James Throws a Curve Ball

...but each person is tempted 

when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  

Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; 

and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.

^{James 1:14-15 NIV}

...but each man is tempted when he is drawn away

by his own lust and enticed; then lust, having

conceived, brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished,

brings forth death.

James 1:14-15 ASV

James gives a fascinating lesson in the progression or development of sin (evil) that starts out with a nicely-pitched curve ball.  Remember - verse 13 of James 1 says that God cannot be tempted of evil, and He does not tempt any man.  So, where exactly does the temptation come from?  James pins it squarely on each person - who is tempted when he is "drawn away."  Drawn away from what?  If this is speaking of a believer, which I think James is, then I am going to take a wild guess that the individual portrayed here is drawn away from God - stepping out of the light of life into the overwhelming darkness that is always found outside the boundaries of God's love.

If asked the question, "Is lust sinful?" I think most of us would say, "yes."  James does not agree.  The Greek word here translated "desire" in the NIV and "lust" in the King James and American Standard Bible is ĕpithumia, (a longing [especially for what is forbidden], desire, lust [after]).  It comes from the word ĕpithumĕō ( to set the heart upon, long for [rightfully or otherwise], covet, desire, lust [after]).  So for James, each human being allows himself to be drawn away from God by the longings and desires of his/her heart.  Note that these desires, these wishes, these feelings of setting our heart on something are not sin, but we allow them to draw our hearts away from the holiness and completeness of the presence of God.  Once we have been separated from God, our desires inflame into enticements, which lead us into sin (evil), which brings forth death.

Lucifer desired - longed for - recognition and power.  When he allowed those thoughts to separate him from God, it was only a tiny step further to decide that he wanted to be God Himself.  When Adam realized what Eve had done (eaten the fruit) and his desire for her swelled up until it blotted out the goodness and compassionate love of God, he did not have to tiptoe much further down the path to deciding to take matters into his own hands.

How Do You Create Evil?

Let no one say when he is tempted,

 “I am tempted by God”;

for God cannot be tempted with evil 

and He himself tempts no one.

 James 1:13

If God created "evil" - what exactly did He create?  A puff of smoke?  A black cloud? A talking serpent?  A sinful being?  We are explicitly told that both Lucifer (angel) and Adam (human) were perfect and morally spotless at their creation.  So God did not create "evil" in either of these beings.  The serpents in the Garden of Eden were not "evil" either - they were a part of the sixth day of creation when God  proclaimed all created things as "good."  Further, in order to create something - anything - one must have experience with its components.  Our verse in James today proclaims that God has nothing to do with evil.  He is not tempted by evil, nor does He tempt any other being with evil.  God does not deal in iniquity, evil, sin and darkness.  His realm is one of truth, purity, life and light.

I was taught as a child that sin cannot exist in the presence of a perfectly holy God. If God had created "evil," it would have been incinerated at the very moment of its creation.  I will say it again - sin cannot exist in the presence of perfect holiness. That is why we do not have the face-to-face access to the Father that Adam and Eve had.  Now we "see through a glass darkly" but someday will return to being "face to face" when Christ comes again and makes all things new.    

Perhaps if we read a bit further in the first chapter of the book of James, we might discover fresh answers to this age-old quandary.

Lucifer, Son of the Morning

How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, 

son of the morning!

Isaiah 14:12

The entrance of evil - sin - came long before the decision of Adam in the garden to go his own way.  The above passage in Isaiah 14, as well as verses in Ezekiel 28 tell the story of a powerful angel in heaven, created by God to fill the roll of a covering cherub - one of the highest positions among the angels.  Exekiel proclaims this angel to be the perfection of God's creation:  You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.  Lucifer was not created "evil" or sinful:  You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you.

The meaning of the Hebrew word translated "iniquity" in Ezekiel 28 is evil.  So within the heart of this perfect angel is found "evil."  It wasn't in his heart when he was created - he was "perfect" and "blameless."  So how, exactly, did it get there?  Ezekiel 28 proclaims, Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.  Isaiah 14 is even more implicit:   You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God... I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

Here is this perfect angel - one of the two covering cherubs, who begins to believe that he is not as high up as he should be.  He wants a throne - a place of power - over the rest of his fellow angels.  More than that, he wants to be God.  He who is created wants the power and position of the Creator.  God has created this angel for companionship and for service.  He wants only equal billing and status. At some point, Lucifer rejected God's plan and purpose for his life and determined to go his own way - be his own god.  That choice separated him from the Creator God, and gave birth to sin = evil.

