We have church on Sunday nights. Praise nights we call them. We read Scriptures and say prayers and sing choruses and hymns of praise and thanksgiving. One part that ministers to my heart is when members of the congregation give praise reports and testimonies, or share with us a favorite scripture or Bible passage, or talk about something that God seems to have been teaching them. Mutual respect and the Golden Rule hold sway. These are holy times together.
Last night a dear friend shared some things that were on her heart. She talked of a mighty oak of a man who is very sick, currently at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is ready to go home to be with God, but he will leave many family and friends who have been touched by his gentle, loving ways and numerous acts of kindness and concern. Things like giving a family a gift certificate to a seed catalog so that they might have a garden in the summer, or hugging a child in church and telling them that he saw in the paper that the child was doing well in school. As we love each other in small, but faithful ways, things happen for our mutual good and according to God's great plan. Small acts of kindness reap big dividends in our lives.
My friend's loving remarks reminded me how precious such moments are. Another friend, in seminary, called such moments "mustard seed moments" -- acts that start small but can grow big in the good that they do for all concerned. These kinds of exchanges occur every day, over and over again, in the lives of those who are committed to the Christian walk. We only need to awaken and see that they exist. To take notice, to smile, to see the sacred connections in the simplest of things. It isn't hard to do. It just requires you to get out of your own way, get out of your own mind and look around at the world outside of yourself. To embrace each moment and each person as if they are the child of God that they are --to really love our neighbors as ourselves.
When you take time each day to reflect on your day, you can see them in all their beauty. Did someone offer laughter, kindness, and support to you when you needed it today? Were you thankful? Did you get a surprise email or regular mail card from someone? Or did you send one to someone else? In the act of giving, you, too, are receiving. Were there moments that you offered kindness and compassion without expectations and without reward? Perhaps, your gesture or thought was a sacrifice so that another person could enjoy their day more fully. Take time to reflect and renew and be reminded of small acts of kindness in these kinds of every day Christian exchanges.
And, most importantly, be grateful for all that you are given and shown. Be grateful for the reminders of love and compassion that surround us each and every day. Look behind the veneer and bless those who suffer and need your prayers the most.
These, it seems to me, are mustard seeds of a sort. These may seem tiny, almost insignificant, but their goodness can be the starting point of something great. Some of the deep thinkers of the past have found significance in the apparently tiny. For William Blake it was the grain of sand in which he saw infinity. For Julian of Norwich it was the small thing in the palm of the hand, like a hazelnut, which was remarkable simply for its existence. From the small acorn grows the great tree. From the single kernel of corn grows a large stalk with numerous ears and thousands of kernels. God's miracle of small things reaping big benefits goes on and on.
Recently, my children and I discovered the modern day miracle of Google Earth, a website where you can see images of earth from satellites in outer space. It is truly amazing and gives you a remarkable perspective. As I looked at various images of places where I have lived, I could not help but hum the Bette Midler song "From a Distance." These photographs of the earth taken from space have an effect similar to the meditations of Blake and Julian. Once we had glimpsed the earth from that point of view our self-understanding changes. Once we had seen the earth as small, and ourselves as grains of sand, then our sense of stewardship and thankfulness became greater.
Consider the words of Jesus: "Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; Which indeed is one of the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches." (Matthew 13:31-32)
Jesus, in His parable of the mustard seed, teaches us about potential and great expectations. Jesus sees a mustard seed he not only seems something tiny, but He also sees its potential to unfold into something great. Thus he sees not only what is small but also what is not visible at all. He sees a detail of creation and perceives the full flourishing of new creation.
It is the ancient Biblical truth of the Now and the Not Yet. We live in the Now, but we are pulled into a new reality by the Not Yet. We are living as Christians on this earth, but we are already citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20-21) If we are followers of Jesus we both rejoice in the "as it is now' of things, and in the "what it might become' of things. For the kingdom of God is both.
