Today’s Readings: Psalm 131; 2 Samuel 15:19-37; Mark 9:30-41; Acts 25:13-22; Psalm 43
Like most students, I had my favorite (and least) favorite classes in school. My favorites were classes like English and History; my least favorites were classes like Math and Science. So what turned me off about Math and Science? Well, those classes were linear in a way that my mind wasn’t. Case in point: Geometry. In our geometry class, our teacher Mr. Cox told us we were expected to do two things. First, we had to solve the problem; and second, we had to provide an explanation or proof that showed how we arrived at the answer. I usually did okay with the first part. I often didn’t provide an adequate explanation of how I got there, however, so I frequently got marked down by Mr. Cox. Getting marked down for a poor proof really upset me. I couldn’t understand why anyone could be penalized for arriving at the right answer - even if that person used a creative route to arrive at that answer. In some ways, this is the sort of dynamic that was involved in today’s Gospel reading from Mark. In that passage the disciples come to Jesus with a complaint. They point out there is a man out there who arrived at the right answer (i.e. he expelled demons), yet he didn’t provide the right explanation for how he got there (i.e. he didn’t belong to their particular group). For this, the disciples had marked the man down. Jesus refused to buy into their approach. He gave the man space by saying, “If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally” (Mark 9:40 from The Message). So how do you approach life? Are you like my Geometry teacher Mr. Cox and those early disciples – demanding that people not only arrive at the right conclusion but use your approach to get there; or are you like Jesus – able to give others space and allow them to get there in using their own methods? Til next time…
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Friday, August 7
Today’s Readings: Psalm 3; 2 Samuel 15:1-18; Mark 9:14-29; Acts 25:1-12; Psalm 130
Within the lesbian and gay communities, there is a phenomenon known as the best little girl/boy in the world syndrome. What it means is that many folks with a same-sex attraction realize fairly early in life that they aren’t like everyone else. This realization spurs a fear that this difference will lead to rejection by others. In order to minimize the possibility of being rejected, many lesbians and gays develop a coping mechanism that tells them, “If I act as if I’m perfect, then everyone will have to accept me – even if I am different.” I was a classic practitioner of this line of thinking. If you looked up “overachiever” in the dictionary, there would have been a picture of me. I was ASB president, salutatorian, church youth group president, athlete, musician – you name it and I did it. I practically killed myself off with my obsession to try to be perfect. Of course, I’m not the only person who has wrestled with issues of perfection. Lots of folks struggle with those issues. Somewhere during the course of their life they too picked up the notion that they have to be perfect in order to be loved. While such a psychological response might make sense as a coping mechanism, it goes against one of the most basic tenets of our faith. That tenet is alluded to in today’s second psalm where the psalmist says: “If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that’s why you’re worshipped” (Psalm 130:3-4 from The Message). That psalm raises two points that we should carry with us through our day. First, it reminds us that none of us are perfect – so some of us should let go of our obsession to try to be perfect. Second, it also reminds us that others aren’t perfect either – so we should extend grace to others just as God extends grace to us. Try carrying those realizations with you today and see what happens in your interactions with others – and in your relationship with yourself. Til next time…
Within the lesbian and gay communities, there is a phenomenon known as the best little girl/boy in the world syndrome. What it means is that many folks with a same-sex attraction realize fairly early in life that they aren’t like everyone else. This realization spurs a fear that this difference will lead to rejection by others. In order to minimize the possibility of being rejected, many lesbians and gays develop a coping mechanism that tells them, “If I act as if I’m perfect, then everyone will have to accept me – even if I am different.” I was a classic practitioner of this line of thinking. If you looked up “overachiever” in the dictionary, there would have been a picture of me. I was ASB president, salutatorian, church youth group president, athlete, musician – you name it and I did it. I practically killed myself off with my obsession to try to be perfect. Of course, I’m not the only person who has wrestled with issues of perfection. Lots of folks struggle with those issues. Somewhere during the course of their life they too picked up the notion that they have to be perfect in order to be loved. While such a psychological response might make sense as a coping mechanism, it goes against one of the most basic tenets of our faith. That tenet is alluded to in today’s second psalm where the psalmist says: “If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that’s why you’re worshipped” (Psalm 130:3-4 from The Message). That psalm raises two points that we should carry with us through our day. First, it reminds us that none of us are perfect – so some of us should let go of our obsession to try to be perfect. Second, it also reminds us that others aren’t perfect either – so we should extend grace to others just as God extends grace to us. Try carrying those realizations with you today and see what happens in your interactions with others – and in your relationship with yourself. Til next time…
Thursday, August 6
Today’s Readings: Psalm 2; 2 Samuel 14:21-33; Mark 9:2-13; Acts 24:22-27; Psalm 97
There were a lot of wonderful things I learned during my sabbatical experience two years ago that had to do with emergent worshipping communities. Some of those learnings were simply trendy while other learnings had more substance. One of the most substantial learnings I experienced was an entirely new way of engaging Scripture. Let me tell you about that experience. Having been raised in traditional churches, I was used to examining Scripture in one way: I was used to using scholarly methods that were intended to help me better understand what the Scriptures might have meant to their original audience. While this approach to Scripture was intellectually stimulating, it had the additional benefit of being very safe. I say this approach to Scripture was safe because there was always a good deal of distance between Scripture and my life. Many emerging communities approach Scripture very differently. One of their primary goals is to help people find places where the sacred stories of their faith intersect with the story of their own lives. This removes virtually all space between oneself and the Scripture. This emerging approach is based upon the notion that Scripture is relevant to our daily lives. Ever sense I discovered this new way of relating to Scripture, my spiritual life has taken on rich new dimensions. As much as I personally enjoy this new way of engaging the sacred writings of our faith, I am mindful that not every one likes the notion that our faith should intrude into our everyday lives. In today’s reading from Acts, for instance, we were introduced to one such individual: Felix. When Paul laid out his faith in the God revealed through Jesus, Felix responded by pulling back. “As Paul continued to insist on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline and the coming Judgment,” the author of Acts noted, “Felix felt things getting a little too close for comfort and dismissed him.” (Acts 24:25 from The Message). In other words, Felix - like many of us - was more comfortable with a faith that could be held at arm’s length. My question for you to consider today is this: do you prefer a faith that you can stand back and explore at your own leisure, or one that often gets too close for your own comfort? Til next time…
