midst of what is a powerful wrath, God’s love is stronger and He responds with compassion. Jesus, hanging on the cross, cries out for forgiveness for those who are currently killing him in a travesty of justice.

What are you listening to, watching, and allowing to fill your mind? Are you allowing purveyors of the anger of man to fill your heart and mind with anger and a sense of self-righteousness? Are you being told each day that you are the good, smart, patriotic, virtuous one while those Others are worthy of your derision and condemnation?

Do YOU find yourself moving toward God’s heart by what you are told? Do you find yourself moving toward what Jesus said?

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
(Luke 6:36)

or

"But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
(Luke 6:27-28)

Perhaps it is time to permanently shut off the voices that are convincing you that since you are more right than others, you can be full of disgust, disdain, anger, and condemnation. Perhaps it is time to focus each day on the Grace and Mercy that has been poured out on us by a holy and righteous God who has compassion on a group of terrible sinners. 

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8)
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The Weakness of My Love

Life in Christ, Perils of Shepherds, Personal

I am a junkie. My drug of choice doesn’t appear on any government list of controlled substances, but my addiction is long and well documented. Although I am by nature an introvert, I am a people junkie. When I take those little tests that measure your ratio of Task Oriented to Relationship Oriented, I bury the needle in Relationship. Its long been true that if there are things to get done, I should work alone. Otherwise I’m going to visit more than work.

My entire life, including my “career” choices have been guided by only one thing, wanting to minister to people, especially the left out who don’t have a seat along the sides of the beaten path. This is what brought me back to Maine, led me into the Western Maine mountains, and finally, against my will, led me into the pastorate.

As we come up one the one year anniversary of the Great Social Distancing due to Covid-19, I find myself struggling with new weaknesses that I’m not sure yet how to overcome. A weakness that so far has played a better chess game than I, cutting off each move I make before I even finish making it. I’m struggling with the Energy to Love.

The Bible warns that in the last days, because of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. That is not my struggle. My love has not grown cold. If anything, the burden of my heart has never felt heavier as I see so many hurting, lonely, angry, scared, and confused. You can’t dip a toe into social media and avoid the extreme unhappiness of so many people. I see a great need and want to help show them the Love of Christ.

I’m not struggling with feeling loved. God has given me many brothers and sisters in Christ who are dear friends. Sarah and I are best friends and share with openness and honesty, supporting each other.

There is no lack of opportunities to love others. The sheer number of messages, phone calls, letters, and visits that I need to make far outstrip the hours available to me.

So with no lack of people to love, no lack of desire to love them, no lack of compassion for them, what is my problem? That is the question. A question that is haunting my days. I’m not sure when I’ve ever felt such a weariness, not of love, just of the energy to execute. I bought a new book on boosting willpower which was an awesome book and gave me some new strategies. I’ve reworked and reworked again daily habits seeking the right combination of self-discipline and planning (never my strong suit) to overcome a repeated failure to practically execute loving others.

I got my mom’s van stuck in the driveway the other day. I couldn’t figure out why it kept spinning. Yes there was snow and ice, but I’d cleared most of it away. I couldn’t figure out why I was so stuck. It turns out she had put on the emergency brake. No matter what else I tried, that brake kept me from moving. So what is holding me in this stuck position?

My ratio of success to failure isn’t encouraging. So if you read this, I covet your prayers. I strongly suspect I am not alone in this, and all things considered, I believe I am in far better shape than many of my fellow pastors who are either getting done or desperately want to. I don’t want to quit, I am hopeful for where God is going to lead Bean’s Corner, and despite the difficulties of this moment, I am confident in God’s leading of us.

I’m just really tired of failing so badly to do what I desperately want and need to do. As Jesus observed in Gethsemane, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. I’ve never found myself quite this weak, at least in this way.

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When We Are Home

Life in Christ, Personal

Sarah and the kids had traveled to a wedding while I stayed back to attend to some ministry duties. It had been a busy summer with travel, ministry, and moving from place to place. During the summer, “home” meant Camp Berea. Then we would head off on vacation to the family camp which would be home for two weeks. Finally, we would return to the parsonage, after more than two months away. Would we finally be home?

My second son, four at the time and the youngest for a little while longer, had figured out what it all meant in a way that caught his parents off guard and amazed. “When we are all back together, then we will be home because home is wherever we are all together.”

Such a simple calculation and yet all these years later, I am still stunned by the depth of his child-view. Already at four years old he had learned that home was less about which building we were dwelling in at the moment.

The spiritual application writes itself at this point. The Bible calls us aliens and strangers, using the language of the Hebrew exile to remind us where home is. So often when we talk about our spiritual home, we talk of heaven. We begin to talk about what the place might look like. Sometimes we might even wonder whether we will like it there if it is just a bunch of clouds and harps.

There are few descriptions of what heaven will be like, especially once you strip away the metaphorical devices often employed. Furthermore, the Bible speaks of a new heaven and new earth in the future, which is not described in detail, but offers a tantalizing hint of new creation experiences beyond the puffy cloud pictures held by our classic culture.

What the Bible does emphasize is togetherness. Paul writing to the Thessalonian Christians sought to reassure them as they worried that perhaps their loved ones who had died had missed out on the return of the Messiah. Paul assures them that not only will those who have died not be left out, but that will actually be the first to experience resurrection. He continues,

Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
(1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Often we focus on the timing of this event, or what the trumpet will sound like, or all the other details that often capture our attention when we think about the end times. The focus of the text seems to point more toward the people than the time or place. Paul emphasizes first that we will be “together with them” and then concludes, “so we shall aways be with the Lord.”

One of my favorite quiet places is the Mount Auburn Cemetary in Auburn, Maine where Nana is buried. My mom’s mother was a devout believer who loved Jesus. She died when I was eleven, and I often think about how excited she would be if she knew I had grown up to be in ministry. I love to visit her grave and think about the day when I will see Nana again, and get to share with her all that God has done.

This isn’t home. It can’t be home. We aren’t all together yet. There are dear believers who have gone on. We miss them. There are more goodbyes and separations in our future, but as one music artist said, heaven is a long hello. Or in the words of my young son those years ago, “When we are all back together, then we will be home because home is wherever we are all together.”

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Alone

Personal, Writing Challenges

The empty woods were full of small sounds.  The unending rows of towering pines groaned and creaked as the wind whispered through its tops.  My footfalls were silent on the blanket of needles as I hiked alone through the woods.  Pine gave way to hardwoods as I climbed the gentle slope of the small mountain, soon standing solitary atop the forested peak.

A still breeze quietly roared while the waves churned over the rocks and sighed up the sand at the silent lake.  All the camps were boarded up, their owners off to warmer houses and fall obligations.  The summer sun and vacation exploits now a memory.  I stand in the wind exulting in the loud silence and full solitude.

The house is still with only the quiet hum of a dutiful appliance and the crackle of the woodstove.  The children away at activities and nothing to interrupt the quiet of an empty room.  I listen intently to the silence and breathe deeply in the peace of the moment, alone with my thoughts.

I love people and treasure relationships, finding great joy and fulfillment in connections and friendships.  I relish my children, celebrating family and friends.  I love the bustle of a busy Sunday morning as well as the joy of summer activities.

Yet I find the silence of solitude to be a sweet and wondrous experience.  It is both made sweeter by the time with people before, and enriches future times of fellowship by recharging my heart and mind, preparing me to once again invest life in others.

Being alone is not a retreat from others, nor an experience of absence, but instead, a fulfillment of those experiences by giving me room to reflect, to listen to the quiet, and to fully enjoy the fullness of nature and time.

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