So it is that the mustard seed moments are of great personal and spiritual significance. As we do, and as we receive, the small acts of kindness and love that are the Christian's calling card, we take part in the Spirit's continual teaching on renewal and of hope: and each small act of kindness becomes a new parable of the kingdom.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Things You Can Learn from a Cat, Part II
No sooner had I posted my piece on Mister Kitty Cat Kit, than I recieved another list of things that you can learn from a cat by another cat loving parishioner. So, in the interest of equal time and equal good humor, here it is:
20 Rules to Live By: Things You Can Learn From a Cat
Our pets can teach us many things - if we're willing to listen. They teach us how to love unconditionally, how to look at each day as a new one, to embrace all the good things and why we need to cherish the simple things in life.Here are some basic lessons our pets endeavor to teach us:
1. Rest and relaxation are the keys to happiness, so relax any chance you get. And don't work too hard. Just sitting in a soft chair can be a very good thing.
2. There is always time for a cat nap. Sleep is God's restoration time for your body. Use it.
3. The family that sleeps together stays together. Don't be afraid to curl up really close behind your person's knees or in the crook of the neck and purr.
4. Nighttime is the time to party, and it's more fun if you can share it with your family. Howl, meow, play with their ankles, or leap across the bed to wake them up.
5. Spend time with the people you love, especially when they are working. Sit near the computer and purr, walk across the keyboard occasionally, or better still, knock things off the desk one at a time so your person doesn't get bored.
6. Show your favorite people that you love them. Sit on their lap, pet or rub a leg, or run your tail across their faces to get your message across.
7. Get excited and come running every time a special treat or food is available. Showing a little appreciation and enthusiasm will always get you treats.
8. Don't settle for bland, tasteless food; refuse it and you will be fed fancy and expensive food.
9. Stretch and yawn before you get up, no matter what time it is.
10. Enjoy the sun – lie down, roll around and just appreciate the warmth.
11. Purr when you are happy. Purring is just a feline way of praising the Lord.
12. Cleanliness is next to godliness, so keep yourself clean and pristine.
13. Appreciate a clean litter box. Whoever God brings to clean up our mess must be our friend!
14. Enjoy the solace of a view from a nice window.
15. Washing your face is good for the soul.
16. Be independent. God made you to be a unique and wonderful creature.
17. Don't always do what people want you to do. Please yourself once in awhile.
18. Keep cool. If you don't want to do something, no need to argue – just don't do it.
19. Don't be afraid to look at things from a different perspective occasionally. Sit high on a bookshelf or peek out from under a chair.
20. Expect to be pampered and treated like a prince or princess, and you will be. After all, you were created by the Living God, weren't you? That makes all of us very special creatures!
20 Rules to Live By: Things You Can Learn From a Cat
Our pets can teach us many things - if we're willing to listen. They teach us how to love unconditionally, how to look at each day as a new one, to embrace all the good things and why we need to cherish the simple things in life.Here are some basic lessons our pets endeavor to teach us:
1. Rest and relaxation are the keys to happiness, so relax any chance you get. And don't work too hard. Just sitting in a soft chair can be a very good thing.
2. There is always time for a cat nap. Sleep is God's restoration time for your body. Use it.
3. The family that sleeps together stays together. Don't be afraid to curl up really close behind your person's knees or in the crook of the neck and purr.
4. Nighttime is the time to party, and it's more fun if you can share it with your family. Howl, meow, play with their ankles, or leap across the bed to wake them up.
5. Spend time with the people you love, especially when they are working. Sit near the computer and purr, walk across the keyboard occasionally, or better still, knock things off the desk one at a time so your person doesn't get bored.
6. Show your favorite people that you love them. Sit on their lap, pet or rub a leg, or run your tail across their faces to get your message across.
7. Get excited and come running every time a special treat or food is available. Showing a little appreciation and enthusiasm will always get you treats.