There were a lot of wonderful things I learned during my sabbatical experience two years ago that had to do with emergent worshipping communities. Some of those learnings were simply trendy while other learnings had more substance. One of the most substantial learnings I experienced was an entirely new way of engaging Scripture. Let me tell you about that experience. Having been raised in traditional churches, I was used to examining Scripture in one way: I was used to using scholarly methods that were intended to help me better understand what the Scriptures might have meant to their original audience. While this approach to Scripture was intellectually stimulating, it had the additional benefit of being very safe. I say this approach to Scripture was safe because there was always a good deal of distance between Scripture and my life. Many emerging communities approach Scripture very differently. One of their primary goals is to help people find places where the sacred stories of their faith intersect with the story of their own lives. This removes virtually all space between oneself and the Scripture. This emerging approach is based upon the notion that Scripture is relevant to our daily lives. Ever sense I discovered this new way of relating to Scripture, my spiritual life has taken on rich new dimensions. As much as I personally enjoy this new way of engaging the sacred writings of our faith, I am mindful that not every one likes the notion that our faith should intrude into our everyday lives. In today’s reading from Acts, for instance, we were introduced to one such individual: Felix. When Paul laid out his faith in the God revealed through Jesus, Felix responded by pulling back. “As Paul continued to insist on right relations with God and his people, about a life of moral discipline and the coming Judgment,” the author of Acts noted, “Felix felt things getting a little too close for comfort and dismissed him.” (Acts 24:25 from The Message). In other words, Felix - like many of us - was more comfortable with a faith that could be held at arm’s length. My question for you to consider today is this: do you prefer a faith that you can stand back and explore at your own leisure, or one that often gets too close for your own comfort? Til next time…
Wednesday, August 5
Today’s Readings: Psalm 66; 2 Samuel 14:1-20; Mark 8:31-9:1; Acts 24:17-21; Psalm 124
Those of you who have read my blog for a while know that there are at least two distinctive aspects of my call to ministry. One of those aspects is that I am a bridge builder who has an ability to bring groups together that would otherwise not be in relationship with one another. Another is that I have an ability to be in relationship with those who would otherwise not be in relationship with people others might call “progressive”. These two aspects have become foundational to my call. While I use these skills regularly in most areas of my life and my ministry, there is one area where I do not. That area is in my relationship with my sister. You see my sister and I come from very different places in life. One of those areas in which we are different is in our spiritual lives. While I belong to a community that encourages free-thinking and the inclusion of all people, she belongs to a faith community that is more dogmatic and exclusive of people. Two years ago, in fact, her pastor became president of a national group that – among other things – wanted to limit the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered people. Since then our relationship has become incredibly strained. We are lucky now if we talk more than 2-3 times a year. While in almost every other area in my life I am able to reach across cavernous divides and engage people, ironically with people in my own family I have been less that willing to do so. I was reminded of this situation by today’s reading from 2 Samuel. In that passage we hear the story of how King David is presented with a problem by a woman from Tekoa. David hears the story and thinks the resolution of the case is rather obvious – that is until he hears at the end the people involved in the case are really he and his estranged son Absalom. The interaction is a humbling reminder that many of us (myself included!) often have double standards as to how we lead our lives: one set of standards for the world, and one set of standards for our personal lives. Perhaps there is a relationship in your own life where you have been held double standards. If so, today just might be the day where the Spirit is calling you to reach out and welcome home someone you have exiled from you life. Til next time…
Those of you who have read my blog for a while know that there are at least two distinctive aspects of my call to ministry. One of those aspects is that I am a bridge builder who has an ability to bring groups together that would otherwise not be in relationship with one another. Another is that I have an ability to be in relationship with those who would otherwise not be in relationship with people others might call “progressive”. These two aspects have become foundational to my call. While I use these skills regularly in most areas of my life and my ministry, there is one area where I do not. That area is in my relationship with my sister. You see my sister and I come from very different places in life. One of those areas in which we are different is in our spiritual lives. While I belong to a community that encourages free-thinking and the inclusion of all people, she belongs to a faith community that is more dogmatic and exclusive of people. Two years ago, in fact, her pastor became president of a national group that – among other things – wanted to limit the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered people. Since then our relationship has become incredibly strained. We are lucky now if we talk more than 2-3 times a year. While in almost every other area in my life I am able to reach across cavernous divides and engage people, ironically with people in my own family I have been less that willing to do so. I was reminded of this situation by today’s reading from 2 Samuel. In that passage we hear the story of how King David is presented with a problem by a woman from Tekoa. David hears the story and thinks the resolution of the case is rather obvious – that is until he hears at the end the people involved in the case are really he and his estranged son Absalom. The interaction is a humbling reminder that many of us (myself included!) often have double standards as to how we lead our lives: one set of standards for the world, and one set of standards for our personal lives. Perhaps there is a relationship in your own life where you have been held double standards. If so, today just might be the day where the Spirit is calling you to reach out and welcome home someone you have exiled from you life. Til next time…
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