In the same manner, Adam was faced with a choice in the garden.  His beautiful wife had already eaten of the fruit of the tree.  What to do?  What do I do?  Do I trust in my Creator, the One who has walked and talked with me every single day since I came into being?  Do I believe that even though my wife has disobeyed, my friend God will work things out?  Do I look at Eve, who is standing there in perfect health, and tell myself that God obviously lied about dying, so what else has He lied about?  Do I decide that since Eve has suffered no harm from her snack, that God obviously doesn't know what He is talking about?  Whatever his thoughts were, Adam's final choice was to rely on his own wisdom, seek his own way - be his own god.  That choice blossomed forth as sin = evil. 

Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.

-John Milton, Paradise Lost

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

And the Lord God commanded the man,

 “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;  

but you must not eat from the tree 

of the knowledge of good and evil,

 for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Genesis 2:16-17

The first mention of the word "evil" in Scripture is recorded in Chapter 2 of Genesis.  God is talking to Adam, the man He has created, as they stroll through the magnificent Garden of Eden.  God indicates the entire garden with a sweep of His hand, and tells Adam that he can eat of any tree (or bush, or vine, or plant) of the garden - all has been made ready for him for food.  All, that is, except one.  In the very midst (center?) of the garden is a tree whose fruit is not for Adam's consumption.  We are not told what the fruit was - most certainly not an apple (others have suggested an orange).  God then sets down some very clear facts.  The tree of the knowledge of good and evil?  No, you are not to eat of that one.  Every other tree in the garden?  Help yourself! 

Please note that the tree itself is not "evil."  Neither is the fruit.  There was, quite possibly, nothing spectacular about either the tree or its fruit except for one thing:  it was forbidden.  Rather, the tree is labeled as the place of the knowledge of good and evil.  In the existence of the Garden of Eden, Adam had a daily lesson in what constituted "good."  He was surrounded by God's creation that the Creator himself had labeled as "good" and man himself was characterized as "very good."  So the tree in the center of the garden was involved in the possibility of discovering what is evil.  At this point, Adam has no idea what "evil" is.  What is clear, to Adam and to us, is that the tree was a place of choice:  to choose to honor his Creator and do what God asked, or to choose to go his own way.  Skip Moen, in his Hebrew Word Study blog, observes, "Adam's choice is between God's design for delight or his decision to make his own garden."  Will I obey God, or will I choose to be my own master?  Ultimately, Adam decided against God.  His choice thrust him out of the Garden into a world of his own making minus all the delightful provisions of the Creator's goodness.  Separation from the daily presence of God opened Adam's world to continued rebellion against the One who made him.  Continued rebellion produced greater and greater sin - the knowledge of evil.

God's commentary in Exodus 3:22 is laden with sorrow:  The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.   

What is Evil? Part 2

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world 

but that you protect them from the evil.

John 17:15

The statement that set my mind to thinking about what constitutes "evil" was this: "God created evil," and reiterated, "God created both evil and good."  Since God having anything at all to do with the origins of evil (much less creating it) is a concept I can barely wrap my mind around, much less accept, I have been engaged in researching various sources to try and understand exactly what "evil" is, and why in the world anyone would think that God "created" it.  I discovered a fellow blogger in the vastness of the Internet who had this to say on the subject:  "In order to understand what constitutes evil one must first understand good. All things were created by God as "good". Goodness is an integral aspect of man because of this fact."

The first book of the Bible - Genesis - records the creation of all things from God's perspective.  Beginning with a formless void (Gen. 1:2), God progressed through creation in a series of six days.  The first day heralded the creation of light and the subsequent separation of light from darkness. At the end of Day 1, God viewed what He had done - the perfection of His handiwork, and said that it was "good."  Sky was separated from land and water (good); the dry land was decorated with grass, trees, fruit, and every seed (good); the heavenly bodies were flung across the sky (good); fish and fowl filled the empty waters (good); animals, reptiles, and insects filled the planet (good); and finally man was brought forth as the crowning act of creation.  When God surveyed the surrounding perfection at the end of the sixth day, He proclaimed it as very good.

There is one more day in the Creation story - Day Seven - where we might reasonably be expecting to read about the origination of evil, if God indeed did create "good and evil."  However, God did not use Day 7 to create "evil" however - He used it to rest after His creation labors.    At this point, I think it is apropos to point out that in the first six days, God did not create good (a noun, a "thing"); rather, He proclaimed that all things He had created were good (an adjective, a description).

In the entire rest of the Biblical narrative, there is not one mention of the creation process of "evil."  There is, however, the mention of a tree in the midst of the garden (Genesis 2:16-17) - the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 

 

Thanksgiving 2012

From my family to yours...