8. Don't settle for bland, tasteless food; refuse it and you will be fed fancy and expensive food.
9. Stretch and yawn before you get up, no matter what time it is.
10. Enjoy the sun – lie down, roll around and just appreciate the warmth.
11. Purr when you are happy. Purring is just a feline way of praising the Lord.
12. Cleanliness is next to godliness, so keep yourself clean and pristine.
13. Appreciate a clean litter box. Whoever God brings to clean up our mess must be our friend!
14. Enjoy the solace of a view from a nice window.
15. Washing your face is good for the soul.
16. Be independent. God made you to be a unique and wonderful creature.
17. Don't always do what people want you to do. Please yourself once in awhile.
18. Keep cool. If you don't want to do something, no need to argue – just don't do it.
19. Don't be afraid to look at things from a different perspective occasionally. Sit high on a bookshelf or peek out from under a chair.
20. Expect to be pampered and treated like a prince or princess, and you will be. After all, you were created by the Living God, weren't you? That makes all of us very special creatures!
Thankful for Our Cat -- Mr. Kitty Cat Kit
We got a cat in early October from the humane society. He was 6 months old at the time. His official name is Eclipse, but we call him "Cat" and "Mister Kitty Cat Kit" and "Kitty, Kitty". He is fixed, but he does not like to talk about it. Ouida, the 8-year-old Alaskan dog, has grudgingly let him come into the house, as long as he stays out of her food bowl.
When I work at the computer, the cat is always in the chair behind me, or looking out the glass doors near my desk. He has become a pretty good companion. my ten year old daughter and eleven year old son both love him, because he dearly loves for anyone to pet him. He purrs very loudly, like he has speakers inside.
One of my parishioners sent me a funny little anonymous thought piece, called "THINGS YOU CAN LEARN FROM YOUR CAT." Here it is:
*Make the world your playground.
*Whenever you miss the sandbox, cover it up. Dragging a sock over it helps.
*If you can't get your way, lay across the keyboard until you do.
*When you are hungry, meow loudly so they feed you just to shut you up.
*Always find a good patch of sun to nap in.
*Nap often.
*When in trouble, just purr and look cute.
*Life is hard, and then you nap.
*Curiosity never really killed anything except maybe a few hours.
*When in doubt, cop an attitude. Learn how to hiss and show your fangs, even to much larger adversaries. Bluffing often works!
*Variety is the spice of Life. One day, ignore people; the next day, annoy them.
*Climb your way to the top, that's why the curtains are there.
*Make your mark in the world, or at least spray in the corner.
*Always give generously; a bird or rodent left on the step or bed tells them, "I care."
*When you have something important to say, try to say it in the dead of night when you're SURE everyone's sleeping. There's no better way to get the attention you deserve.
When I work at the computer, the cat is always in the chair behind me, or looking out the glass doors near my desk. He has become a pretty good companion. my ten year old daughter and eleven year old son both love him, because he dearly loves for anyone to pet him. He purrs very loudly, like he has speakers inside.
One of my parishioners sent me a funny little anonymous thought piece, called "THINGS YOU CAN LEARN FROM YOUR CAT." Here it is:
*Make the world your playground.
*Whenever you miss the sandbox, cover it up. Dragging a sock over it helps.
*If you can't get your way, lay across the keyboard until you do.
*When you are hungry, meow loudly so they feed you just to shut you up.
*Always find a good patch of sun to nap in.
*Nap often.
*When in trouble, just purr and look cute.
*Life is hard, and then you nap.
*Curiosity never really killed anything except maybe a few hours.
*When in doubt, cop an attitude. Learn how to hiss and show your fangs, even to much larger adversaries. Bluffing often works!
*Variety is the spice of Life. One day, ignore people; the next day, annoy them.
*Climb your way to the top, that's why the curtains are there.
*Make your mark in the world, or at least spray in the corner.
*Always give generously; a bird or rodent left on the step or bed tells them, "I care."
*When you have something important to say, try to say it in the dead of night when you're SURE everyone's sleeping. There's no better way to get the attention you deserve.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Being Matthew 25 Christians
Well, the great election day of 2006 has come and gone. The Democrats had a landslide change in the Congress. And one of my dear Republican friends (I am an independent), was very sad yesterday. But I assured him that God is still on the throne. The sun will come up tomorrow!
