“A NICHE IN PEOPLE’S HEARTS”
I just watched two characters “die” on reruns of two of my favorite TV shows—“The Big Bang Theory” and “NCIS”. This is particularly difficult because my sweet princess is gone for the night. Now, I have to cry myself to sleep all by myself. Poor, pitiful me!
Actually, I didn’t see either of them “die” on camera. However, it still feels sad. But then, I get sad very easily.
Howard Wolowitz’s mother simply went to sleep while visiting her sister in Florida, and never woke up. That’s a good way to go, I guess, if there is any good way to go.
Agent Reeves, however, was shot to death protecting Abby during a robbery. I was never that attached to his character, but now that he’s gone, I’m sad. I miss him. And of course, there is the English accent.
But it occurs to me that real people also fill a niche, even when we don’t know them well, even when we may not like them a lot. Perhaps everyone fills a niche in our hearts, and we fill a niche in their hearts as well.
The Apostle Paul said that if one believer suffers, all believers suffer (1 Corinthians 12:26). But perhaps this isn’t just true for believers. Maybe it’s true for everyone.
I don’t know about you, but I feel exceedingly unimportant most of the time. Yes, I know, it’s just a feeling. It may be very far from the truth. Still, it is what I feel sometimes.
However, maybe I should dare to believe that, just as others—even fictional characters on tv—have a place in my heart, so I have a place in the hearts of others.
We can choose to cherish other niche-y people, and we can fill our own place in their hearts with as much faithfulness as we can. We are all in this thing together, this thing called life. We need to play our parts well.
“HUMBLE CONFIDENCE”
My verse of the day today on my smart phone ap was this:
“ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, New American Standard Bible, 1995)
I often tell my students, “C.I.E.” This stands for “Context Is Everything!” If you don’t pay attention to the surroundings of a verse, you will not really understand that verse. Or, at the very least, you won’t understand it as well as you could. So, what is the context of 1 Corinthians 15:58?
This verse, in what we call Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, is the practical conclusion of a very important section of teaching. The Corinthian Christians were a pretty messed-up group in a whole bunch of ways. One of those ways was that they did not believe in a real, physical resurrection from the dead.
Paul responds to this is several ways. There isn’t the time in a blog post to go into all of those in depth, so I’ll summarize. Paul basically points out that:
- He and all the other apostles and teachers had taught the resurrection.
- The Old Testament (the Scriptures for Christians of that day) taught the resurrection.
- Jesus had been raised from the dead, and he had so closely identified himself with us that our own resurrection was inevitable.
- There are analogies in nature (seeds for example) that only what dies can spring up to new life.
Paul could deal with some pretty deep issues at times. Although I’ve studied him a great deal, and taught classes on his life and writings, I feel as if I’ve just scratched the surface.
And yet, Paul almost always ends his discussions of abstract matters on a very practical, down-to-earth note. After discussing the Christian doctrine of physical resurrection, Paul basically says, “So get busy, and stay busy doing what you should!”
What on earth (pun optional) does what we do here and now have to do with resurrection?!
Actually, the resurrection has a great deal to do with what we do here and now. Think about it: What is it, ultimately, that calls all our efforts in this life into question? Is it not death? I have heard it said, “Life is hard, and after that you die.” This is a common philosophy.
But if, as Paul and the other early Christian cats taught, death is not the final word, then life—and what we do in it—matter a great deal.
Interestingly, the verbs in the original Greek of 1 Corinthians 15:58 are all in the present tense. This suggests continual or on-going action. Since the resurrection of the dead is true, the Corinthian believers must continually be steadfast, immovable, continually abounding in the work of the Lord, continually knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (If the present tense wasn’t enough, Paul adds the Greek word for “always” just before the bit about abounding in the work of the Lord! Paul was never bashful about piling on words to make what he was saying clear.)
Today, I begin teaching a course in the regular undergraduate program at the university. I have always taught in the College of Adult Learning, which was populated with people who were closer to my age. I am also using a Bible software that I had never used until about ten days ago. My affirmation, sent to my 12-step sponsor this morning, is as follows:
Today, by God’s grace, I am humble confidence. This combination will honor God, be helpful to students, and will be true to who I am.
Perhaps, in light of the resurrection, I should actually try believing this.
“Welcoming Pain”
Sunday, August 26, 2018
“5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 11:5-6)
The pain is still present. What would happen if I simply welcomed it?
All problems are made worse by resisting them. So, perhaps the opposite approach might be helpful.
I am not talking about passivity. Few things are more active and dynamic than genuine acceptance.