Wishing you a weekend of thanks

and a blessed beginning

to the holiday season.

Thanksgiving 2012

singeronthesand

What is Evil?

...you know not what evil shall be upon the earth...

Ecclesiastes 11:2

A statement made recently in a sermon that I was privileged to hear instantly sent my mind whirling in a dozen different directions.  I thought that it would be a momentary distraction, but my thoughts have proved to be quite tenacious with the need to ferret out the truth or error of the message.  Consequently, I have been avidly researching the question,

What is "EVIL"?

I turned first to Webster's New World College Dictionary for a concise definition.  Due to the usage of the word in the aforementioned statement, I am only interested in its noun form.  With that in mind, Webster lists the following definitions:  

 1 anything morally bad or wrong; wickedness; depravity; sin   

2 anything that causes harm, pain, misery, disaster, etc.

Turning to online sources, I found the following definitions for the noun form of the word:

• Wikipedia:  Profound immorality, wickedness, depravity. 
• Dicitionary.com:  The force in nature that governs and gives rise to wickedness and sin.
• The Free Dictionary:  The quality of being morally bad or wrong; An evil force, power or personification.
• Oxford Dictionaries:  Profound immorality and wickedness, especially when regarded as a supernatural force.
• Collins English Dictionary:  the quality of being morally wrong; wickedness; a force or power that brings about wickedness or harm
• Cambridge Dictionary:  Something that is very bad and harmful
• Ayn Rand (Western Philosophy):   "Since reason is man’s basic means of survival, that which is proper to the life of a rational being is the good; that which negates, opposes or destroys it is the evil." (from The Virtue of Selfishness)
•  Carl Jung:  Evil is "the dark side of the devil."
• Anonymous:  The fact that you cannot separate pure evil from other elements causes the word’s definition to be vague and imprecise. 
• Ithcus77:   "Some believe that good and evil are equal and opposite forces in constant struggle with each other. Actually, good is the default, and evil is a privation, or absence of good."
• Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter):  "There is no good and evil; there is only power, and those too weak to seek it."
• Plato:  "Evil can never pass away, for there must always remain something which is antagonistic to good."
• Frederick Robertson:  "The truest definition of evil is that which represents it as something contrary to nature; evil is evil because it is unnatural."
• Ralph Waldo Emerson:  Evil is merely privative, not absolute: it is like cold, which is privation of heat.
• Johann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke: Evil is in antagonism with the entire creation.

Are you thoroughly confused now?  In the definitions above, evil is a "thing," a description, a "force," an undefinable, and a non-entity.  Perhaps looking at synonyms might help. [to be continued]

 

Christmas Discord in Santa Monica

“A new command I give you: Love one another. 

As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 

  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,

 if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

Santa Monica, California is, yet again, embroiled in a religious/non-religious brouhaha regarding the display of nativity events at Christmastime.  For years, Santa Monica has allowed a limited number of nativity displays on Ocean Avenue in Palisades Park.  There are 21 spaces up for grabs, and nine of the spaces have normally been for a combined 14-scene diorama.  Last year, a group of non-believers flooded the city offices with applications for the spaces.  18 spaces were given to the non-believers, two spaces went to churches for nativity scenes, and one space was reserved for a Chanukah display.  The non-believers' spaces carried mostly signs denigrating the Christian viewpoint, such as a poster of Jesus, Santa Claus, and the devil saying, "37 Million Americans know myths when they see them."  Those signs were vandalized, and the ensuing uproar overpowered the real reason for any kind of display at all.

This year, the city refused to issue permits for any displays in the park, ending a tradition that began in 1953 that earned the city the nickname, The City of the Christmas Story."   Several of the Christian churches promptly went to court to try to force the city to reopen the displays.  As of this writing, the judge in the case has indicated that she will deny that bid.  All parties have now taken to the media to air the "facts" to the arena of the public, each accusing the other of denying their free speech rights.

What ever happened to respecting the opinion of others, even if you don't agree?  What ever happened to caring more about people than about forcing "truth" down someone's throat?  Both the religious and the non-religious sides should be ashamed of their rancor and their actions.  If everyone can not get alone, then there is no point in having a "nativity" display.  It is sad that the officials of the City of Santa Monica are the only ones showing any sense at this point.  If you can't play nice, then take your toys and go home.

Labels Not Necessary

Children are a heritage from the Lord...