What some of my good Christian friends need to realize is that there are many good Christians who are Democrats -- and many others how vote Democratic at times. Just look at American history -- one of our most ethical Presidents was Woodrow Wilson, a good Democrat and a good Presbyterian. And his secretary of state, William Jennings Bryan, was three times the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, although he never won. Yet he was also the Vice-Moderator of the national Presbyterian Church. And the list can go on. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John Kennedy were all church-going Christians. Even Lyndon Baines Johnson, as earthy as he sometimes was, definitely espoused a belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Certainly, more was done for the poor and disenfranchised in his administration than in almost any other.
There is no question about Jimmy Carter's allegiance to Christ. Just look at the good deeds he has done after leaving office. And Bill Clinton, for all the notoriety of his greatly publicized sins, expressed remorse, repented, and is a regular church goer. Pastor Bill Hybels of Willow Creek and Pastor Tony Campolo, author of many wonderful books, both served a spiritual counselors to Clinton and attest to his asking God for forgiveness, as well asking forgiveness from his wife and child.
So we cannot be so judgmental as to think that God is only aligned with one political party, as some would have had us believe during the last few years. Abortion is murder of the unborn and biblically wrong, and gay marriage is decidedly unscriptural, but those are just two issues affecting our country. I hope we can make some progress in other areas, too. May God bless America with healing and hope.
If you want to see the heart of Christ for the poor and the outcasts, read Matthew 25, v. 31-46:"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." NIV
Pastors need to be true prophets and echo this command to help the weak and in need, so clearly stated by the Lord. The greatest work of the prophet was,and is, articulating moral truth. Future telling is a much smaller part of what God calls prophets to do. Just look closely at the prophetic books and you will see this fact.
Interestingly, last December, a debate on Matthew 25 broke out on the floor of the House of Representatives. In debating federal budget cuts in areas that he thought were unduly hurting the poor, U.S. Congressman Rep. Charles Rangel, NY, member of the Congressional Black Caucus, began to list the call of Matthew 25:35-40 to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. Rep. Jim Nussle, IA, chair of the House Budget Committee, (and recent loser of the Iowa governor's race), returned to the podium to claim that nowhere in Matthew 25 does it say that the government should help those in need, but rather that individuals alone should take responsibility for helping the least of these that Jesus refers to.
Sometimes we allow our political idealogy to frame how we see the Scriptures, instead of vice versa. In fact, it seems to me that Jesus is very clear about our responsibility to the poor and oppressed, whether it is on a collective or an individual basis, in Matthew 25, when he commands us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the prisoners. He also gives us the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12 and speaks of love as the Christian's signature attribute in John 15. And there are many other scriptures in the gospels and the epistles, and even back in the Old Testament, that point to Christians working for support of the weak, community responsibility, and social justice.
Look back in the Old Testament, and you will see a set of specific guidelines (laws, not individual charity) for the NATION of Israel to follow in taking care of the those who do not have enough, - - -a command so specific that it instructs that farmers that the corners of fields are not to be reaped so that something will be left for the needy and the landless to eat (in Leviticus. 19:9-10).
But what is really striking in Matthew 25 is when Jesus says in Matthew 25, verse 41, that the king of heaven will say to those at his left hand, "You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire." Best not to be on the left hand side when your treatment of the poor comes before God.
I dearly love America, but sometimes we get the American frontier ideas of individualism, manifest destiny (i.e., empire), and unfettered capitalism mixed up with the Scriptures in such a way that our view gets skewed. But a close look at the Word sees connectionalism, cooperation, collectivism, shared responsibility and unfettered compassion are things the Word really emphasizes. With Christ, love and caring are paramount, and greed and selfishness are not good.
We need to be Matthew 25 Christians. Even before we started voting this week, Newsweek had a story called "A New Faith-Based Agenda". The latter is authored by Michael Gerson, a former Bush administration speechwriter, who wrote eloquently, "The goal is not only to stand for Christianity's moral teachings, but to emulate the manner of its Founder, who showed that kindness is not weakness, and had more tenderness for moral outcasts than for moral hypocrites."
Amen, Amen!