I suppose that I am like every other person/animal in the world. I don’t desire pain. Yet pain is necessary. Without it, how would I ever change? Without pain I would have died years ago.
My father-in-law had diabetes. As is usually the case, late in his life he was plagued with neuropathy—a fancy, medical term that means his nerves couldn’t feel pain. Once, when he was standing at the edge of a big brush pile that had been burned, he didn’t realize that, under the ashes there were still live coals. Only when his shoes were burned through and his feet had begun to smolder did he realize this. His feet never fully recovered from this. I can’t remember for sure, but I think that his feet had to be amputated eventually. No, it is not a good thing to be unable to feel pain.
Pain is like certain people I’ve known. I can think of people over my lifetime who have been very prickly. I sometimes call them “dill pickles with bumps.” (It’s not an original expression, but it’s very expressive, isn’t it?) They were, at least initially, not fun to be around. In fact, sometimes, I called them a pain to be around. And yet, I learned a lot from them. In some cases, I even came to think of them as friends.
Perhaps I could do the same with pain. People who exercise often cite the cliché, “No pain, no gain!” Perhaps this is not a cliché or truism after all. Perhaps, it is simply true.
Now, I’m not saying that we should like pain. Liking the sensation of pain is usually recognized as a psychological aberration called “masochism.” Pain was not designed to be pleasurable, just as a warning siren was not designed to be musical. Welcoming pain doesn’t mean pretending that it isn’t pain. Pain is pain.
There is a Hebrew noun, mûsar, that is often translated “discipline” in English. It is formed off the same root as the verb yäsar. The verb means “to chastise or punish, physically or verbally.”
I don’t like being chastised or punished. However, I do want some discipline in my life. In other words, I want the product without the process. I need to choose.
Welcome, pain! Come in and sit a spell! Can I get you a cup of coffee?
“THE (MIS)INFORMATION AGE?”
I’ve tried to enter the twenty-first century. I really have. I have learned how to turn on a computer, and even use it a bit. I don’t very often look up words in my print dictionary. (Where is that dusty old thing, anyway?) Instead, I google words. I have a Face Book account, and occasionally look at it, though I’m not really sure how it works. I like to find out about little-known authors, musicians, and philosophers by reading what Wikipedia has to say about them. I even use the computer for research and teaching. So, I am not a total luddite when it comes to the internet.
However, I wonder sometimes about this time in which I live, this “Information Age.” Sometimes I wonder.
I encountered a man the other day, who was making a bunch of really bizarre claims, all of which he had found (I think) on the internet. It sometimes feels to me as if we live in the “Misinformation Age.”
But I have an even deeper misgiving: What if we’re drowning in information, even as we are dying of thirst for wisdom?
What is the difference? Aren’t information and wisdom the same?
I think not! I’ve known people who were cornucopias of information who were about as wise as a bucket of rocks. Who knows: The rocks may even have been wiser than them. By the same token, I’ve known people who were wise, but had very little information.
Wisdom has been defined in many ways. My current working definition is this: Wisdom is the consistent determination to decide what really matters, and to live out consistently what really matters.
I encounter a lot of people these days with lots of information, but very few who are living wisely.
Now, don’t misunderstand. Information can be very helpful. Whether you are cooking a meal or doing brain surgery, information has its place. Whether you are cooking me a meal or operating on my brain, I will be much happier if you know what you are doing.
But even in those areas, mere information isn’t enough. Wise decisions can’t always be made apart from good information, but good information doesn’t necessarily lead to wise decisions. An informed cook or a skillful brain surgeon needs to be wise in deciding whether a rich dessert or tricky brain surgery is really the best way to go.
So, how do we acquire or deepen our wisdom in the information age? I don’t know, but I have some suspicions.
The first order of business is to become dissatisfied with mere information. Questions must be asked. Is this information relevant? How important is it, really? Is this information accurate? How do I know it is accurate? (The current philosophy seems to be that, if I heard it on my favorite network or internet source, it must be true, and everything else is “fake news.)
The second thing I would suggest for anyone seeking wisdom is to slow down. Information moves fast. Wisdom does not. Let information pass you by. Don’t worry! It may well be obsolete soon anyway. In fact, it may have always been obsolete.
Third, take the long view of things. Information shouts, “Now!” Wisdom whispers, “Now.” These are very different “nows.”
“LEARNING THE FINE ART OF LEANING”
DTEB, “LEARNING THE FINE ART OF LEANING”
“LORD, please prop us up on our leaning side.” (Prayer by an anonymous saint)
“I’m Learning to Lean on Jesus.” (Lyrics and title of a song)
“We all need somebody to lean on.” (Bill Withers, “Lean on Me”)
These days, my daily affirmations tend to deal with pain. That is because I am dealing with pain. Here is my affirmation (in bold font), as part of my daily report to my 12-step sponsor:
“Dear ________,
Today, by God’s grace, I am learning to live with and learn from pain. Whenever I need to (all of the time, I suppose!), I will lean on God.”