Psalm 127:3
 

David Perry, a history professor in Illinois, has written a wonderful article for CNN regarding labeling children with Down syndrome.  Much discussion toward the end of the political campaign was prompted by Ann Coulter's use of the label "retard" applied to President Obama.  She was roundly criticized for using a term that should have fallen from our word usage ages ago. Mr. Perry makes the case that such labels dehumanize the individuals who have disabilities, citing a different word that people often use for his son (who has Down Syndrome) that he feels is just as inappropriate as "retard."

When I was a child, the term for someone with Down's was mongoloid idiot.  Physicians began replacing that term with "retarded" or "retardation,"  a shift in language that brought better understanding of the people afflicted with this condition.  During my teaching years, the language changed to developmental disabled or developmentally delayed which continued to bring changes in understanding and attitudes.

Perry, however, brings up the fact that somewhere along the line, some people began to call children with Down's "little angels."  Individuals have said to him regarding his son, "Downs kids are God's angels sent down to earth."  He rejects that label equally with "retard."  He says:  "Symbols, labels and representations -- in media, literature and our daily conversations -- shape reality. The words "retard" and "angel" represent images that dehumanize and disempower.  Both words connote two-dimensional, simple or limited people. Neither angels nor retards can live in the world with the rest of us, except as pets, charity cases or abstract sources of inspiration."

Children and adults with disabilities are first and foremost human beings - just like you and just like me - only with a vastly different set of challenges.  There are hundreds of other syndromes just as difficult as Down's - thousands of people across this planet that deserve to be treated as one of us and incorporated fully into the fabric of society and culture.  And when a cruel or inappropriate word pops up in our mental consciousness, let's be sure it does not make it past our lips.

Don't Label People with Down Syndrome by David M. Perry, Special to CNN, November 17, 2012

When We Make Choices

Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
    but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

Proverbs 13:24

Somewhere in New York state tonight, a young man is sitting in prison, and four other families are steeped in grief at the loss of their sons.  This is a story of a young man apparently growing up without the strong discipline that is so necessary for teenage boys, and four of his friends paying the price for his overindulgence.  It is also a story about his parents whose involvement in his life was not sufficient to prevent a terrible tragedy.

There were five boys in the car, ranging in ages from the 17-year-old driver to his 18 year-old buddies.  At 3:30am on October 8 , the vehicle in question was being driven at 110mph when the driver lost control and crashed into a band of trees, shearing the car in half.  All four passengers were killed.  The driver, who tested positive for marijuana, walked away from the crash. In addition, the young man was driving on a learner's permit that did not permit him to drive between 9pm and 5am; nor was he permitted to have any passengers 18 or younger in the car.  The police describe the carnage as "a preventable tragedy" and have charged the young man with various felony counts.  The boy's lawyers describe it as "a tragic accident," and intend to fight the charges.

Using marijuana is not an accident.  Driving at 110mph is not an accident.  Knowing that you are not qualified by law to be on the road and driving anyway is not an accident.  Just as important:  knowing that your child is driving a car in the middle of the night with only a learner's permit is not an accident either.  I was relieved to see that the young man's parents have been charged in this case as well.  Even if both the parents and the son are convicted, it will not restore the lives of the four young men who so trustingly (but foolishly) stepped into the car that night, nor relieve their parents' anguish.  A guilty verdict just might, however, present a lesson to other young people in the New York area that they are responsible for every single choice they make - even the ones that end in tragedy. 

Having the Chance to Experience Thanksgiving

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving...

Psalm 147:7

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  In my childhood, it was a time when family got together, glorious food was prepared (and loads of it!), and we didn't have to go to school for two whole days!  As I grew older and understood the reason for Thanksgiving, I loved it even more.  Now that my children are grown and living near and far, Thanksgiving holds a very important place in my calendar, because my girls always come home for that holiday.

When my kids were teenagers, their first jobs were in retail.  All three of them worked for Express, and two of the three worked for Victoria's Secret.  When you work retail, there are not many days that are considered holidays.  The main one, of course, is Christmas, but the next most important is Thanksgiving - or at least it was.

The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday - supposedly the biggest shopping day of the year.  The term "black Friday" started in Philadelphia in the 1960's - a term to describe the traffic and congestion on that day.  By the 1970's, it had begun to move outward from Philly.  For many years, it was common for stores to open at 6:00am on Black Friday.   During the 2000's, the time began to creep back to 5:00am and then 4:00am.  Last year, the opening hour was moved back to midnight.  This year, Walmart and several other stores announced that they were opening at 8:00pm on Thursday, with Target and others following at 9:00pm.  This has prompted Walmart workers to threaten a walkout, and Target workers to start a petition drive.