What some of my good Christian friends need to realize is that there are many good Christians who are Democrats -- and many others how vote Democratic at times. Just look at American history -- one of our most ethical Presidents was Woodrow Wilson, a good Democrat and a good Presbyterian. And his secretary of state, William Jennings Bryan, was three times the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, although he never won. Yet he was also the Vice-Moderator of the national Presbyterian Church. And the list can go on. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John Kennedy were all church-going Christians. Even Lyndon Baines Johnson, as earthy as he sometimes was, definitely espoused a belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Certainly, more was done for the poor and disenfranchised in his administration than in almost any other.
There is no question about Jimmy Carter's allegiance to Christ. Just look at the good deeds he has done after leaving office. And Bill Clinton, for all the notoriety of his greatly publicized sins, expressed remorse, repented, and is a regular church goer. Pastor Bill Hybels of Willow Creek and Pastor Tony Campolo, author of many wonderful books, both served a spiritual counselors to Clinton and attest to his asking God for forgiveness, as well asking forgiveness from his wife and child.
So we cannot be so judgmental as to think that God is only aligned with one political party, as some would have had us believe during the last few years. Abortion is murder of the unborn and biblically wrong, and gay marriage is decidedly unscriptural, but those are just two issues affecting our country. I hope we can make some progress in other areas, too. May God bless America with healing and hope.
If you want to see the heart of Christ for the poor and the outcasts, read Matthew 25, v. 31-46:"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." NIV
Pastors need to be true prophets and echo this command to help the weak and in need, so clearly stated by the Lord. The greatest work of the prophet was,and is, articulating moral truth. Future telling is a much smaller part of what God calls prophets to do. Just look closely at the prophetic books and you will see this fact.
Interestingly, last December, a debate on Matthew 25 broke out on the floor of the House of Representatives. In debating federal budget cuts in areas that he thought were unduly hurting the poor, U.S. Congressman Rep. Charles Rangel, NY, member of the Congressional Black Caucus, began to list the call of Matthew 25:35-40 to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. Rep. Jim Nussle, IA, chair of the House Budget Committee, (and recent loser of the Iowa governor's race), returned to the podium to claim that nowhere in Matthew 25 does it say that the government should help those in need, but rather that individuals alone should take responsibility for helping the least of these that Jesus refers to.
Sometimes we allow our political idealogy to frame how we see the Scriptures, instead of vice versa. In fact, it seems to me that Jesus is very clear about our responsibility to the poor and oppressed, whether it is on a collective or an individual basis, in Matthew 25, when he commands us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the prisoners. He also gives us the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12 and speaks of love as the Christian's signature attribute in John 15. And there are many other scriptures in the gospels and the epistles, and even back in the Old Testament, that point to Christians working for support of the weak, community responsibility, and social justice.
Look back in the Old Testament, and you will see a set of specific guidelines (laws, not individual charity) for the NATION of Israel to follow in taking care of the those who do not have enough, - - -a command so specific that it instructs that farmers that the corners of fields are not to be reaped so that something will be left for the needy and the landless to eat (in Leviticus. 19:9-10).
But what is really striking in Matthew 25 is when Jesus says in Matthew 25, verse 41, that the king of heaven will say to those at his left hand, "You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire." Best not to be on the left hand side when your treatment of the poor comes before God.
I dearly love America, but sometimes we get the American frontier ideas of individualism, manifest destiny (i.e., empire), and unfettered capitalism mixed up with the Scriptures in such a way that our view gets skewed. But a close look at the Word sees connectionalism, cooperation, collectivism, shared responsibility and unfettered compassion are things the Word really emphasizes. With Christ, love and caring are paramount, and greed and selfishness are not good.
We need to be Matthew 25 Christians. Even before we started voting this week, Newsweek had a story called "A New Faith-Based Agenda". The latter is authored by Michael Gerson, a former Bush administration speechwriter, who wrote eloquently, "The goal is not only to stand for Christianity's moral teachings, but to emulate the manner of its Founder, who showed that kindness is not weakness, and had more tenderness for moral outcasts than for moral hypocrites."
Amen, Amen!
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