My sponsor replied with the following:
“God provides support in many ways. Lean on family, friends, and furry friends.”
My reply to my sponsor’s reply turns on an ironic fact. The “ironic fact” was my little dog.
“Dear _______,
Just before I read your e mail, I looked down at my little “furry friend” sleeping in my lap, and thought of how much I love our dog, Laylah.
We all lean. The only questions are:
- Upon what or whom are we leaning?
- Why are we leaning?
- Can others lean on us?
- Are we okay with all this leaning stuff?”
We spend a lot of time when we’re little learning to stand and walk on our own. That takes more than a year. The rest of our lives is spent learning to lean, and it is one of the most important lessons of life. It is the other important part of the equation. If we only learn to stand and walk on our own, we are only half human.
We like to think that we can make it on our own. We can’t. And if we could, it wouldn’t be good.
“QUIET LOVE”
Zephaniah is a book that is full of God’s fury and judgment, first and foremost with his own people, Judah. But other nations also come in for some pretty strong words. Apparently, God doesn’t put up with a lot of crap from anybody!
However, toward the end of this very stormy book, the skies clear and bright sunshine breaks through. 3:17 is one of the most beautiful, haunting, and difficult to translate verses in the whole of the Bible. Here is one attempt:
“The LORD your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (Zephaniah 3:17 New American Standard Bible, 1995)
While there are many intense debates as to precisely how this verse should be translated, there do seem to be certain key components. In a very non-poetic bulleted list, these components might look like this:
- God fights for us, in spite of all our messing up.
- God rejoices over us greatly.
- But God will also be quiet in his love—or perhaps, God will quiet us by his love.
In any case, there is both noisy joy and quiet love involved in God’s love for us. I once heard someone say, “You know you’re really in love with someone when you can enjoy being quiet with them.”
Often, we think of God’s silence as being a problem. But what if his silence is another expression of his love? What if God loves us (me, you, the entire human race) so much that he is reduced to silence?
Or, on the other hand, what if we are sometimes so in love with God that we are reduced to silence in his presence? Might that not be a sign of love? Indeed, might silence be a form of love?
The monks at Gethsemani Abbey, a Trappist Monastery near Bardstown, Kentucky, have a sign that says, “SILENCE IS SPOKEN HERE.” Yes! Maybe we need to get over our fear of silence. Maybe silence is one of the languages that divine love speaks.
“ON (MAYBE) HAVING A DISEASE I DIDN’T USED TO BELIEVE WAS REAL”
I used to believe that fibromyalgia was not a real thing. It was easy to be a disbeliever, since I didn’t have it. However, over the years, I’ve come to accept that it is a real thing.
It became really easy today, because I am aching all over. I went to the doctor. My vital signs were all great, which is . . . great! However, the doctor was really puzzled by my symptoms. I was actually somewhat pleased when she said, “I have no idea what’s going with you.” I never trust anyone who never says, “I don’t know.”
However, I do trust my wife! She lives with my pretty much all the time, and she is a nurse. Furthermore, I have had things in the past that she diagnosed long before the doctors and medical procedures verified them. So, when she said, “You know, this sounds kind of like fibromyalgia,” I was listening. Pain that nearly doubles you over sometimes helps you to hear better.
So, we each did a bit of research, and sure enough, the vague (but intense) symptoms seemed to fit. In addition, some things that I read about possible contributing factors sounded like some things I have been going through—anxiety, lack of sleep, and so on. Some things that help ease the pain also sounded like some things I had been intuitively doing.
I was especially struck by the anxiety piece. The truth is that I most certainly have some anxiety right now. I am about to teach a class I’ve never taught before, in a program that I’ve never taught in before, using Accordance Bible software, which I downloaded less than a week ago. And, from the time I was asked to teach the class, until the first class was just over two weeks.
Yes, I would say that anxiety could be an issue!
However, it occurred to me that there was something I hadn’t done. I hadn’t prayed.
Now, I believe in God (most of the time). And I also believe that God answers prayer. Whether it is the answer we want is a completely separate matter.
But God has been so good to me, has given me so many wonderful things, that I hesitate to ask for one more. Why, in Heaven’s Name, shouldn’t I hurt?! After all, I’ve had a good life.
As soon as I verbalized this thought to my wife, I heard how stupid it sounded. God is not constrained! God can bless and bless and bless again. Why shouldn’t I pray for healing?