If Thanksgiving Day is one of the only days that you have to spend with your loved ones, having a leisurely dinner and family time, there is good reason why you do not want to be called in to work.  Do I as a consumer need to start shopping for bargains on Thursday evening at 8:00pm  No, I certainly don't.  If retailers keep backing up the start of their special sales, there will no longer be a "Black Friday" - and I doubt that they will sell more if all their special deals are on Thanksgiving Thursday.

If you would like to support the Target workers who are appealing to the CEO of their corporation, go to www.change.org and lend your "signature" to their petition.   They will appreciate your support.  If you do not believe that retailers should be encroaching on their employees' rare family holiday, boycott the Thanksgiving Day shopping and wait until it is actually Friday.  If consumers refuse to go on Thanksgiving evening, retailers might get the message.. 

Studying the Animals

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, 

pressed down, shaken together and running over, 

will be poured into your lap. 

For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Luke 6:38

The fourteen children in our Music & Missions program on Wednesday evenings have learned a lot about domesticated animals through our study of Heifer International, a charity that gives animals to impoverished families to a) give them food, b) give them them the means to supply their own needs, and c) give them the means to better their lives.  Recipients are taught how to care for their animals, as well as paying it forward by sharing a portion of the offspring with other poor families.

Each week the children study a different animal, and I learn so much as I prepare those lessons.  For instance, I have always thought that camels store water in their humps.  In actuality, the humps are composed of fatty tissue.  I would not have guessed that a goat is the most requested animal, because it is small and doesn't eat as much as a cow, gives milk (from which one can make yogurt and cheese), and the hair of the goat is used to make clothing, etc. We have also studied pigs, chickens, sheep and fish.

Every week the children save their coins in a special Heifer piggy bank. Once a month we take up an offering from the congregation to purchase animals to be given by Heifer.  In September, we raised funds to purchase 13 flocks of chickens.  In October, we purchased two sheep.  This Sunday, we will again be taking up an offering - this time to purchase honey bees.  How exciting it is to read the success stories of families around the world who were on the brink of despair when they received training and a gift of animals from this wonderful organization.

If you are not acquainted with Heifer International, you will find them on the Internet at www.heifer.org.  If you have a friend or relative who has absolutely everything, consider giving an animal in their honor as their Christmas present.  The gift of a Heifer animal for an impoverished family is truly "a gift that keeps on giving."

Jesus, Is That You? Part 3

I am the Good Shepherd...
John 10:11

The third drawing in the packet I purchased by artist Darrel Tank was the familiar pose of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, based on Christ's own words from the book of John.  I have heard many a sermon in my lifetime about sheep being the dumbest animals on earth, not intelligent at all, dependent for their every need on someone or something beyond themselves.  The sermon-maker then hammers home the point that WE human beings are the dumb sheep, needing Jesus to guide us through life. 

That "dumb sheep" theology does not fly well in today's culture of education and self-sufficiency.  I have never considered myself dumb, unintelligent or dependent.  In fact, I think I would have to admit that I view myself as a very bright person, thoroughly educated, relatively independent, with no particular need for someone else to make my decisions for me.  I think most people around me view themselves in much the same light.  So how do I reconcile my self-reliant nature with the call of the Shepherd Christ?

I have no idea if sheep are actually stupid, but I do know one thing - they are defenseless.  Without the sharpness of claws, teeth or fangs, sheep have no way to protect themselves.  The Shepherd acts as their defense mechanism - their protector in the face of real or threatened danger.  Am I defenseless?  Well, when it comes to the floodgates of misery that life is capable of turning on us - cancer, financial failure, relationship collapse, ill health, etc. - I have few defenses to cope with sudden tragedy or unbearable loss.  To know that I have Someone who is right beside me, ready to walk me through the shadows and the pain, is a great comfort and security for me.  In all times - the good and the bad - the Lord is ever ready to wrap me in His arms of love and shelter my heart from the storm.

Jesus, Is That You? Part 2

But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion...

Psalm 86:15

After purchasing the set of five prints of Darrel Tank's pictures of Christ, I opened up the package to view the prints that were underneath the picture of the laughing Christ with the teenagers.  The second sketch caught at my heart as powerfully as the first, but for a different reason.  I have searched the Internet high and low for a copy of that image, but I can not find it anywhere.  It is similar to the drawing above of Jesus writing sins in the sand, but it is also vastly different.

In that second sketch, Jesus is kneeling down in the dusty road, his hand cradling a tiny puppy who is dead.  The focus for me, however, was not on the body of puppy, but on the face of Christ as he grapples with the death of this tiny animal.  There is sorrow, there is pain, and there is... anger.  Yes, anger.  The thought that Jesus could be mad about the death of a tiny, insignificant puppy would be blasphemous to some.  It took me awhile to absorb that image myself.  In the end, however, that drawing was but another step in my journey towards understanding that God has emotions and feelings very similar to you and me.  We are created in His image and likeness, and we are far more like Him than not.  Remember, Jesus said, "Hey, folks - if you've seen Me you've seen my Dad." 

In the mind of the artist, was Jesus mad at the person or persons who caused the death of the puppy?  Is that where His angered was placed?  I wish that I had an image of the drawing so that you could come to a conclusion for yourself.  I think, however, that the anger in Christ's face was for the loss of a precious life, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.  Perhaps the message of that drawing is that God deeply cares and loves all aspects of His creation - from the sparrow, to the puppy, to this lady living in Virginia, encompassing everyone and everything that lives and moves on this planet.

Jesus, Is That You?

If you've seen Me, you've seen the Father...

John 14:9

I grew up in a very conservative household and attended a fundamentalist church.  My mother's view of God was much more akin to Titan than to Jehovah.  Her "God" was One that sat in the heavens with a shaft of lightning in His hand, just waiting for us to do something wrong so that He could zap us.  Strict, harsh, demanding, sober, unfeeling - those were the words I might have used if someone had asked me to describe what God was like.

When I was a young adult, a wonderful artist named Darrel Tank drew a series of pictures of Jesus from a very different perspective.  There was a packaged set of five prints that were for sale in our Christian bookstore, and the picture above was the one that was displayed on top.  The drawing is breathtaking.  Here are two teenage boys painting a house - or at least they are supposed to be painting the house.  Mostly they are having a wonderful time painting each other.  And there - in the window - is Jesus Himself, grinning like a banshee and thoroughly enjoying the shenanigans.  

I remember to this day my utter disbelief as I gazed at Tank's artwork (which I promptly purchased!).  Jesus?  Jesus laughing?  Jesus with a sense of humor?  Jesus enjoying (nee approving of) a boyhood prank?  What Jesus was this?  Certainly not the one I was raised with!  I framed that picture and displayed it on the wall of my bedroom where I could gaze at it every day - a constant reminder that maybe the lightning bolt view of God was not quite accurate.

I asked the question yesterday, Does God have a personality?  I grew up believing that God didn't have so much a personality as a demeanor, and it was a distinctly unpleasant one.  Darryl Tank's artwork prompted me to take another look at the God I thought I knew. 

Here, Kittie Kittie

Then was our mouth filled with laughter and 

our tongue with singing...

Psalm 126:2a

The feline that shares my heart and home is just the quirkiest little thing.  She is both independent and clingy, madcap and sedate.  A voracious eater, she is always talking to me about the condition of her food dish - which most of the time is empty.  She is a bundle of personality and hilarious antics.  Every evening when I come home, she meets me at the door talking incessantly. She immediately takes off through the house to my bedroom and into my bathroom, where she hops up on the toilet and waits for me to turn on the faucet to a tiny stream of water.  She then hops up on the sink and proceeds to have her evening drink of water.  Every evening - without fail.

Every cat I have ever had has a distinct personality all their own.  Every human being that I know is the same way - each their own person with a delightful (or not so delightful) personality to match.  As I watch my silly animal companion display her grand range of cat quirks, it leads me to wonder about her Creator.  Does God have a personality?  If so - what is it like?

First Snow

Have you entered the storehouses of the snow

or seen the storehouses of the hail...?

Job 38:22

Right about mid-day, the Internet began to buzz about the new Noreaster storm that was coming up the coast - headed straight for New York and New Jersey - some of the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Sandy last week.  The news said that there would not be much rain, but would have winds that could stir up a five foot storm surge.  Right around 6:00pm, I texted my daughter in NYC saying, "News says you are getting another Noreaster tonight??"  Her reply came quickly:  "Well, now we are getting an actual one.  It's a blizzard out there.  First snow!"

Although I'm quite sure that the people of New York and New Jersey, particularly along the coast, would prefer a run of dry weather right now, I love the look and feel of the first snow.  The sparkling crystal flakes cover the dead grass, fallen leaves, and a host of other unsightly flaws - turning the landscape into a fairytale playground.  Far too soon the brilliant white is smudged with the browns of rock and mud, but the first hour or two of falling snow is pure magic.

The Bible first mentions snow in Exodus 4:6 as a comparison:  his hand was leprous as snow.  2nd Samuel 23 tells the story of a man who went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. The Psalmist describes God as spreading "...snow like wool and... the frost like ashes."  Several texts describe the comparison of something being "...white as snow."  And in Psalm 148, the snow is called upon to praise the Lord.