So, I did. And I took a nap. When I got up, I felt much better. I could stand straight, not looking like a human question mark.
And another thing: For the past, I don’t know, two months (?), whenever I am inclined to entertain regrets, I send Jesus to the door. For some reason, regrets seem to be scared of him. They do not come in. Instead, they run away.
So, I thought to myself, anxieties are actually just regrets that I have imported from the future. Why not send Jesus to the door whenever anxieties knock?
If I deal creatively with anxieties (or rather, let Jesus deal with them), the pain may go away. At the very least, sending Jesus to the door may help substantially.
“ ‘THAT’S TENNESSEE, SON’: THE BEAUTY OF THE NOT-SO-ORDINARY”
“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, New American Standard Bible, 1995)
A gentleman I met at church told me a wonderful story yesterday. Seems he was a pastor, and served in San Diego. He said, “San Diego is beautiful, but it is a desert. If you see green, you know that it’s a park, and you’re going to have to pay at least $5.00 to get in.”
Then, he was called to a little church in eastern Tennessee. As his plane was flying into the postage-stamp of an airport, he was absolutely struck with wonder at all the greenness. He assumed that it must all be man-made parks.
He turned to his seatmate, a man who was from Tennessee, and asked, “What is that down there?”
At first, the man didn’t understand the question. When he finally did understand, he said, “That’s Tennessee, Son.”
Now, I have been to both San Diego and eastern Tennessee. They are both drop-dead gorgeous. But this story sent me down another path. What if virtually every place is gorgeous? What if ever place is a garden of wonder? What if it isn’t greenery, but gratitude, that makes a place, a relationship, a life-situation, lovely?
There are times when I’m mowing the grass in my own back yard when I feel such gratitude for even having a yard. This, despite the fact that a lawn-care professional who was bidding on a contract to take care of it wrote that we had “a nice crop of weeds.” Sometimes, even weeds can be lovely—at least to me.
When I was little, my dad complained about my praying before we ate. “That boy thanks God for the birds, and grass, and weeds, while my food gets cold!” That little boy is still alive in me somewhere.
And then, there are my relationships. I have so many friends. I have a wife who loves me, and whom I love. I have activities that I love to do—blogging for example. My life is full and deeply satisfying.
So, from this particular angle on this particular day at this particular moment, I look down and say, “This is my life. And, oh, is it ever beautiful!”
“DON’T SAY CONSPIRACY!”
The other day, as I was getting ready to leave after a workout at Planet Fitness, I had a very disturbing conversation with a guy who was about my age. He was really into conspiracy theories, and apparently President Trump was going to deal with them all.
Now, I am most definitely not a fan of Donald Trump, but I can understand why many people are. I grew up in the country. I get why people don’t like being called “Appalachians,” or “hillbillies,” or “fly-over country.” I don’t like being called “the rust belt,” or even “the Bible belt.” Trump tapped into an aquifer of anger for decades of mistrust of our government, and the desire to be taken seriously. I get that.
But all these conspiracy theories really worry me. Do we really believe that our military could have bombed North Korea and Iran into submission, without the word leaking out? That was the talk of the gentleman in the locker room.
However, on further review, it occurred to me that we all (yes, me too) are prone to believe in conspiracies. I suspect that there are at least two reasons for this.
One reason is that there really are government conspiracies that are unmasked at times. Therefore, it is easy to believe that our government might be engaging in other conspiracies.
But there is a second reason: Conspiracy thinking caters to our innate human tendency to want to pass the buck, to pretend that we are not part of the problem.
Isaiah lived at a time when there really were a lot of political conspiracies. Foreign powers were meddling in Judean politics, and some within Judah were siding with various foreign powers.
And yet, here is what the prophet is told,
Is. 8:11 For thus the LORD spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,
12 “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’
In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy,
And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.
13 “It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy.
And He shall be your fear,
And He shall be your dread.
14 “Then He shall become a sanctuary;
But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over,
And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 “Many will stumble over them,
Then they will fall and be broken;
They will even be snared and caught.”
Notice that believers are not to get caught up in conspiracy theories, or even in conspiracy realities. Rather, they are to fear the LORD, even dread the LORD, and regard the LORD as holy.
But then, right after Isaiah is told to fear the LORD, he is told that the LORD is a sanctuary.
Too much concern and talk about conspiracies is not appropriate for believers. This applies whether those believers think that President Trump (or anyone else) is the best thing that ever happened to America, or the worst thing. Our focus needs to be on God, who is both the one to be feared and trusted. Only then can we honestly say that God is also the one who is our sanctuary.
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