Last year in central Virginia, we had a wintertime that resembled spring. It never did get very cold - a fact that was emphasized this summer when we were overrun with bugs.  This cold spell that we are experiencing post-Hurricane Sandy gives me hope that this year we will have a chance to once again bask in the glow of the falling snow. 

God Bless America

Vote, America!

Our Future Depends on It

 

Facebooking Friends

The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,

as a man speaks with his friend.

Exodus 33:11

Have you noticed that there is precious little face-to-face communication between friends these days?  After all, we are all so busy.  We will text each other, Twitter, Facebook, email, and perhaps take the time to call.  But get together?  Mano a mano?  No, that doesn't happen very often for many people.

I tried Twitter once or twice.  It just didn't make much sense to me.  I don't know very many people who want to read little snippets of what I think throughout the day.  My life just isn't that exciting.  I text all the time - especially my children, but I also find myself texting colleagues, students and friends.  There is something so immediate about texting.  I utilize e-mail with students, colleagues, and contacts, but only occasionally with friends.  And then there is Facebook.  

I am the administrator of the Facebook page for the church where I work, and have a personal page myself. I can post pictures (of myself and others), share videos, pictures and puzzles that I have found, talk about what I am doing at any particular moment (a la Twitter), and yak back and forth with anyone also online at any precise moment.  Facebook can actually make me feel like I am really keeping up with people by allowing me to view their life through the window of their page.  I can remark on some aspect of their daily grind if I so choose, or push the "Like" button as if I am saying "YAY!!"  There is something comforting about being able to view what other people are doing online, but there is something horribly impersonal about it as well.

I have 313 friends on Facebook.  To be frank, I don't think I even know 313 people in this world, so how in the world do all these people know me?  Some of them are my students, some of them are colleagues or acquaintances from work, and some of them are just "friend collectors."  I suspect it might be time to go through my list of "friends" and whittle it down to those who actually know me and care about me as a person - those who are truly my friends.

God understands the value of speaking face to face - of talking together with a friend in intimate conversation.  He hob-nobbed with Adam and Eve in the Garden and chatted up Moses in the cleft of a rock.  God came as a man to earth in the person of Jesus Christ and gathered twelve close friends into His inner circle. Eventually He had a whole cadre of men and women followers that He interacted with on a daily basis.  For God and for us, physically coming together for fellowship and avid conversation is what friendship is all about. 

Taking What's Yours

Keep your lives free from the love of money 

and be content with what you have.

Hebrews 13:5

Staten Island was one of the hard-hit areas of New England that suffered from the huge storm surge of Hurricane Sandy.  Flooding is widespread, and many families lost everything that was in the first floor of their homes. After the storm was over, they lost a great deal more - at times, at the hands of their neighbors.  While the residents are slogging through waist-deep water trying to salvage anything from their ravaged homes, they are losing further personal property from looting.

One man told CNN that his neighbors were roaming from house to house, banging on doors, and yelling to see if anyone was home.  If they got no response, they busted into the home and took everything they could carry.  A retired UPS truck driver had been collecting tools and other equipment to start a small engine repair business.  He heard the men in the neighborhood yelling and banging on doors.  He shouted out his window at them, but they wdid not respond.  In the morning, he found that they had pushed over his shed and stolen every useable tool and piece of equipment.  There was nothing of value left.

I have never understood the thought process of any person who believes that they are entitled to take whatever they can get, whether it belongs to them or not.  There are times when it seems that responsibility, respect and decency are fast disappearing from our society.  To lose your possessions to a massive storm is one thing; to lose your possessions to the selfish thievery of your neighbors is quite another.

 

Helping with a Compassionate Heart

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. 

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, 

if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

Once a year at the church where I work, we partner with CARITAS (Congregations Around Richmond Involved to Assure Shelter) to house the homeless for one week.  The church provides a place to sleep and two meals a day, plus laundry service, tutoring for the children, and any other way that we might be helpful to the families enrolled in the program.

Grace Notes tells the story of a woman who, with her husband, had accepted the assignment of sleeping overnight at the church in case one of the families had a need during the night.  About 3:00am in the morning, there was a knock at their door.  The husband went out for a while, then finally returned to his bed.  What was the problem?  One of their guests needed to start her laundry and wanted the door to the laundry room unlocked.  His wife was incensed.  Laundry at 3:00 a.m. in the morning?  How rude!  She didn't mince any words in telling her husband what she thought of the woman and her unkindness.  Such things as laundry certainly could have been done the next day.

In the morning, when the husband had a chance to chat with the woman from the night before, he discovered that one of her five little boys had wet the bed in the night.  She gave the child her own bed, and then, thoroughly embarrassed because they were using a bed and linens provided by the program, all she could think about was washing the sheets and blanket.  When the husband passed this tidbit of information on to his wife, she realized that she had reacted totally without compassion.  She had volunteered to sleep for one night on an air mattress at the church so that she would be available if any needs arose.  When one did, she reacted with anger and complaining.  She had passed judgment without knowing all the relevant facts.  She had, in fact, been more concerned about her need for sleep than about any of the people she had volunteered to shepherd.

In our neighborhoods and communities where there is so much heartache and need, it is important not only to raise your hand and say, "I can help," but to do so with a heart of compassion, humility, patience and love.

Trying to Share Wisdom

My son, pay attention to my wisdom,

listen well to my words of insight.

Proverbs 5:1

My new freshman class at the Specialty Center for the Arts where I teach is a lively group of  eleven teens.  Every school year, I have at least one student in my 9th grade class who comes in feeling like they own the world:  they have already conquered the intricacies of singing, they are "seasoned" performers, they are going to go on and star on Broadway, and our little class is just a side station that they have to get through as they are up and on to better things.  They don't know me from Adam, and their attitude appears to be that I probably know about as much about singing as he did.  I have a hard time to keep from grinning when I realize that I have another live wire!

This year is no exception.  One student stood out as someone who considers themselves light years ahead of their fellow classmates.  I handed out this individual's song for the first nine weeks - an English art song that was only two pages in length, had two verses, and was quite repetitive in words as well as music.  A piece of cake, right?  Well, it should have been.  But this individual came to class each week with very little preparation of the song.  Our first nine weeks period is actually closer to seven weeks long, so the dress rehearsal came up quickly.  This student came up on stage, did their spoken introduction, launched into the song, and promptly forgot their words.  I had begged, pleaded and cajoled for weeks to try and motivate this kid.  Now I made a unilateral decision as the teacher - they would have to sing the recital using their music.  Much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued.  No way were they going to do that.  "Yes way," I said.

Recital day arrived, and then this student's time to perform.  They came onstage with the music, put it on a stand about a foot away from where they stood, and gave their spoken introduction.  I started the piano accompaniment and waited for the meltdown I knew would follow.  The student positively trashed the piece - couldn't remember the words, couldn't remember the music, couldn't remember anything.  It was a very painful public collapse, and one that was completely unnecessary.

Throughout the book of Proverbs, King Solomon pleads with his listeners to give heed to his words and advice regarding the wisdom and understanding that comes from God.  Solomon knew from hard-knock experience that man's wisdom isn't worth a hill of beans when it comes to the pressures and insanity of life.  The book of Proverbs calls out to us as well.  Do we already know it all?  Or are we willing to humble ourselves and listen?  

CNN Heroes of 2012

Love your neighbor as you love yourself...

Mark 12:31

Today, CNN revealed their Top 10 Heroes of 2012 - ordinary people doing extraordinary acts of kindness, compassion and leadership around the world nominated by CNN's global audience.  Here are just a few:

Pushpa Basnet - a woman in Nepal who was shocked to learn that there were children living in adult prisons with their parents because they had no where else to go.  In 2005, she opened a children's center providing housing, education and medical care for more than 140 children of incarcerated parents.

Connie Siskowski helps young people who, for whatever reason, are the primary caregivers for an ill, disabled or aging family member.  Her non-profit has provided assistance for over 550 young caregivers in Florida.

Scott Strode founded Phoenix Multisport in 2007.  After beating his own addiction to drugs and alcohol, Scott's nonprofit organization offers free athletic activities and a sober support community to over 6,000 participants in Colorado.

Malya Villard-Appolon, herself a rape victim, co-founded an organization that has helped over 4,000 rape survivors find safety, psychological support and legal aid.

Leo McCarthy started Mariah's Challenge in memory of his daughter, who was killed by a drunk driver.  His nonprofit has awarded over $150,000 in scholarships to teenagers who pledged not to drink while they are underage.

Each of these individuals has stepped out of their comfort zone to bring help, healing, compassion, strength, encouragement, and assistance to others who were incapable of helping themselves.  Three of these heroes took their own tragic circumstances and channeled their energies into helping others caught in the same situations.  The other two brought support and assistance to young people who had slipped through the cracks of society's care and concern.  All of them exemplify Christ's admonition to ...love your neighbor as you love yourself.